CALLMANDER, M. W., P. B. PHILLIPSON &; L. GAUTIER (ed.) (2010). Notes on the flora of Madagascar, 1–5. Candollea 65: 359–376. In English, English and French abstracts.
Ongoing research on Madagascar's flora is revealing numerous taxonomic novelties and nomenclatural inconsistencies, and providing new data on species distribution. This is the first article in a series that aims to provide the botanical community working on the flora of Madagascar an opportunity to publish short communications on these topics. — Note 1. Dealing with Indigofera nivea (Leguminosae) — a new name for Madagascar and a new combination for Africa, by Martin W. Callmander, Jean-Noël Labat & Brian D. Schrire. The authors resolve the application of “Indigofera nivea”. Indigofera nivea Spreng. is a valid name for an African species now referred to the genus Indigastrum Jaub. & Spach, for which a new combination, Indigastrum niveum (Spreng.) Schrire & Callm., is published. The illegitimate later homonym by Viguier refers to a species endemic to Madagascar, for which a new name, Indigofera viguieri Callm. & Labat, is published. — Note 2. Distribution of Cyperus chamaecephalus Cherm., a forest undergrowth species with inconspicuous inflorescences, by Laurent Gautier, Louis Nusbaumer, Isabel Larridon & Martin W. Callmander. The distribution of Cyperus chamaecephalus Cherm., a frequently overlooked forest undergrowth species with inconspicuous inflorescences, has been very poorly documented. The authors report several recent discoveries which permit a more complete understanding of its geographical distribution in Madagascar's lowland and mountain rainforests. — Note 3. The genus Korthalsella (Santalaceae) in Madagascar, by Martin W. Callmander, Peter B. Phillipson, Roy E. Gereau, Gérard Aymonin & Amir Sultan. The authors present a review of the genus Korthalsella Tiegh. (Santalaceae) for Madagascar. The identity of Korthalsella taenioides (Juss.) Engl., consistently confused by previous authors, is discussed in detail. Three other species known to occur in Madagascar are enumerated: Korthalsella gaudichaudii (Tiegh.) Lecomte, Korthalsella madagascarica Danser and Korthalsella japonica (Thunb.) Engl. — Note 4. Forsyth-Major 348: four collections, two names, all referring to Mimulopsis madagascariensis (Acanthaceae), by Laurent Gautier & Martin W. Callmander. Among Forsyth-Major's botanical collections, an individual collection number often comprises a set of specimens representing different gatherings. The authors clarify one of these collection sets: Forsyth-Major 348, on which the names Strobilanthes isoglossoides Lindau and Mimulopsis forsythii S. Moore are based, unambiguously designating type material. Both taxa are placed in synonymy under Mimulopsis madagascariensis (Baker) Benoist. — Note 5. The genus Brackenridgea A. Gray (Ochnaceae) in Madagascar, by Martin W. Callmander, Sven Buerki & Peter B. Phillipson. The two Malagasy species described in Pleuroridgea Tiegh. (Ochnaceae) are lectotypified and formally transferred to Brackenridgea A. Gray. The needed combinations: Brackenridgea madecassa (H. Perrier) Callm. and Brackenridgea tetramera (H. Perrier) Callm. are provided. Conservation status assessments for the two species are also provided.
Communication of the editors
Madagascar is well-known for its high biological diversity and endemism, and numerous efforts are in progress to document its unique flora. Our knowledge of the flora is advancing steadily, but remains far from complete. The “Flore de Madagascar et des Comores” series, published by the Paris Museum national d'Histoire naturelle has treated 165 (75%) of the 222 traditionally recognised vascular plant families in Madagascar since the first volume was published in 1936 while full or partial taxonomic treatments for genera in some of the outstanding families have been published elsewhere (notably in the journal “Adansonia”). Some excellent detailed monographs are also available (such as for the legumes and palms, both published by The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew). However, some genera lack any complete taxonomic treatment, and furthermore many of the earlier treatments are now badly outdated and are of little use today. Overall many groups of plants are in urgent need of taxonomic revision.
The “Catalogue of Vascular Plants of Madagascar”, an online database being developed by Missouri Botanical Garden ( http://www.efloras.org/madagascar), presents a synthesis of published data on the flora of Madagascar. It includes taxonomic data, images, vernacular names and information on the conservation status for all vascular plant species occurring naturally in Madagascar. It will eventually provide an analysis of the current status of the taxonomy for every genus and an estimated number of undescribed species. The nomenclatural data and synonymy of the “Madagascar Catalogue” have been integrated with the “African Plants Database” (APD) that has been developed by the Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève and the South African National Bio — diversity Institute in Pretoria ( http://www.ville-ge.ch/cjb/bd/africa/). Work on the “Madagascar Catalogue” and its integration with the APD has revealed numerous taxonomic novelties and nomenclatural inconsistencies, which is serving to highlight the need for taxonomic revisions and other shorter scientific articles for in many groups of plants.
Another important factor responsible for advancing our knowledge of the Madagascar flora is the increasing number of specimens being collected by Malagasy researchers, generally in partnership with foreign botanical institutions. In addition to fuelling taxonomic treatments and systematic studies with important new material, this collecting effort broadens our view of species distribution patterns and often reveals spectacular extension of species distributions ranges.
The editors are pleased to present the first in a series of notes on the Malagasy flora that will allow researchers studying the flora of Madagascar to publish relevant information in the form of brief communications in the framework of a rapid editorial process. The “Notes on the flora of Madagascar” series may include contributions in either English or French.
They will typically address topics such as new combinations, lectotypifications, nomenclatural problems, rediscoveries, and important new information on distribution of taxa, that may be regarded a too short for a conventional journal article. The publication of newly discovered species will be generally beyond the scope of the series.
We would like to invite potential contributors to submit their contributions to one of the editors of the series. We sincerely hope that these “Notes on the flora of Madagascar” will prove helpful to both authors and readers, and benefit the whole scientific community working on Madagascar's unique biota.
