[Botany • 2019] Sorbus lushanensis (Rosaceae) • A New Species from China

Sorbus lushanensis Xin Chen & Jing Qiu

in Qiu, Zhao, Qi & Chen, 2019. 

DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.119.32148

Abstract

Sorbus lushanensis Xin Chen & Jing Qiu, sp. n. (Rosaceae), a new simple-leaved species belonging to Sorbus subg. Aria sect. Alnifoliae, is described from Anhui and Jiangxi provinces in China. Illustrations, photographs of wild plants and a distribution map are presented. The new species is morphologically similar to S. folgneri, but can be distinguished easily by its abaxially greenish-grey tomentose leaves, scale-like stipules and glabrous styles.

Keywords: Sorbus, new species, taxonomy, China

Figure 1. Holotype of Sorbus lushanensis sp. n.

Scanned by Xiaochen Zhang. 

Figure 3. Sorbus lushanensis sp. n.
A flower branch and leaves B flower C petal D styles E stamens F fruit G seed.

Drawn by Yuxuan Bao.

Sorbus lushanensis Xin Chen & Jing Qiu, sp. n.

Diagnosis: Sorbus lushanensis is morphologically most similar to S. folgneri (C. K. Schneid.) Rehd., but differs by its leaf blade abaxially greenish-grey tomentose, stipules smaller, pedicels longer, petals larger and styles glabrous.

Figure 2. Sorbus lushanensis sp. n.
A habit (A plant at Wulao Peak, Lushan National Park, Jiangxi province) B flowering branch and leaves (from the plant of type specimen) C young inflorescence (from the same plant as habit). 

Etymology: The name “lushanensis” refers to the type locality, Lushan Mountain, Jiangxi Province, China.

Vernacular name: 庐山花楸 (lu shan hua qiu).

 Jing Qiu, Yang Zhao, Qi Qi and Xin Chen. 2019. Sorbus lushanensis, A New Species of Rosaceae from China. PhytoKeys. 119: 97-105. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.119.32148

[Botany • 2019] Boswellia occulta (Burseraceae) • A New Species of Frankincense Tree from Somalia (Somaliland)

Boswellia occulta Thulin, DeCarlo & S.P.Johnson

in Thulin, DeCarlo & Johnson, 2019.

  DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.394.3.3

Abstract

The new species Boswellia occulta is described from a small area in the Ceel Afweyn District of Somaliland (northwestern Somalia), where it is locally of considerable socio-economic importance. Although used for frankincense production by many generations of local harvesters, it has been unknown to science until now. Apart from the recently collected type material, it is also known from a sterile and hitherto misunderstood collection made in 1945. The simple-leaved Boswellia occulta is morphologically compared with B. sacra and B. frereana, the two major frankincense-producing species in the region, both with imparipinnate leaves, and it appears to be most closely related to B. sacra. The new species is the only simple-leaved species of Boswellia known outside Socotra.

Keywords: Boswellia, frankincense, taxonomy, Somaliland, Eudicots

FIGURE 1. Holotype of Boswellia occulta, with field label and still unmounted.

 Photograph: Stephen P. Johnson.

FIGURE 2. Boswellia occulta, from the type locality
A. Tree, in leaf; B. Tree, showing swollen disk-shaped base when growing on rock; C. Branches, showing foliage; D. Trunk with incisions, showing resin oozing out.

Photographs: Ahmed Mohamed Dhunkaal.

Boswellia occulta Thulin, DeCarlo & S.P.Johnson sp. nov.

Boswellia occulta differs from B. frereana by its flowers with white (vs reddish or greenish red) petals and tubular (vs flattened) disk, and fruits with 4–5 [vs (5–)6(–8)] locules; and from B. sacra by its glabrous (vs ± densely pubescent) leaves with mostly strongly undulate-sinuate (vs crenate to subentire) margins, and unwinged pyrenes (vs pyrenes often more or less surrounded by a persistent wing); and from both B. frereana and B. sacra by its simple (vs imparipinnate) leaves.

...

Distribution and habitat:— Boswellia occulta is only known from a small area in northwestern Somalia (Somaliland) (Fig. 4), where it is locally common and the dominant tree on west-facing arid hillsides on limestone at 400–500 m elevation. The tree usually grows directly on limestone cliffs and boulders, and then has a more or less swollen disk-shaped base of the trunk (Fig. 2B). More detailed studies of the extent of the range of the species and the numbers and densities of the trees and their regeneration are planned in the near future.

Etymology:— The epithet “occulta” (from Latin “occultus”, hidden) refers to the history of this species that, although used for frankincense production by many generations of local harvesters, has been unknown to science until now.

Vernacular name and uses:— Mohor madow (Somali, fide Glover & Gilliland 719 and Ahmed Mohamed Dhunkaal s.n.); this is the vernacular name generally used also for B. sacra in Somalia. However, the harvesters in the B. occulta area distinguish between B. occulta (“mohor madow”) and B. sacra (“mohor cad”, “mohor dadbeed” or “mohor lab”). Frankincense produced from B. occulta (Fig. 2D) has unique properties (DeCarlo, unpublished research data) and is important in the local economy

Mats Thulin, Anjanette DeCarlo and Stephen P. Johnson. 2019. Boswellia occulta (Burseraceae), A New Species of Frankincense Tree from Somalia (Somaliland). Phytotaxa. 394(3); 219–224.   DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.394.3.3

[Botany • 2018] Xylacanthus laotica (Acanthaceae, Acanthoideae) • A New Genus and Species from Laos

Xylacanthus laotica Aver. et K. S. Nguyen

in Averyanov, Nguyen & Maisak, 2018.

  DOI: 10.14258/turczaninowia.21.2.11

 twitter.com/LaoBiodiversity

Summary: 

 A new monotype genus Xylacanthus Aver. et K. S. Nguyen with one species, X. laotica Aver. et K. S. Nguyen (Acanthaceae, Acanthoideae, Ruellieae), is described and illustrated. Described genus has arborous living form rather unusual among in Acanthaceae. This small deciduous tree was observed as a main co-dominant of primary deciduous xerophytic karst scrub on extra dry tops of remnant limestone mountains in Pon Xay district of Luang Prabang province in central part of northern Laos. New genus has rather isolated taxonomic position for its floral morphology, xerophytic living form and obligatory deciduous xerophytic character. The distribution of this plant is limited by limestone karstic areas of central part of northern Laos in the limits of Luang Prabang province. 

Keywords: Acanthaceae, karstic flora, Laos, new genus, plant endemism, plant taxonomy, Xylacanthus. 

Fig. 2. Xylacanthus laotica. A – Flowering and fruiting stem with removed bud scales, young leaves, floral bracts and flowers. B – Bud scales. C – Young leaves. D. Floral bracts. E – Flower. F – Calyx with young fruit. G – Dissected and flattened perianth tube with removed style. H – Intact anther, side view. I – Anther with removed hairs, half side view. J – Sagittal section of calyx and gynoecium. K – Ovary and style. L – Calyx and capsule. M – Sagittal section of the calyx and ripe capsule. N – Individual calyx lobe, adaxial surface. O – Ripe open capsule, side view. P – Capsule valve with ripening seeds, half side view. Q – Ripening seed with falcate retinaculum. R – Ripe seed, frontal and side view, and view from the base. All drawn from the type – LA-VN 2050 by L. Averyanov and T. Maisak.

Fig. 1. Xylacanthus laotica. A – Natural habitat of species in Phou Hua Ben Toc Mountain (Luang Prabang province, Pon Xay district, between Houay Man and Nam Bo villages, LA-VN 2130). B – Monodominant deciduous scrub on mountain summit formed by S. arborescens (LA-VN 2130). C – Individual tree of the species on mountain top (LAVN 2130). D, E – Flowering branches of canopy (LA-VN 2130). F-I, K – Flowering and fruiting shoots (Type – LAVN 2050). J, L – Flower, frontal and side view (LA-VN 2157). M – Stamens (LA-VN 2157). N – Hairiness of anther connective and filament (LA-VN 2157).

 Photos of L. Averyanov and Khang Sinh Nguyen.

 Xylacanthus Aver. et K. S. Nguyen, gen. nov. 

Type: X. laotica Aver. et K. S. Nguyen 

Monotype genus.

Description: Deciduous monoecious tree to 5 m tall flowering and fruiting before leaf formation; shoots isophyllous; leaves in terminal rosette, opposite, decussate, pilose; flowers solitary, axillary, sessile; floral bracts 0–2, lanceolate, villose, persistent; calyx 5-lobed, villose, with many cystoliths; corolla dark blue, cylindric, hairy, 5-lobed, lobes rounded, recurved, forming almost actinomorphic limb; stamens 4, didynamous, monadelphous, all fertile, pairwise distally connivent, filaments glandular hairy, at base with many long hairs; anthers basifixed, 2-thecous, thecae with prominent recurved, sterile, acuminate base; connective with many long hairs; ovary erect, narrowly ovoid, setose, 2-locular; style filiform, comose; stigma 2-cleft; capsule ellipsoid, shortly hairy, 6–8-seeded; seeds lenticular, pilose with appressed mucilaginous hairs. 

Etymology: Generic name refers to an arboreous plant habit. 

Note: The discovered plant superficially somewhat resembles species of Strobilanthes Blume, large widespread genus well presented in tropical southeast Asia and in countries of Indochinese Peninsular as well (Benoist, 1935; Pham Hoang Ho, 2000; Deng et al., 2006, 2011; Newman et al., 2007). However, it strikingly differs from all known Strobilanthes species in its unusual arborous plant habit, spurred anthers, filaments and anther connective densely hairy with long white hairs, as well as in many (more than 4)-seeded capsule. Some of these characters, as well as similar pollen grain structure, remind representative of the genus Echinacanthus Nees. However, the only true Echinacanthus species (E. attenuatus Nees) is a lowland slender herb of the Nepal-Darjeeling area, which is totally different in habit from our plant being also geographically separated. It is highly probable that discovered plant represents new undescribed genus endemic for limestone areas of central Laos. Like its expected relatives, it may be placed into subtribe Strobilanthinae (Acanthaceae, subfam. Acanthoideae, tribe Ruellieae) in the family classification proposed by A. Takhtajan (2009). Newly described genus includes one species described below. 

Xylacanthus laotica Aver. et K. S. Nguyen, sp. nov.

Etymology The species epithet refers to the country of its origin.

Distribution Northern Laos, Luang Prabang province, Pon Xay district (Houay Man, Nam Bo and Bane Phou Souong villages). Endemic. 

Note: This remarkable plant strikingly differs from almost all known representatives of Acanthaceae family in its arborous living form, xerophytic deciduous character, as well as flowering and fruiting before leaves formation. Oldest observed trees have age at least 2–3 decades and stands in obvious contrast with herbaceous and semi-woody commonly pliestesial Acanthaceae species commonly adopted to humid conditions of shady wet evergreen forests. Like many deciduous xerophytes of extra dry exposed karstic fields, described species has fairly short period of vegetation forming leaves only during rainy season from middle April till September. Tree remains completely leafless during dry rainless winter. Described monotype genus represents typical element of ancient strictly endemic xerophytic limestone flora historically adapted to extra dry summits of karstic limestone formations of northern Laos. This curious, highly specialized flora includes many convergent xerophytic derivates from different families. Unfortunately, it remains still weakly studied. Some other remarkable plants described recently from extra dry karstic limestone fields of northern Laos (Averyanov, Nguyen, 2012; Pimenov et al., 2016) are also similarly woody deciduous xerophytes, e. g. Begonia viscosa (Begoniaceae) and Xyloselinum laoticum (Apiaceae). Like X. laotica, these species also strikingly differ from its herbaceous mesophytic congeners.

 L. V. Averyanov, K. S. Nguyen and T. V. Maisak. 2018. Xylacanthus laotica (Acanthaceae, Acanthoideae), A New Genus and Species from Laos. Turczaninowia. 21(2); 101–110 DOI: 10.14258/turczaninowia.21.2.11

 twitter.com/LaoBiodiversity/status/1082509699314925570

Аннотация. Новый монотипный род Xylacanthus Aver. et K. S. Nguyen с единственным видом, X. laotica Aver. et K. S. Nguyen (Acanthaceae, Acanthoideae, Ruellieae), описан в качестве нового для науки. Описание сопровождается цветными фотографиями и черно-белыми рисунками. Описываемое растение имеет древесную жизненную форму, что крайне редко встречается в семействе Acanthaceae. Открытый вид представляет из себя маленькое листопадное деревцо, являющееся главным доминантом первичной ксерофильной листопадной кустарниковой растительности, покрывающей исключительно сухие карстовые обитания на вершинах известняковых столовых останцев района Пхонсай провинции Луангпхабанг в центральной части северного Лаоса. Новый род занимает изолированное таксономическое положение по морфологии цветка, ксерофитному древесному характеру жизненной формы и облигатной листопадности. Распространение этого растения ограничено карстовыми реликтовыми скальными известняками центральной части северного Лаоса в пределах провинции Луангпхабанг. 

Ключевые слова: карстовые флоры, Лаос, новый род, таксономия растений, эндемизм растений, Acanthaceae, Xylacanthus. 

Л. В. Аверьянов, К. С. Нгуен, Т. В. Майсак. 2018. Xylacanthus laotica (Acanthaceae, Acanthoideae) – новый род и вид из Лаоса.  Turczaninowia. 21(2); 101–110 DOI: 10.14258/turczaninowia.21.2.11

[Botany • 2019] Eugenia megamalayana (Myrtaceae) • A New Species from the Western Ghats, India

Eugenia megamalayana Murugan & Arum.

in Murugan & Arumugam, 2019. 

 DOI: 10.6165/tai.2019.64.23

 facebook.com/TaiwaniaOffice

Abstract

Eugenia megamalayana sp. nov., is described and illustrated as a new species from the Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India. It is very closely allied to Eugenia calcadensis Bedd. but differs in habit, leaf, floral and fruit characters. The comparison of the two species is tabulated here.

Keyword: Eugenia, India, Myrtaceae, New species, Western Ghats

Fig. 2. Eugenia megamalayana Murugan & Arum. sp. nov.
A-B. Habit; C-D. Flowering Twigs; E. Pistil without Petals; F. Fruiting Twig.

Eugenia megamalayana Murugan & Arum., sp. nov.

Ecology: This new species is hitherto known only from the type locality. Here it grows as big trees between 1100 m and 1500 m asl. The main associated species are, Acrocarpus fraxinifolius Arn., Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam., Bischofia javanica Blume, Chukrasia tabularis A. Juss. and Coffea sp. the coffee plantation. 

Etymology: The specific epithet is derived from the type locality Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary, a potential area for plant diversity.

Fig. 1. Eugenia megamalayana Murugan & Arum, sp. nov. (Myrtaceae).
A. Flowering twig; B, Fruiting twig; C. Flower bud; D. Flower; E. Petal; F. Stamens; G. Pistil with calyx; H-I. Ovary (C.S. & L.S.) 

Chidambaram Murugan and Senniappan Arumugam. 2019. Eugenia megamalayana sp. nov. (Myrtaceae), A New Species from the Western Ghats, India.  Taiwania. 64(1); 23-27. DOI: 10.6165/tai.2019.64.23

 facebook.com/TaiwaniaOffice/posts/2202354376653046

     

[Botany • 2018] Casearia austroafricana (Samydoideae, Salicaceae) • A New Species of Casearia from South Africa

Casearia austroafricana A.E.van Wyk, R.G.C.Boon & Retief

in van Wyk, Boon & Retief, 2018. 

DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.383.3.4 

Photographs: R.G.C. Boon. 

Abstract

Casearia austroafricana, a new species from South Africa, is described, illustrated, mapped, and compared with the two other currently accepted southern African members of the genus, namely C. gladiiformis and C. battiscombei. The new species belongs to Casearia sect. Casearia, and is confined to the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape. Known for over 100 years by botanists, material of this species has initially been assigned to C. junodii, but from about the 1960s to C. gladiiformis, for which the former is considered a synonym. Casearia austroafricana is readily distinguished by being a tall (up to ca. 30 m) subcanopy or canopy tree associated with temperate or subtropical forest, and in having twigs of young growth usually markedly zigzag, leaves of mature growth with blade relatively thin, principal lateral veins usually 8–10 pairs, margin distinctly serrate-crenate, flowers with the ovary glabrous, and capsules with relatively few seeds (3 or 4). A conservation assessment of “Least Concern” is recommended for this species based on IUCN Red List categories and criteria. Ecological associates are mentioned, including epiphytic ferns, orchids, birds attracted by the arillate seeds, and Lepidoptera (moths) for which it serves as host-plant.

Keywords: Afromontane Forest, Casearia sect. Casearia, Eastern Cape, epiphytes, KwaZulu-Natal, Lepidoptera, Maputaland Centre of Endemism, Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany Hotspot, Pondoland Centre of Endemism, Samydaceae, Scarp Forest, taxonomy, trees, Eudicots

FIGURE 2. Casearia austroafricana.
 A. Flowering branchlet. B. Flower. C. Flower; one sepal and half the staminal tube removed. D. Part of staminal tube opened out. E. Fruit. F. Dehisced fruit; seeds all shed. G. Seeds, both from same capsule and each covered by an aril.

Scale bar = 10 mm (A, E & F), or 1 mm (B–D & G). A–D from Luckhoff s.n., sub NH 32946, E & G from Miller 5824 and F from Miller 652. Artist: Daleen Roodt.

FIGURE 1. Casearia austroafricana.
A. Fruiting branchlet placed horizontally; to view original hanging orientation, turn plate 90º clockwise. B. Flowers. C. Ripe and dehisced fruit.

Photographs: R.G.C. Boon. 

Casearia austroafricana A.E.van Wyk, R.G.C.Boon & Retief, sp. nov. 

 Casearia austroafricana resembles C. gladiiformis, but is easily distinguished from this species by, amongst others, growing under temperate or subtropical conditions, always in or near forest (vs. tropical, and in either open woodland, thicket or forest), with the trees becoming taller (>20 m vs. <10 m), in having young twigs usually markedly zigzag (vs. straight or weakly zigzag), leaves of mature growth with blade relatively thin (firmly chartaceous vs. coriaceous), margin glandular-serrate (vs. entire), ovary glabrous (vs. hirsute, at least towards the apex), and fewer seeds per capsule (3 or 4 vs. ca. 10)

....

Etymology:—The specific epithet is the Latin for “South Africa”, chosen because the new species is the only member of Casearia endemic to the country.

Common names:— Existing names include swordleaf, southern swordleaf, suidelike bosswaardblaar (Afrikaans), smozob (Zulu?; from Henkel s.n.) and qokama (Xhosa; from Acocks 12820).

Abraham E. van Wyk, Richard G.C. Boon and Elizabeth Retief. 2018. A New Species of Casearia (Samydoideae, Salicaceae) from South Africa. Phytotaxa. 383(3); 273–282. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.383.3.4

[Botany • 2019] Pre‐Pleistocene Origin of Phylogeographical Breaks in African Rain Forest Trees: New Insights from Greenwayodendron (Annonaceae) Phylogenomics

Greenwayodendron sp.

in Migliore, Kaymak, Mariac, Couvreur, et al., 2019.

 DOI: 10.1111/jbi.13476    twitter.com/TLPCouvreur

twitter.com/JBiogeography  

Abstract

Aim: 

Palaeoecological records indicate that Pleistocene glaciations affected the African rain forest, probably causing its fragmentation, which could explain phylogeographical breaks documented in many tree species. This refuge hypothesis was further tested through species distribution models, hindcasting persistence during the Last Glacial Maximum. However, previous studies failed to estimate with sufficient precision the divergence time between phylogeographical entities to confirm their Pleistocene origin. Developing genomic tools on a representative tree of mature rain forests, we test if parapatric genetic clusters documented in widespread tree species can be interpreted as the legacy of past population fragmentation during the last glacial period(s).

Location: Tropical Africa, Guineo‐Congolian forests.

Taxon: Greenwayodendron (Annonaceae).

Methods:

To further test the Pleistocene refuge hypothesis by molecular dating, we sequenced the plastome of 145 individuals of the shade‐tolerant rain forest tree Greenwayodendron suaveolens and congeneric species, and genotyped the same samples using nuclear microsatellites to identify genetic clusters.

Results: 

Five plastid phylogroups of G. suaveolens occur in parapatry throughout Central Africa, following a spatial pattern generally congruent with genetic clusters. Four of them diverged 3.5–4.5 Ma, whereas the fifth one, located in the Cameroon volcanic line (CVL), diverged 8.3 Ma, in the range of divergence times between Greenwayodendron species, highlighting the key role of the CVL in hosting ancient lineages. Within phylogroups, most nodes were dated from 0.9 to 3.2 Myr and a correlation between haplotype divergence and spatial distance was still perceptible, indicating a slow population dynamic.

Main conclusions: 

The phylogeographical structures of Central African trees probably established during the Pliocene or early Pleistocene, and while they might have been reinforced during subsequent glacial–interglacial cycles, interglacial phases did not lead to genetic homogenization. Therefore, interpreting phylogeographical patterns of African trees must account for a much deeper past than previously assumed, and cannot be limited to the last glacial period.

Keywords: African rain forests, evolutionary history, Greenwayodendron, High‐throughput sequencing, molecular dating, nuclear microsatellites, phylogeography, plastome captures, Pleistocene glaciations

CONCLUSIONS: 

The well‐resolved plastome phylogeny of Greenwayodendron species challenges the accepted view of Central African forest historical dynamics by showing that phylogeographical patterns of mature forest trees can have a very ancient origin, pre‐dating the Pleistocene. Our results call for a reassessment of the reference time‐scale traditionally used to interpret phylogeographical patterns in African rain forest trees, earlier than the last glacial cycle. The long generation time of shade‐tolerant tree species, their limited dispersal capacity and their incapacity to colonize open habitats probably explain their slow spatial dynamics, which in turn induces genetic signatures of very ancient historical or biogeographical events.

    

Jérémy Migliore, Esra Kaymak, Cédric Mariac, Thomas L. P. Couvreur, Brandet‐Junior Lissambou, Rosalía Piñeiro and Olivier J. Hardy. 2019. Pre‐Pleistocene Origin of Phylogeographical Breaks in African Rain Forest Trees: New Insights from Greenwayodendron (Annonaceae) Phylogenomics. Journal of Biogeography.  DOI: 10.1111/jbi.13476  

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 twitter.com/TLPCouvreur/status/1071815608549941248

[Botany • 2018] Vepris bali (Rutaceae) • A New Critically Endangered (possibly Extinct) Cloud Forest Tree Species from Bali Ngemba, Cameroon

Vepris bali Cheek

in Cheek, Gosline & Onana, 2018

  DOI:  10.3372/wi.48.48207 

Abstract 

Vepris bali is the first known species of Vepris in WC Africa with opposite, trifoliolate leaves and is further unusual for its long petiolules. Known only from Bali Ngemba Forest Reserve, a remnant of submontane forest under great pressure of degradation in the Bamenda Highlands of Cameroon, it may already be extinct due to tree cutting and agricultural incursions. Here, V. bali is compared with other endemic cloud forest Vepris of the Cameroon Highlands and is described, illustrated, mapped and assessed as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) using IUCN 2012 criteria.

Fig. 1. Vepris bali. A: habit, flowering stem with male inflorescence; B: stem detail showing indumentum and lenticels; C: abaxial leaf surface showing oil glands; D: portion of partial-inflorescence showing bracts; E: male flower, side view; F: male flower, 2 sepals and petals removed and staminal filaments truncated; G: cross-section of rudimentary pistil.

 Drawn from the holotype, Ujor FHI 30422 (K), by Hazel Wilks.

Vepris bali Cheek, sp. nov. 

– Toddaliopsis ebolowensis sensu Letouzey (1963: 108), non Engl. (1917: 305).

– Vepris cf. heterophylla sensu Mziray (1992: 73), non (Engl.) Letouzey (1966: 246).

– “Vepris sp. B” Cheek in Harvey & al. (2004: 55 [fig. 7], 124); Onana & Cheek (2011: 309).

Diagnosis — Differing from Vepris ebolowensis (Engl.) Onana in being a submontane tree, with a trunk c. 28 cm in diam, at 1.5 m from ground, leaves opposite, and median petiolules 9–14 mm long (whereas V. ebolowensis is a shrub of lowland forest, with leaves alternate, and median petiolules c. 0 mm long).

Holotype: Cameroon, Northwest Region, “Bamenda District, Bali-Ngemba Forest Reserve, in high forest on ... at the height of  1700 m. alt. with Uapaca sp., Garcinia sp., and Aningeria”, male fl., Mar 1951, Ujor FHI 30422 (K; isotype: FHI n.v.).

....

Etymology — The specific epithet is a noun in apposition, from the town and people of Bali in the Bamenda Highlands of the Northwest Region of Cameroon, near which, in the Bali Ngemba Forest Reserve, the only known locality for this tree is found.

Martin Cheek, George Gosline and Jean-Michel Onana. 2018. Vepris bali (Rutaceae), A New Critically Endangered (possibly Extinct) Cloud Forest Tree Species from Bali Ngemba, Cameroon. Willdenowia. 48(2); 285-292. DOI:  10.3372/wi.48.48207

New Tree Species Discovered — and Declared Extinct   therevelator.org/tree-discovered-extinct/

[Botany • 2018] Talbotiella cheekii (Leguminosae: Detarioideae) • A New Tree Species from Guinea

Talbotiella cheekii Burgt

in van der Burgt, Molmou, Diallo, et al., 2018.

  DOI: 10.1007/s12225-018-9755-4 

Summary

Talbotiella cheekii Burgt, a new tree species from Guinea, is described and illustrated. It is a tree to 24 m high, with a stem diameter to 83 cm, and occurs in forest dominated by tree species of the Leguminosae subfamily Detarioideae, on rocky stream banks and rocky hill slopes, at an altitude of 100 – 600 m. It is estimated that 1600 – 2400 mature trees have been seen, in about twelve forest patches; more trees may be present in places not yet visited. One of the localities of the new species is situated at only 46 km northeast of the centre of the capital Conakry and 6 km northeast of the town centre of Coyah, part of the Conakry urban agglomeration. Its distribution is 1400 km further west from the previous westernmost distribution of the genus. The current extent of occurrence is 166 km2. Talbotiella cheekii is here assessed as Endangered (EN) following IUCN Red List categories.

Key Words: Conservation, Endangered species, West Africa 

Fig. 3 Talbotiella cheekii Burgt.
 A branch with inflorescences; B leaf upper surface; C infructescence with three fruits; D leaflet lower surface showing two glands; E stipule; F auriculate stipule; G flower.

 A, E, G from Burgt 2087; B, D, F from Burgt 2065; C from Molmou 988. drawn by Xander van der Burgt.

Fig. 1. Talbotiella cheekii Burgt.
A two flowers; B twig with inflorescences; C infructescence with two fruits; D leaves.

 A – B from Burgt 2087; C from Molmou 988; D from Burgt 2065. 

PHOTOS: A, B, D Xander van der Burgt; C Martin Cheek.

Talbotiella cheekii Burgt sp. nov.

Recognition: Talbotiella cheekii is morphologically similar to T. batesii Baker f. The pedicels of T. cheekii are pink to red, 9 – 24 mm long; the bracteoles are 8 – 15 × 0.7 – 1.5 mm (the pedicels of T. batesii are white, 4 – 10.5 mm long; the bracteoles are 6 – 8.5 × 1.1 – 2.5 mm). The ovary of T. cheekii is reddish green to dark red, and glabrous with only the edges densely hairy (the ovary of T. batesii is pale pink, and densely hairy). The pod of T. cheekii is glabrous, the sutures sparsely hairy (the pod of T. batesii has the surfaces and suture moderately puberulous). The leaflet apex of T. cheekii is rounded to slightly emarginate (the leaflet apex of T. batesii is acute).

DISTRIBUTION: Guinea (Map 1). Talbotiella cheekii occurs on the sandstone plateau in the northern part of Coyah Préfecture. Its distribution just extends into Dubreka and Kindia Préfectures.

Etymology: Talbotiella cheekii is named after Dr Martin Cheek, Head of the Africa & Madagascar Team in the Identification and Naming Department of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The new species was discovered thanks to his long-standing commitment to the study of African plants. He has been studying the flora of Guinea on field expeditions since 2005, supported the restoration of the National Herbarium of Guinea, and described a new genus and four new species from the country (Cheek & Burgt 2010; Cheek & Haba 2016a, 2016b; Cheek & Williams 2016; Cheek et al. 2016). He is also involved in the designation of new protected areas in Guinea as part of Kew’s Tropical Important Plant Areas (TIPAs) Project (Darbyshire et al. 2017) and is supervising a Darwin Initiative-funded project on rare plant species conservation in the country.

Vernacular Name: Linsonyi (from Burgt 2084); Meni (from Molmou 988); Wonkifong wouri khorohoi (from Burgt 2097), translated as the “Tree with hard wood from Wonkifong”. This last name was proposed by the people of Malassi village when the trees were shown to them. All three names are in the Susu language.

Notes: 

Talbotiella cheekii is characterised by the long pedicels, pink to red in colour, the long and narrow bracteoles, the glabrous pod (only the margin sometimes has a few hairs) and the rounded to slightly emarginate leaflet apex. Apart from this, the leaves and leaflets of T. cheekii and T. batesii are more or less similar; both species have 9 – 14 pairs of leaflets per leaf. Of all previously described Talbotiella species, T. cheekii is morphologically most similar to T. batesii. This is remarkable, because T. batesii is the easternmost species of Talbotiella, occurring in southeast Cameroon, northeast Gabon and north Congo (Brazzaville), at 2900 to 3100 km distance from T. cheekii, the westernmost species. A molecular analysis might show, however, that T. cheekii is more closely related to a different species, for example to T. gentii from Ghana, geographically the nearest of the eight existing Talbotiella species.

Two more plant species from the Leguminosae family have been newly discovered in Guinea in recent years: Eriosema triformum Burgt (Burgt et al. 2012), a pyrophytic herb with unifoliolate leaves, from submontane grassland, endemic to the Pic de Fon area in the Simandou Range, and Gilbertiodendron tonkolili Burgt & Estrella (Estrella et al. 2012), a tree from well-drained sandy and/or rocky soils on river banks and forest patches, first discovered in Sierra Leone, and later found to occur also in Guinea (e.g. the specimens Cheek 16172, 16583 and 16614; all in HNG and K).

Xander M. van der Burgt, Denise Molmou, Almamy Diallo, Gbamon Konomou, Pepe M. Haba and Sékou Magassouba. 2018. Talbotiella cheekii (Leguminosae: Detarioideae), A New Tree Species from Guinea. Kew Bulletin.  73:26. DOI: 10.1007/s12225-018-9755-4

[Botany • 2018] Diospyros phengklaii (Ebenaceae) • A New Species from south-west Thailand

Diospyros phengklaii  Duangjai, Sinbumroong & Suddee

in Duangjai, Sinbumroong & Suddee. 2018.

 DOI: 10.20531/tfb.2018.46.1.05

ABSTRACT

Diospyros phengklaii Duangjai, Sinbumroong & Suddee is described and illustrated. It is a species of tree only known from Bang Saphan District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, upper Peninsular Thailand. Phylogenetic evidence indicates that D. phengklaii is a distinct taxon and is a member of the Diospyros clade XI sensu Duangjai et al. (2009).

KEYWORDS:  Diospyros, morphology, new species, phylogenetics, Prachuap Khiri Khan, taxonomy

Figure 2. Diospyros phengklaii Duangjai, Sinbumroong & Suddee.
A. fruiting branchlet; B. stem & bark; C. leaves; D. flower bud of female flower; E–F. fruits. 

Photographs were taken by the second author on 10 October 2012 (B–F) and 25 March 2013 (A).

Diospyros phengklaii Duangjai, Sinbumroong & Suddee, sp. nov.

 Diospyros phengklaii resembles D. filipendula in the leaves with dense brown hairs, 4–5-merous flower with a salver-shaped corolla tube, and with long pedicel. It differs from that species by the bigger fruit, fruit narrowly cylindrical instead of ellipsoid, ovary (8–)10-locular rather than 4-locular.

....

Type: Thailand, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Bang Saphan, Thong Mongkhon, 25 Mar. 2013, Sinbumroong 56-2 (holotype BKF [213821], isotypes BK, BKF [213822, 213823, 213824], K). 

Vernacular.— Maphlap phengklai (มะพลับเพ็งคล้าย). 

Distribution.— Endemic to south-western Thailand, only known from Bang Saphan District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province; may also be found in Myanmar. 

Ecology.— Tropical evergreen forest along stream; ca 200 m alt. 

Conservation status.— Endangered ENB1ab(iii) (IUCN, 2012). This species is currently known only from one locality with only 13 individuals found. The locality found is close to a village which is subject to human disturbance. 

Phenology.— Flowering and fruiting all year round. 

Etymology.— Named in honour of Dr Chamlong Phengklai, a senior botanist at the Forest Herbarium (BKF).

Sutee Duangjai, Aroon Sinbumroong and Somran Suddee. 2018. Diospyros phengklaii (Ebenaceae), A New Species from south-west Thailand. Thai Forest Bulletin (Botany). 46(1); 34-39.  DOI: 10.20531/tfb.2018.46.1.05

[Botany • 2018] Vantanea maculicarpa • A New Tree Species (Humiriaceae) from French Guiana

Vantanea maculicarpa  Sabatier & Engel 

in Engel & Sabatier, 2018.  DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.338.1.12 

Abstract 

A new species of Humiriaceae, Vantanea maculicarpa, growing in French Guiana terra-firme forest is described and illustrated. This new species is distinguished from all other species of Vantanea by fruits covered by white lenticels, a character so far unknown in this genus. It also presents a pubescent intrastaminal disk, a feature encountered in two other Vantanea species only: it is further distinguished from V. parviflora, the morphologically most similar species, by more stamens and from V. ovicarpa by a much smaller rough endocarp with five valves. A key to the species of French Guiana and the IUCN status Least Concern (LC) are proposed. 

Keywords: Vantanea, Humiriaceae, French Guiana, taxonomy

FIGURE 1. Vantanea maculicarpa A. Flowering branch. B. Flower buds and flowers. C. Medial section of flower (note the pubescent intrastaminal disk).

  (A. Sabatier & Prévost 4911. B–C. Sabatier 5574. D–E. Sabatier 4898).

(photographs A–C by Daniel Sabatier and D–E by Julien Engel). 

Vantanea maculicarpa Sabatier & Engel, sp. nov. 

Diagnosis:— Vantanea maculicarpa is distinguished from all other species of Vantanea by its fruits that are covered by white lenticels, a character so far unknown in this genus as all other species of Vantanea have smooth, slightly pubescent or rarely tuberculous fruit surface (V. tuberculate Ducke (1938: 31, pl.5)). Fruits shape is globose, another distinctive feature of V. maculicarpa, as fruits are mostly ovoid or ellipsoid in this genus. Regarding flowers, V. maculicarpa has a pubescent disk, a feature shared by two other species only, V. parviflora and V. ovicarpa respectively. The new species closely resembles V. parviflora: they share leaves greenish-brown above, with secondary and smaller veins visible on both sides, and petioles thickened at base. V. maculicarpa is distinguished by shorter petiole and obovate blades while V. parviflora has more elliptical blades. Regarding flowers, V. maculicarpa differs from V. parviflora in having more stamens (150–230 against 80–120). Filaments length is also more variable (within a same flower) in V. maculicarpa, while it is more uniform in V. parviflora. The length ratio between the longest and the smallest filament of a same flower is also more variable between flowers in V. maculicarpa. To get an approximate picture, this ratio ranges from about 2 to 5 in V. maculicarpa, while it is ranging around 1.6 and quite homogeneous among flowers in V. parviflora. V. maculicarpa differs from V. ovicarpa in having globose, strongly rugose and smaller endocarp with 5 valves while the latter has large, ovoid, smooth endocarp with 6–7 valves.

Distribution and Ecology:— The new species occurs in French Guiana terra-firme forest. 

Etymology:— The epithet refers to the surface of the fruits covered by numerous white lenticels

Julien Engel and Daniel Sabatier. 2018. Vantanea maculicarpa (Humiriaceae): A New Tree Species from French Guiana. Phytotaxa. 388(1); 130–134. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.338.1.12

[Botany • 2017] Lagerstroemia ruffordii • A New Species (Lythraceae) from Vietnam and Cambodia

Lagerstroemia ruffordii   T. T. Pham & Tagane

in Pham, Tagane, Chhang, et al, 2017.

 DOI 10.18942/apg.201705 

Abstract

A new species of Lagerstroemia ruffordii T. T. Pham & Tagane (Lythraceae) from Vietnam and Cambodia is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to L. petiolaris in having petioles more than 0.9 cm long, but distinguished mainly by its narrower leaves, larger flowers and distinctly 6-ridged calyx tube. DNA barcodes of the two chloroplast regions of rbcL and matK and one ITS of nuclear ribosomal DNA are also provided.

Keywords: DNA barcoding, Indochina, Lagerstroemia, Lythraceae, new species

Fig. 2. Lagerstroemia ruffordii T. T. Pham & Tagane from Vietnam (A–F) and Cambodia (G–I).

A, Habit; B, trunk; C, Leafy twig (adaxial side); D, leafy twig (abaxial side); E, flower; F. fruits; G. fruiting branch: H, abaxial leaf surface; I, fruits.

 [Photographs by Pham T. T. on 29 March 2016 for Pham T. T. & Nguyen T. T. 16032901 (A–F) and by S. Tagane on 1 November 2016 for Tagane et al. 6971 (G–I)].

Vernacular name in Cambodia. Kval Yang (in Sen Monorom), Sralao Chu (in Khmer).

 Etymology. The specific epithet ‘rufford’ is derived from the Rufford Small Grants Foundation that supported this research.

Trang Thanh Pham, Shuichiro Tagane, Phourin Chhang, Tetsukazu Yahara, Phetlasy Souradeth and Thu Thi Nguyen. 2017. Lagerstroemia ruffordii (Lythraceae), A New Species from Vietnam and Cambodia. Acta Phytotaxonomica et Geobotany. 68(3); 175-180. DOI 10.18942/apg.201705

[Botany • 2017] Dinizia jueirana-facao • The Majestic Canopy-Emergent Genus Dinizia (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae), Including A New Species Endemic to the Brazilian State of Espírito Santo

Dinizia jueirana-facao  G. P. Lewis & G. S. Siqueira

in Lewis, Siqueira, Banks & Bruneau, 2017.

kew.org  DOI: 10.1007/s12225-017-9720-7

Summary

Since its description, almost 100 years ago, the genus Dinizia has been treated as monospecific, comprising the single canopy-emergent species Dinizia excelsa Ducke which grows in non-flooded Amazonian forests of Guyana, Suriname and seven states of northern and central-western Brazil. Dinizia jueirana-facao G. P. Lewis & G. S. Siqueira, which grows in a restricted area of semi-deciduous Atlantic rain forest in Espírito Santo state, Brazil, is described as a new species in the genus. The new species is also a canopy-emergent of impressive stature. We provide descriptions for both species, a key to species identification, a distribution map and the new species is illustrated. Fossil leaves, inflorescences and fruit provide evidence for a Dinizia-like ancestor occurring in south-eastern North America during the Eocene. In contrast to D. excelsa where pollen is dispersed in tetrads, the pollen of D. jueirana-facao is shed in monads. D. jueirana-facao is considered critically endangered following IUCN conservation criteria, whereas D. excelsa is assessed to be of least concern. A lectotype is designated for D. excelsa.

Key Words: Fabaceae, fossils, Neotropics, pollen, taxonomy 

Fig. 3 Dinizia jueirana-facao.
A flowering branch and part of a bipinnate leaf; B leaflets at the base of a single pinna; C hermaphrodite flower; D functionally male flower opened to show stamen filaments and suppressed gynoecium development; E calyx opened out, outer surface; F longitudinal section of hermaphrodite flower to show gynoecium; G petal, outer surface; H stamen; J anther; K fruit; L part of a single valve of dehisced fruit with seeds attached; M seed.

A – J from Folli 4889 (K), K – M from Folli 4484 (K). drawn by Margaret Tebbs.

Dinizia jueirana-facao G. P. Lewis & G. S. Siqueira sp. nov. 

Type: Brazil, Espírito Santo, Linhares, Reserva Natural Vale, 30 July 2004 (fl.), D. A. Folli 4889 (holotype CVRD!; isotypes HUEFS!, K!).

Recognition. Dinizia jueirana-facao differs from its sister species D. excelsa in having leaflets in (9 –) 15 – 23 (– 24) pairs per pinna (vs 7 – 14 pairs), the leaflets completely glabrous (vs puberulent to glabrescent on their lower surface), its individual racemes 28 – 35 × 3 – 4.5 cm (vs 10 – 18 × 1 – 2 cm), buds ellipsoid to obovoid (vs globose), flowers 8.5 – 10 mm long (vs 4 – 5 mm long), its floral bracts spathulate and caducous (vs lanceolate and often persistent), its fruit woody and dehiscent along both sutures (vs indehiscent), seeds 25 – 30 × 16 – 19 mm (vs (10 –) 14 – 15 × 6 – 7 mm); and pollen in monads (vs tetrads).

Distribution. Dinizia jueirana-facao is currently known only from two locations, one (19°08'52.0"S, 40°05'16.4"W) in the Reserva Natural Vale in Linhares, northern Espirito Santo state, Brazil, and the second (19°05'12.1"S, 40°10'41.2"W) just outside the reserve in the surroundings of the small hamlet of Santa Luzia Sooretama. Map 1.

Habitat. An emergent tree in semi-deciduous forest and mata ciliar in the Reserva Natural Vale, an area of 22,000 hectares of pristine Atlantic Forest. This is the largest protected area of semi-deciduous forest in eastern Brazil. Also known from mata de tabuleiro, in the surroundings of Sooretama, just outside the Vale Reserve. Growing at elevations of 40 – 150 m above sea level.

Etymology. The species name is taken directly from the local name, “jueirana-facão”, for the tree in Espirito Santo. In the Reserva Natural Vale, the large legume tree Parkia pendula (Willd.) Benth ex Walp. is known as jueirana-vermelha and the new Dinizia species, which has a very similar bark which breaks off in large woody plates, but much larger fruits, is locally differentiated by replacing vermelha (Portuguese for red) with facão (Portuguese for large knife or machete), because the woody fruits of D. jueirana-facao have the appearance of a machete sheath or scabbard. According to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants (McNeill et al. 2012) an epithet can be a word in apposition (Art. 23.1) and taken from any source whatsoever (Art. 23.2), but the Code does not give clear guidance on diacritical signs, just ruling (Art. 60.6) that “the [diacritical] signs are to be suppressed with the necessary transcription of the letters so modified” but without elaborating on what “necessary transcription” means beyond the cited examples, which do not include ã. We thus transcribe the ã as a in the specific epithet here chosen for the new species.

Jueirana is thought to be derived from the Tupi word yuá-rana. Yuá (or Juá) is a Tupi common name for several different plant species, especially those in the Solanaceae with round, spiny fruits (Andrade 2006; Sampaio 1987). Rana in Tupi means similar to, so yuá-rana or jueirana means false juá (or similar to juá), although there is little resemblance between the new legume species and any Solanaceae. A number of place names in Brazil are derived from jueirana or an orthographic variant of this.

Notes. Dinizia jueirana-facao, as currently known, is a narrowly restricted species endemic to a small area of Atlantic forest in the Brazilian state of Espirito Santo. Although a tree of shorter stature, and lacking buttresses, many of its vegetative and reproductive morphological characteristics are greater in number and/or size than those seen in its widespread Amazonian sister species, D. excelsa. D. jueirana-facao has leaflets in (9 –) 15 – 23 (– 24) pairs per pinna (7 – 14 pairs per pinna in D. excelsa), the leaflets glabrous (vs puberulent to glabrescent on their lower surface), its individual racemes 28 – 35 × 3 – 4.5 cm (vs 10 – 18 × 1 – 2 cm) in open flower, its flower buds ellipsoid to obovoid (vs globose), its flowers 8.5 – 10 mm long (vs 4 – 5 mm long), its floral bracts spathulate and caducous (vs lanceolate and often persistent), its fruit woody and dehiscent along both sutures (vs indehiscent), its seeds 25 – 30 × 16 – 19 mm (vs (10 –) 14 – 15 × 6 – 7 mm), and its pollen in monads (vs tetrads). D. jueirana-facao is critically endangered and presently known from less than 25 trees in two small areas, of which only one locality is inside a protected reserve. The type collection of the new species is from one of the largest trees growing inside the reserve.

G. P. Lewis, G. S. Siqueira, H. Banks and A. Bruneau. 2017. The Majestic Canopy-Emergent Genus Dinizia (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae), Including A New Species Endemic to the Brazilian State of Espírito Santo. Kew Bulletin. 72:48.  DOI: 10.1007/s12225-017-9720-7

Probably the world's heaviest living organism described in 2017? kew.org/blogs/kew-science/probably-the-worlds-heaviest-living-organism-described-in-2017

New tree species in Brazil probably the world's heaviest living organism  phy.so/432289612 via @physorg_com