9. Chlorophytum decaryanum H.Perrier Figs 4C, 20 Chlorophytum decaryanum H.Perrier (Perrier de la Bâthie 1935: 45–46). Etymology The species is dedicated to Raymond Decary (1891–1973), who has made a considerable contribution to the history, ethnology and natural sciences of Madagascar (Balard & Maestri 2001). Type material MADAGASCAR – Anosy [Toliara Prov.] • Domaine oriental (S.E.): camp d’aviation, Fort-Dauphin, sur des sables humides; [25°02′07″ S, 46°57′16″ E]; 3 Jul. 1932; fl; R. Decary 9974; lectotype: P [P01046131]!, here designated; isolectotype: P [P01046132]!. Other material examined MADAGASCAR – Anosy [Toliara Prov.] • Fort Dauphin; [25°2′ S, 46°59′ E]; 1 May 1932; fr; R. Decary 9798; prairie à sol siliceux; P [P02071713]! • same data as for preceding; 27 May 1932; fl, fr; R. Decary 9819; dans la broussaille, sol sableux; P [P02071711]! • District de Fort Dauphin, Vinanibe; [25°3′ S, 46°56′ E]; 14 Aug. 1932; fl, fr; R. Decary 10315; forêt littorale sur sables; P [P02071710]! • same data as for preceding; [25°3′ S, 46°56′ E]; 19 Aug. 1932; fr; R. Decary 10321; fente des rocailles; P [P02071712]! • Massif de Kalambatritra, Mt Beanjavidy; [23°16′ S, 46°24′ E]; Nov. 1933; fl, fr; H. Humbert 12066; forêt; G!, K!, MO!, P [P02071674, P02071675]! • Andohahela, Parcelle n°1, cours moyen de la rivière Andranohela. Berges de la rivière Andranohela, en dessus du camp n°1, base de la cascade, versant rive gauche; 24°37′26.3″ S, 46°45′56.3″ E; 450 m; 27 Oct. 2022; fl, fr; L. Gautier, A.J. Tahinarivony & L. Rapp 6682; G!, MO!, P [P01101477]!, TAN n.v. • NW de Tolagnaro, RN 11, Andohahela, forêt proche rivière; [24°36′ S, 46°34′ E]; 14–19 May 1992; fr; S. Malcomber, C. Hemingway & S. Compton 1520; BR [BR0000021754975]!, G!, MO [MO-3020326] image!, P [P02071730]!, WAG [WAG.1151038] image! • NW de Tolagnaro, RN 11, Andohahela, à côté rivière; [24° 38′ S, 46°46′ E]; 500–1000 m; 6–13 Feb. 1993; fl, fr; S. Malcomber, H. van der Werff, C. Hemingway, M. van Bergen, S. Rapanarivo, P.J. Rakotomalaza, O. Andrianantoanina & B. Randriamampionona 2190; G n.v., K n.v., MO n.v., NY n.v., P [P02071377]!, TAN n.v, WAG n.v. • Fort Dauphin, Ifarantsa, Ivorona, forêt de Mamoareny; 24°49′ S, 46°56′ E; 706 m; 29 Nov. 2009; fl bud; R. Razakamalala 4978; MO!, P n.v., TAN n.v. – Atsimo-Atsinanana [Fianarantsoa Prov.] • Fianarantsoa. Fivondronana: Farafangana, Firaisam-pokontany: Agnalazaha Reserve (= Mahabo Mananivo); 23°10′13″ S, 47°43′27″ E; 22 m; 26 Aug. 2003; fl bud, fr; D. Rabehevitra, R. Razakamalala, Dely Iaban’i 48 7; MO [MO-3011131]!, P [P02071380]!. Description Plant herbaceous, 19–38 cm in height, frequently exhibiting a rhizome (19 × 2 mm), and a hair-like root network, sometimes forming clumps with numerous stems; main root axes thick, 0.5–1.9 mm in diameter, occasionally slightly flattened, bearing fine fibrous roots with a diam. of 0.1–0.4 mm, without any evidence of tubers; leaves 5–16, linear to lanceolate, (5–)8–15(–21) × 0.3–1.2 cm, leaf blade narrowly lanceolate, tapering at both ends, base gradually narrowing into a pseudo-petiole of 2.5–7(–9) cm, approximately 1/3 to 1/2 of the total length of the leaf blade, leaf-base sheathing, margin smooth, except for Humbert 12066 which is scabrous, apex tapered, main veins 5–12, conspicuous, well-spaced, with a network of visible transverse secondary veins on the abaxial surface; inflorescences 2–7 per plant depending on the robustness of the individual, erect, simple or branched, (13–)25–32(–50) cm long; peduncle (4–) 6–20 cm long, smooth, sometimes with a single linear, leafy-bract, attached to the peduncle at ca 2/3 from the base, (4–)5–20(–38) × (0.2–)0.8–2(–4) mm, and tapering toward the apex, the bract margins smooth, and with ca 5 veins, rachis (6–)9–23(–32) cm long; flowers 2–4(–6) per node, floral bract 4.5 × 1 mm, triangular, tapering towards the apex, shorter than pedicel, 3-veined, the veins more or less visible, pedicel 4–8 mm long, articulation supra-medial, submedial or in the case of Decary 9798, with infra-medial articulation; perianth white or pale green, 3–5 mm long; tepals linear to elliptical, obovate, 3–5 × 0.5–1.5 mm; veins 3, central, brown; stamens equal to, or slightly shorter than the tepals, filaments fusiform and flattened, 1–3 mm long, sparsely papillose, anthers triangular, sometimes curved at anthesis, 1 × 0.2–0.4 mm, divergent at the base, dorsifixed, filament attached at the lower 1/4; gynoecium: ovary 0.9–1 × 0.9–1.2 mm; ovules 2 or occasionally 4 (seen only in Malcomber et al. 2190) per locule, style filiform, 2 mm long, with a thickened stigmatic apex; capsule broader than long, 2–4 × 3.5–6 mm, with a thin wall and reduced ornamentation consisting of a few transverse veins, seeds 2 per locule, black, orbicular, 2 mm in diam., shiny, and granular, the convex side with a depression and a narrow notch where the radicle is visible, but barely protruding. Phenology At low-altitudes, flowering and fruiting of this species occurs throughout the year, while it is only known to occur in November and December for populations found above 1000 m. Distribution and ecology Most specimens have been collected in the southeast of Madagascar on siliceous soils, near Tolagnaro, from sea level to 1000 m in altitude, but there are scattered records from further north-south of Fianarantsoa from elevations over 1000 m. This species appears to be associated with a relatively high humidity, as it is found along riverbanks, near the coast, or in the coolness of forest undergrowth. Provisional IUCN Red List assessment Chlorophytum decaryanum is known from 11 collections, representing 4 occurrences that correspond to 4 locations. The majority (5) of the collections were made in the vicinity of the town of Tolagnaro (formerly Fort Dauphin) in 1932 by Raymond Decary, and the species is not known to have been recorded there since, and it is likely that the species has been extirpated from this locality where very little natural vegetation remains. The following year it was collected further to the north in the Massif de Kalambatritra, now a site with Special Reserve status, it is not known to have been recollected there but it is likely to still occur. More recently (1992–1993) the species was collected on two occasions in forest within the Andohahela National Park, and in 2003 it was collected in the Agnalazaha Reserve on the east coast just over 200 km to the north of Tolagnaro. Excluding the old records from Tolagnaro and Kalambatritra, but including the records from sites where the species is likely still to occur, C. decaryanum has an estimated EOO of 10 000 km 2 and an AOO of 12 km 2. However, it is clearly not a common species, and it is difficult to assign a status other than Data Deficient (DD). Illustrations Perrier de la Bâthie 1937 [1938]: fig. VIII 6–7. Nomenclatural and morphological remarks 1) The type specimen, Decary 9974, P01046131 was chosen as the lectotype because it bears an original Decary label, unlike the other duplicates. 2) Humbert 12066 has a root system composed of a mixture of fine fibrous roots and thickened branching, fibrous roots, that are not tuberous, a character that it shares with C. decaryanum, as well as a similar growth habit, and similar capsules and seeds. However, it can be distinguished by its leaves with their scabrous margins, pale green flowers, broader tepals, and a longer style that extends beyond the perianth.

Published as part of Pignal, Marc, Phillipson, Peter B. & Bardot-Vaucoulon, Martine, 2026, The genus Chlorophytum Ker Gawl. (Asparagales, Asparagaceae) in Madagascar, with the description of 12 new species, 4 new subspecies and 1 new variety, pp. 1-1322 in European Journal of Taxonomy 1033 on pages 50-53, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2026.1033.3139, http://zenodo.org/record/18325308