Noronhia buxifolia

Description Trees to 15 m tall, trunk to 15 cm diameter; young twigs cylindrical, 0.7 - 1.5 mm diameter, glabrous; bark medium gray to yellowish, smooth to slightly rugose. Leaves opposite, persistent; bud scales persistent; blades dark green above, lighter below, ovate, 4 - 8.5 3 1.5 - 3.5 cm, coriaceous, glabrous, domatia absent, base rounded to acute, margin flat to slightly revolute and undulate, apex acuminate, the acumen 3 - 11 mm long, midrib flat to slightly sunken above, raised below, secondary veins conspicuous, 6 - 10 per side, 4.5 - 11 mm apart, looping 1 - 4 mm from the margin; petiole light gray, 3 - 9 3 1 - 1.5 mm, entirely woody, glabrous. Flowers fasciculate; pedicel 2.5 - 21 mm long, glabrous; calyx very sparsely pubescent outside, glabrous inside, lobes triangular, 0.8 - 3 3 0.7 - 2.5 mm; corolla red, urceolate, 2.5 - 9 mm long, glabrous on both sides, the tube 0.5 - 6 mm long, lobes triangular, apex obtuse; corona present, (0 -) 1 - 2 mm long, undivided to slightly 4 - lobed; stamens 1.2 - 2.8 mm long, anthers obconical to orbicular, 0.7 - 1.9 mm long; pistil 1.2 - 2.7 mm long, stigma capitate. Fruiting pedicel 3 - 15 3 0.6 - 1.3 mm; young fruits green, dark red when mature, ovoid, 12 - 14.5 3 9.5 - 11.5 mm, surface smooth, apex apiculate to flat, with the persistent style; dry pericarp 0.5 - 0.7 mm thick; endocarp woody; seed 8.5 - 10.5 3 6.5 - 10 mm.

Conservation status Based on 21 collections representing 15 localities, the assessment indicated an EOO of 96,461 km 2, an AOO of 60 km 2 (although the true AOO is probably larger than 2,000 km 2), and 11 subpopulations representing 10 locations, of which seven occur within protected areas (Amoron’i Onilahy, Analavelona, Andohahela, Behara-Tranomavo, Bemaraha, Corridor Parcel I-II Andohahela, and Menabe-Antanimena). Therefore, N. buxifolia is assigned a preliminary status of “ Near Threatened ”.