02337nas a2200277 4500008004100000020001400041022001400055245013600069210007000205300001200275490000700287520147100294653001101765653001601776653001701792653001401809653001301823100002601836700002501862700002501887700002101912700002301933700002301956700002101979856005902000 2013 eng d a1548-2324 a0363-644500aDombeya formosa (Malvaceae s.l.): A New Species Endemic to La Réunion (Indian Ocean) Based on Morphological and Molecular Evidence0 aDombeya formosa Malvaceae sl A New Species Endemic to La Réunion a424-4330 v383 a

Dombeya formosa (Malvaceae s.l. or Dombeyaceae), a new species endemic to La Réunion, is described and illustrated. The species is distinguishable by its ovate leaves with round or slightly cordate bases, round to lightly acute apices and glabrescent abaxial surfaces, subulate and persistent stipules, umbellate inflorescences, and acute apices of floral bracts. Dombeya formosa is morphologically close to Dombeya punctata Cav. but differs from it in having ovate leaves and acute apices on floral bracts. Dombeya formosa is also morphologically similar to D. ficulnea Baill. but can be distinguished from it by its persistent and subulate stipules as well as the glabrescent adaxial surface of its leaves. Our study, focusing on 16 quantitative floral characters, demonstrates that there is a clear morphological distinction between D. formosa, D. punctata, and D. ficulnea. In comparison to the other two species, Dombeya formosa possesses smaller flowers and additionally shows cryptic dioecy along with flower-size dimorphism between sexes. Amongst the Mascarene Dombeyoideae, it is the only species distributed up to an altitude of 2,100 m. The phylogenetic position of Dombeya formosa is consistent with the morphological features and locates the species within the clade endemic to La Réunion characterized by umbellate inflorescences.

10aDioecy10aDombeyaceae10aDombeyoideae10aPhylogeny10ataxonomy1 aLe Péchon, Timothée1 aPausé, Jean-Bernard1 aDubuisson, Jean-Yves1 aGigord, Luc, D B1 aHaevermans, Agathe1 aHaevermans, Thomas1 aHumeau, Laurence uhttp://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1600/036364413X666732