Alyxia kaalaensis Boiteau (1979: 446)

Lannuzel, Guillaume, Munzinger, Jérôme, Vandrot, Hervé & Gâteblé, Gildas, 2024, Alyxia Banks ex R. Br. in New Caledonia: a clarification of several species complexes, nomenclatural notes, and a description of three new species, Phytotaxa 649 (1), pp. 1-43 : 13-14

Alyxia kaalaensis Boiteau (1979: 446) .

Holotype:— NEW CALEDONIA, pente sud du Mt Kaala , elev. 400m., 10 October 1965, MacKee 13599: P [ P00072140 !]; isotype: P [ P00143138 !] ( Figs 6 , 7 )

Species circumscription — Alyxia kaalaensis has received several recircumscriptions over time, leading to wide or narrow distributions. We accept the species as plants bearing dense pubescence on young parts, oblong to orbicular leaves, and rounded fruit articles. It is most similar to A. nummularia , probably leading to different concepts, but differs from it by subterminal inflorescences, and a corolla tube> 3 mm long. The known species distribution is around Mont Kaala, north of Grande Terre. At first sight, specimens from the top of the mountain and from low altitude were considered as different species, the former with orbicular leaves, and the latter with oblong ones. However, detailed investigation, along with flower dissections, showed no significant differences between both morphotypes’ fertile parts. We thus kept one species ranging from low to high altitude in the region of Mount Kaala. The specimens referred to as “ A. sp. cfr. caletioides ” in Guillaumin (1957) and assigned to A. kaalaensis by Middleton (2002) correspond better to A. oppositifolia .

Distribution and habitat:— The species is known only from Kaala-Gomen and Koumac, on the hills of Siounda, Mont Kaala and Mont Ouazangou (from pictures only for the latter locality). It grows in shrublands from 20 to 950 m elev.

Phenology: —From herbarium specimens and pictures available, A. kaalaensis is flowering from March to October, and fruiting from February to October.

Specimen examined:— NEW CALEDONIA: North province; Koumac, Kokondo , 25 February 2004, Dagostini 814 ( NOU002995 !) ; Massif du Kaala , elev. 740 m, 8 November 2005, Dagostini, Rigault & Barrière 1064 ( NOU010215 !) ; Mt Kaala , elev. 850 m, 20°36'28''S, 164°22'44''E, 21 June 2017, Lannuzel 46 ( NOU088511 !) ; Mt Kaala , Au-Dessus du Captage, elev. 180 m, 20°39'3''S, 164°23'31''E, 11 January 2018, Lannuzel 145 ( NOU089023 !) ; Mt Kaala , elev. 800 m, 20°36'28"S, 164°22'44"E, 04 July 2018, Lannuzel 184 ( NOU089182 !) ; Base W Mt Kaala , elev. 50 m, 20 May 1956, MacKee 4618 (P04237016!) ; Pente W Mt. Kaala , elev. 100 m, 8 September 1958, MacKee 6490 (P04236963!) ; Pente W Mt Kaala , elev. 100 m, 8 September 1958, MacKee 6506 (P04237013!) ; Western slope of Mt Kaala , elev. 100 m, 8 September 1958, MacKee 6507 (P04237014!) ; Pente Sud du Mt. Kaala, elev. 400 m, 10 October 1965, MacKee 13568 (P04236962!, P04551337!); Pente S Mt Kaala , elev. 400 m, 10 October 1965, MacKee 13599 (P00072140!, P00143138!) ; Sommet Nord du Mt Kaala, MacKee 16127 (L.2702413!); Pente du Mt Kaala au dessus de Gomen, elev. 500 m, 21 April 1967, MacKee 16656 ( NOU021996 !, P05236808!, P05391603!) ; Koumac: Siounda, 22 April 1967, MacKee 16663 (L.2711051!, NOU058035 !, P04237015!), Koumac: Siounda , elev. 200 m, 13 May 1978, MacKee 35149 ( CANB 721982.1 , L.2699329!, NOU058036 !, P04236967!, P05236819!) ; Koumac: Kokondo , elev. 20 m, 13 May 1983, MacKee 41470 (L.2699330!, NOU058127 !, P04259046!, P04551336!) ; Base Kaala Versant Ouaco , 4 November 1975, Sévenet-Pusset 1102 ( NOU058038 !, P04237012!) .

Figures

FIGURE 6. Alyxia kaalaensis with detail of a fruiting branch (A), buds (B), habit (C) and a flowering branch (D). Photographer: G. Lannuzel from Lannuzel 184.

FIGURE 7. Known distribution Alyxia kaalaensis (dots) and Alyxia loesneriana (squares). Symbols with “T” represent type specimens. Grayed areas represent ultramafic substrates.