Four new species of Acalypha L. (Euphorbiaceae, Acalyphoideae) from Madagascar, with notes about their conservation status

Abstract

Four new species of Acalypha, subgen. Acalypha (Euphorbiaceae, Acalyphoideae) from Madagascar are described, illustrated, and mapped. Acalypha ankaranensis sp. nov. is found in the Anakarana massif, in a dry deciduous forest at 180 m elevation; A. cardielii sp. nov. in the Tsingy de Bemaraha, also associate to dry deciduous forest, at 360 m elevation; A. magistri sp. nov. in the Marojejy Natural Reserve, in evergreen moist forest at 1583 m elevation, and A. levinii sp. nov. in the southern sclerophyllous woodland between 140 to 990 m elevation. These new species are quite well characterized morphologically and ecologically and are easily differentiated from morphologically similar ones. A. ankaranensis and A. levinii are most similar to A. paxii Aug.DC., a common species in northern Magdagascar, A. cardielii is close to A. leptomyura Baill, and A. magistri is close to A. chibomboa Baill. According to our preliminary conservation assessments, A. ankaranensis and A. cardielii are Critically Endangered, A. levinii is Endangered, and A. magistri is Vulnerable.