Two further new species in the highly-diverse Malagasy endemic genus Capurodendron (Sapotaceae)

Abstract

During the course of a revision of the Malagasy species of the family Sapotaceae, two new species from the dry forest belonging to the highly-diverse endemic genus Capurodendron Aubrév. were discovered. The first one, C. mikearum L. Gaut. & Boluda, earlier hypothesised to be a hybrid, emerged as a valid species without any hybrid signal, based on a combination of genetic and morphological analyses of a species complex from the southwestern region. The second species, C. namorokense L. Gaut. & Boluda, occupies a basal position in the same species clade. It is clearly morphologically distinct and geographically distant, so far only being known from northwestern Madagascar. Both species are described and illustrated by line drawings and field photographs. Preliminary conservation assessments using the IUCN Red List criteria indicate that both species are threatened (EN and CR, respectively).