Rakotondrainibe F. 2009. — Le genre Triplophyllum Holttum (Pteridophyta, Tectariaceae) àMadagascar. Adansonia, sér. 3, 31 (2): 235-248.

The genus Triplophyllum Holttum (Pteridophyta, Tectariaceae) in Madagascar.

A synopsis of our understanding of the genus Triplophyllum Holttum in Madagascar is presented. Five taxa are recognized: T. fraternum (Mett. ex Kuhn) Holttum subsp. faternum, T. pentagonum (Bonap.) Holttum, T. speciosum (Alston) Holttum et T. varians (T.Moore) Holttum subsp. anjanabense (Tardieu) Rakotondr. that are endemic to Madagascar and T. protensum (Afzel. ex Sw.) Holttum that occurs in Madagascar and Africa. A new nomenclatural combination, T. varians subsp. anjenabense, and a new synonymy, T. pentagonum and Dryopteris pentagona Bonap. var. caudata Bonap., are made. A key is provided to distinguish the taxa. All taxa are described and illustrated and distribution maps are provided.

Wilkin P., Hladik A., Jeannoda V. & Weber O. 2009. — The threatened edible yams of theDioscorea sambiranensis R.Knuth species complex (Dioscoreaceae): a new species andsubspecies. Adansonia, sér. 3, 31 (2): 249-266.

The Dioscorea sambiranensis species complex is endemic to Northern and North-Western Madagascar. Its taxa have broad, cordate leaves with petioles roughly equal in length to the blade, lax male inflorescences with flowers on long pedicels arranged in cymules of usually five or more flowers and flat discoid floral tori. Following study of its morphological variation, two new taxa in the complex are described and illustrated. Dioscorea buckleyana Wilkin was part of a mixed taxonomic concept under the invalid name D. sambiranensis R.Knuth subsp. ambrensis H.Perrier. It is glabrous like D. pteropoda H.Perrier, but differs in petiole and leaf blade morphology (especially blade texture), pedicel length and capsule morphology. Clarification of the limits of D. sambiranensis R.Knuth revealed an undescribed subspecies, subsp. bardotiae Wilkin, which differs in leaf blade and petiole dimensions, and lacks the surface ornamentation of the ovary and capsule found in subsp. sambiranensis. The relationship of D. sambiranensis with D. namorokensis Wilkin is revealed. Keys, descriptions and a distribution map are provided for all the taxa covered, and conservation status assessments given. The latter show that all of the taxa of the complex are, or are likely to be, threatened.

Telepova-Texier M. 2009. — Acampe hulae Telepova (Orchidaceae), une nouvelle espèce duCambodge et du Laos. Adansonia, sér. 3, 31 (2): 267-272.

Acampe hulae Telepova (Orchidaceae), a new species from Cambodia and Laos. A new species of Acampe Lindl. (Orchidaceae), from Cambodia and Laos, is described and illustrated: A. hulae Telepova. It is close to A. praemorsa (Roxb.) Blatt. & McCann from South and South-East Asia, both species possess leaves that are less than 2.5 cm wide, an inflorescence 2–5 cm long, flowers 1.5 cm in diameter. However, A. hulae is distinguished by its labellum having two rows of large papillae in the centre; the interior of its spur has a uniform indument adjacent to the labellum of c. 0.2 mm long trichomes; and it has a subglobular operculum (2.5 × 2 mm) with a flattened erose margin c. 1 mm wide bearing nectariferous stomata.

Judziewicz E. L. 2009. — Toliara (Poaceae, Chloridoideae, Cynodonteae), a new grass genusendemic to southern Madagascar. Adansonia, sér. 3, 31 (2): 273-277.

Toliara arenacea Judziewicz (Poaceae), a new genus and species endemic to coastal sand dunes in southwestern Madagascar, is described and illustrated. It is related to the widespread paleotropical genus Perotis Aton (Chloridoideae, Cynodonteae), but differs in its spikelets with awnless glumes. Known only from the region of the type locality near the city of Toliara, it is critically endangered.

Haevermans T., Rouhan G., Hetterscheid W., Teissier M., Belarbi K., Aubriot X. & Labat J.-N.2009. — Chaos revisited: nomenclature and typification of the Malagasy endemic Euphorbiasubgenus Lacanthis (Raf.) M.G.Gilbert. Adansonia, sér. 3, 31 (2): 279-299.

Malagasy relatives of the Crown-of-Thorns (Euphorbia milii Des Moul.) are well known worldwide for their ornamental value. Malagasy taxa account for almost 10% of the genus Euphorbia L., with 110 accepted names constituting subgenus Lacanthis (Raf.) M.G.Gilbert. The chaotic taxonomy combined with the poor state of preservation of most herbarium specimens makes the systematic study of this huge genus a quite difficult task. This paper offers a nomenclatural account of all the published names with a recapitulatory list citing all the accepted names in subgenus Lacanthis as a first step towards the revision of the group.

Buerki S., Callmander M. W., Lowry II P. P. & Phillipson P. B. 2009. — A synoptic revisionof the genus Lepisanthes Blume (Sapindaceae) in Madagascar. Adansonia, sér. 3, 31 (2):301-309.

A taxonomic revision of the genus Lepisanthes Blume in Madagascar is presented. Three species are recognized based on an analysis of morphological characters in combination with eco-geographic parameters. Two infraspecific taxa recognized previously in Aphania senegalensis (Juss. ex Poir.) Radlk. (= Lepisanthes senegalensis (Juss. ex Poir.) Leenh.) are raised to the species level, viz. L. chrysotricha (Capuron) Buerki, Callm. & Lowry and L. perrieri (Capuron) Buerki, Callm. & Lowry. A third species from northwestern Madagascar is described as new, L. sambiranensis Buerki, Callm. & Lowry. An identification key to the Malagasy species of Lepisanthes is presented as well as preliminary assessments of the conservation status for each species.

Hong-Wa C. 2009. — Endemic families of Madagascar. XII. Resurrection and taxonomic revision of the genera Mediusella (Cavaco) Hutchinson and Xerochlamys Baker (Sarcolaenaceae). Adansonia, sér. 3, 31 (2): 311-339.

The position of Leptolaena subgenera Mediusella Cavaco and Xerochlamys (Baker) Cavaco with respect to Leptolaena Thouars and Sarcolaena Thouars has long been debated along with the circumscription of species within these two groups. Recent advances in the molecular phylogeny of Sarcolaenaceae indicate that both Mediusella and Xerochlamys are not part of Leptolaena, requiring a generic recircumscription of the entities in the Leptolaena-Sarcolaena-Mediusella-Xerochlamys clade. The results of a previous multivariate analysis of morphological characters also showed that Mediusella and Xerochlamys include two and eight entities respectively, which are recognized here as distinct species. Three species of Xerochlamys (X. coriacea, X. itremoensis and X. undulata) are described as new, and Mediusella arenaria requires a new combination. The three new species are distinguished by their habit, the size, pubescence and margin of their leaves, and the structure of their inflorescences. A key to the species and information on their distribution, ecology and phenology are given. The conservation status of each species is evaluated according to IUCN Red List criteria; six species are considered endangered (EN), two are vulnerable (VU), one is near threatened (NT) and the last is of least concern (LC).

Schmid M. 2009. — Contribution à la connaissance des Primulaceae (ex Myrsinaceae) deNouvelle-Calédonie. II. Le genre Rapanea Aubl. Adansonia, sér. 3, 31 (2): 341-395.

The New Caledonian flora is exceptionally rich in species linked to the genus Rapanea, the study of which having not been undertaken since the works of Mez published more than one century ago, and based on the examination of a small number of collections mainly made at low altitude when the speciation seems to have been very active in mountainous areas, often not easy to access. The abundant material preserved today in Paris, thanks to the specimens collected in the course of the last 60 years by the botanists of the Museum (Guillaumin and above all H. S. MacKee), of the IRD (formerly ORSTOM), from the Research Center of Nouméa, or coming from foreign countries, mainly from Switzerland (Baumann, Hürlimann, Bernardi) and from USA (Lowry, McPherson), justified a new examination of the group. This examination however has proven to be rather delicate, the distinction between the different species, within a genus with sharp boundaries, appearing sometimes uncertain, their taxonomic features turning out to be enough fluctuating, at least in the case of numerous available specimens. So, the study below has to be considered as a temporary focusing, It is about 39 species, several of them including one or a few varieties. We have retained 11 of the 14 species mentioned by Guillaumin in his Flore analytique et synoptique de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, come out in 1948, all of them, except two, described by Mez. The other ones are introduced as new. But, following the surveys in the field actually going on, subsequent works are expecting to partly modify the proposed classification

Une espèce nouvelle de Bertiera (sous-genre Bertierella, Rubiaceae) d'Afrique centrale atlantique.Adansonia 31 (2): 397-406.

Nguembou K. C., Ewedje E.-E. B. K., Droissart V., Stévart T. & Sonké B. 2009. — A new species of Bertiera (subgenus Bertierella, Rubiaceae) of Western Central Africa.

A new species belonging to the genus Bertiera (subgenus Bertierella, Rubiaceae) from West Central Africa (Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon) is described. Its diagnostic characters are elucidated, its taxonomic affinities are discussed and notes on its conservation status are provided.

Ramachandran A. & Viswanathan M. B. 2009. — A new species of Gymnema (Asclepiadaceae)from the Kollihills in Peninsular India. Adansonia, sér. 3, 31 (2): 407-411.

A new species of Asclepiadaceae, Gymnema kollimalayanum A. Ramachandran & M.B. Viswan., sp. nov. is described here from the Kollihills in the Eastern Ghats of Peninsular India. This species is allied to G. hirsutum Wight & Arn. by habit, woody stems, milky latex, umbellate cymose inflorescence, 5-merous flowers, calyx, corolla, anthers, follicles and comose seeds but differs by size and shape of leaves being elliptic or elliptic-rotund, subtruncate at base, abruptly acute at apex, longer petioles, arrangement of flowers, longer pedicels, shape and size of calyx, corolla, larger size of follicles, seeds and coma.

Liscovsky I. J., Cosa M. T. & Barboza G. E. 2009. — Flower vascularisation in Solanaceae: a particular pattern in Metternichia J.G.Mikan. Adansonia, sér. 3, 31 (2): 413-425.

The delimitation and relationship of several genera of Solanaceae are not resolved yet. The systematic position of Metternichia principis J.G.Mikan has long been discussed; recently it was split from Cestreae G.Don to a monotypic tribe Metternichieae Miers. The last proposal was supported mainly by the particular chromosome number of Metternichia. In addition, some pollen, anther and seed characters were used to separate Metternichia from Sessea Ruiz & Pav., the genus morphologically most closely related. An anatomical and vascular analysis of the flower was conducted to look for characters that contribute to its systematic position. The placental tissue placed in the base of the septum has never been described before in other Solanaceae species. Moreover, the process of formation of the middle petals, staminal bundles and the two vascular arcs placed on the base of the ovary, are particularities that have not been reported before in the family. The presence of two vascular arcs on the base of the ovary seems to be primitive features in the family as it happens in Humbertia madagascariensis Lam. (Convolvulaceae). The vascular characters in addition to chromosomal, pollen, anther and seed characters, postulated by other authors, support the independence of M. principis from Cestreae. Results are discussed and compared with previous reports on the family.