A new endemic species, Planchonella foveata (Sapotaceae), with an updated identification key to the genus in Fiji

Summary Planchonella is a large, monophyletic genus in Sapotaceae, containing around 110 tropical shrub and tree species. A new endemic species, P. foveata K.Do & Swenson is described and illustrated from Fiji, accompanied by an identification key to the genus in the archipelago. It grows mainly in lowland habitats and is phylogenetically more closely related to Micronesian and Malukan taxa than to any other species in Fiji. Planchonella foveata is characterised by the presence of many fovea or minute pit-like structures on the abaxial leaf surface, a trait which it shares with P. vitiensis, but which is absent from other species in the archipelago. However, P. foveata is easily recognised by its longer corolla (2.3 – 3.0 mm) vs (1 – 2 mm) in P. vitiensis , its leaves being scattered along the branches, a hairy tuft on the outer sepals and greenish flowers (vs sepals without a hairy tuft and with yellowish flowers). The conservation status of P. foveata is assessed as data deficient (DD) due to the absence of up-to-date knowledge of present vegetation disturbance and its distribution. With our addition, ten species of Planchonella are now recognised in Fiji, all identifiable with the new key presented here.