Catharanthus makayensis L. Allorge, Phillipson & Razakamal. (Apocynaceae), a New Species from Madagascar

Abstract

Catharanthus makayensis L. Allorge, Phillipson & Razakamal. (Apocynaceae), a species new to science from Madagascar is described and illustrated. It differs from all other species in the genus by the hexagonal cross-section of its stems, and by a combination of flowering and fruiting characters. Its 5-6 mm long filiform sepals are clearly much narrower and longer than all other species with the exception of Catharanthus coriaceus Markgr., but the latter species is highly distinct with its pendulous fruits, as opposed to erect fruits of Catharanthus makayensis and all other species of the genus. Catharanthus makayensis and Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don are the only species to have a magenta, rather than white to pale yellow eye. The corolla lobes and the flower buds of Catharanthus makayensis are pure white or tinted pale pink whereas Catharanthus roseus typically has pink lobes. The relationships of the new species with the eight other species of Catharanthus G. Don are discussed and an identification key to the Malagasy species of the genus is provided. Résumé

The aquatic Adephaga of the Makay, central-western Madagascar, with description of two new diving beetle species (Coleoptera, Gyrinidae, Haliplidae, Noteridae, Dytiscidae)

“…Among the very few other taxa for which more or less systematic species inventories have been conducted in the Makay so far are bats ( Prié 2011 ), scorpions ( Lourenço and Wilmé 2015 , with description of Grosphus makay ), and leafhoppers ( Gnezdilov 2021 , with description of four new species endemic to the Makay). Additional species recently described from the Makay include an Apocynaceae plant ( Allorge et al 2015 ), a flea species living on bat ( Laudisoit et al 2012 ), a fly ( Feijen et al 2021 ), two millipedes ( Wesener 2020 ) and an ant ( Csösz et al 2021 ). To our knowledge, there are no published data concerning either Coleoptera or aquatic insects of the Makay apart from the recent description of the endemic diving beetle Laccophilus makay Manuel & Ramahandrison, 2020.…”