Gymnosporia swazica (Celastraceae), a new species from southern Africa

Gymnosporia swazica, a new restricted-range southern African species, is described and illustrated here. Known from only a few localities in Swaziland and bordering parts of South Africa (Mpumalanga and northeastern KwaZulu-Natal), G. swazica grows as an understorey shrub or small tree in forest, often among granite boulders. Diagnostic characters for G. swazica include chartaceous leaves, usually shorter than 25 mm, 3-valved capsules usually 6–7 mm long, which are smooth, green turning yellow, and a white aril partially covering the brownish seed. Its closest relative appears to be G. buxifolia (capsules rugose, mottled white-and-brown), one of the most widespread members of the genus in southern Africa, but it can also be confused with G. maranguensis (capsules red, 2-valved) and G. harveyana (capsules pink to red, 3-valved; aril orange, completely covering the seed).University of Pretoria.http://www.mapress.com/phytotaxahb201

The bryofloristic elements of Southern Africa

A TWINSPAN classification divides the moss flora of southern Africa (South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, and Lesotho) into two main bryofloristic elements: (1) the Xerophytic (south-western) element mainly distributed in the winter rainfall and semi-arid to arid, temperate areas of southern Africa, and (2) the Mesophytic (subtropical) element distributed in more stable, subtropical habitats of the northern, eastern and southern parts of southern Africa. The Xerophytic element is dominated by acrocarpous mosses, including the ephemerals, while the Mesophytic element contains most of the pleurocarpous mosses. The main Xerophytic element is subdivided into the Eastern Highlands and Cape Elements while the Mesophytic element consists of the Afromontane Grassland and Afromontane Forest Elements. The Afromontane Forest Element is the largest bryofloristic element and contains the most southern African moss endemics. The four bryofloristic elements are subdivided into eight subelements: the Eastern Highlands Element into the Mont Aux Sources and Widespread Subelements, the Cape Element into the West Coast and Boland Subelements, the Afromontane Grassland Element into the Disjunct Cape Peninsula and Drakensberg Subelements, and the Afromontane Forest Element into the Widespread Afromontane and Tropical Afromontane Subelements. Many of the bryofloristic elements and distribution centres correspond with phytogeographical elements and centres described for the seed plants of southern Africa. The Afromontane area in the south-western Cape is identified as a bryogeographical hotspot

Taxonomic notes on Acanthopsis Harv. (Acanthaceae, tribe Acantheae) : the group with trifid bracts

In the southern African genus Acanthopsis, the morphology of the bracts is taxonomically useful at the species level. This contribution focuses on the taxonomy and conservation status of those members of the genus characterized by inflorescences with trifid bracts, all of which are confined to arid parts of the Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Three species (A. dregeana, A. glauca and A. tetragona) and four subspecies are recognised in this group. One new species (A. tetragona) with two subspecies (A. tetragona subsp. tetragona and A. tetragona subsp. pedunculata) and one new subspecies (A. dregeana subsp. longispina) are described. Identification keys to the species and infraspecific taxa of the group with trifid bracts are provided.Botanical Education Trusthttp://www.mapress.com/j/ptam2017Plant Scienc

Pteridophyta-Sinopteridaceae : a new subspecies of Cheilanthes deltoidea from Gauteng and Limpopo, South Africa

Cheilanthes deltoidea Kunze is a small and easily overlooked fern endemic to southern Africa. Hitherto it has been recorded in the western and northwestern parts of the Northern Cape, the Cederberg area of the Western Cape, and in southern Namibia. To the east, there is a disjunct record from the Waterberg in Limpopo Province (Jacobsen & Jacobsen 1986; Burrows 1990), and Klopper et al. (2006) reported the discovery of a particularly small form of C. deltoidea in the Centurion area of Gauteng. Klopper et al. (2006) suggested that this form (perhaps including the plants from the Waterberg) may warrant description as a new infraspecifi c taxon, but further studies were needed to confi rm the suggested status. Recently, a population of this same entity was discovered north of the Cradle of Humankind area, very close to the Gauteng/North-West border. The population in the Waterberg was located and a comparative study of the various forms and their habitat was completed.http://www.sanbi.or

Taxonomic notes on the Acanthopsis disperma-hoffmannseggiana complex (Acanthaceae, tribe Acantheae), with an interim key to members of the genus

Acanthopsis is a taxonomically poorly understood genus confined to arid parts of southern Africa. This contribution is the first detailed assessment of the diversity within the Acanthopsis dispermahoffmannseggiana complex, the latter of which comprises the bulk of the specimens of the genus represented in herbaria. Species concepts are resolved and the misapplication of names is noted. In addition to the recognition of A. disperma and A. hoffmannseggiana, five new species of Acanthopsis formerly treated under these two names, are described, namely A. tuba and A. ludoviciana (both confined to the Richtersveld, Northern Cape, South Africa), A. adamanticola (endemic to southern Namibia), A. villosa (endemic to Bushmanland, Northern Cape) and A. dispermoides (endemic to the Western Cape, South Africa). The names A. disperma and A. hoffmannseggiana are lectotypified here. An identification key to the members of the Acanthopsis disperma-hoffmannseggiana complex is provided, as well as an interim key to the major artificial groupings in the genus, the taxonomy of some which still needs to be resolved.Botanical Education Trust and National Research Foundation.http://www.mapress.com/phytotaxahb201

Taxonomic significance of epidermal structure in southern African members of Helictotrichon

Helictotrichon Besser ex Schult. & Schult.f. (excluding Avenula (Dumort.) Dumort. and Amphibromus Nees) is a genus of temperate C3 grasses with about 40 species (Gibbs Russell et al. 1990; Mabberley 2008). The genus is most diverse in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, especially in Europe, from where it extends southwards along the African mountains (Afromontane Region). This paper deals only with those species occurring in southern Africa, a secondary centre of diversity for the genus.http://www.sanbi.org/products/publications/bothalia.htmam201

Petalidium mannheimerae (Acanthaceae), a new species from Namibia and South Africa, with notes on the taxonomic identity of P. parvifolium

Petalidium mannheimerae, here described as a new species, is only known from the Gariep Centre of Plant Endemism in southern Namibia and northwestern South Africa. Apparently first collected in 1961, it grows on arid hillsides and in drainage lines. Diagnostic morphological characters for P. mannheimerae include the rigid, cylindrical distal stems, grey-brown or yellow-brown bark, puberulent vegetative parts with sparsely scattered but robust glandular and eglandular trichomes, and the solitary white flowers with the unexpanded part of the corolla tube shorter than the expanded part. A comparison of some of the more prominent features to differentiate Petalidium mannheimerae from its morphologically most similar relatives is provided. Based on IUCN Red List categories and criteria, a conservation assessment of Vulnerable VU D1 is recommended for the new species. Herbarium specimens of P. mannheimerae have long been misidentified as P. parvifolium, a rarely collected species from east-central Namibia and west-central Botswana. Lectotypes are designated for three taxa, namely P. parvifolium, P. parvifolium var. angustifolium (a synonym of P. linifolium), and P. wilmaniae (a synonym of P. parvifolium).The University of Pretoria and a South African National Research Foundation grant.https://www.mapress.com/ptam2023Plant Production and Soil Scienc

Commiphora omundomba (Burseraceae), a new species from Angola and Namibia

Commiphora omundomba, described here as a new species, is known only from the Kaokoveld Centre of Endemism, a biogeographical region in southwestern Angola and Northwestern Namibia. It has hitherto been confused with C. dinteri from west-central Namibia, but both morphological and molecular evidence support a distinction between the two species. Phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequence data indicates that C. omundomba shares most-recent common ancestry with C. buruxa, a species limited to the Gariep Centre of Endemism in southwestern Namibia. Diagnostic morphological characters for C. omundomba include the white, viscous exudate, smooth bark and glabrous, trifoliolate leaves. Photographs of the plant and a distribution map are provided. The new species is mainly confined to near the Atlantic coast of the northern Namib Desert, and is widespread and locally common between Santa Maria in Angola and Puros in Namibia.https://www.mapress.com/ptdm2022Plant Production and Soil Scienc

Taxonomic significance of the abaxial lemma surface in southern African members of Helictotrichon (Poaceae)

BACKGROUND : Helictotrichon (excluding Amphibromus, Avenula, Helictochloa and Tricholemma), a genus of temperate C3 grasses, is represented by 14 species in southern Africa. Members of the genus are difficult to identify at species level on the basis of macromorphology alone. OBJECTIVES : The primary objective of this study was to investigate the usefulness of the micromorphology of the lemma surface for differentiating amongst the southern African members of Helictotrichon. METHOD : Lemma surfaces were studied with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Lemmas were obtained from herbarium specimens housed in the National Herbarium, Pretoria (PRE). These were mounted on aluminium stubs using double-sided adhesive tape, sputter-coated with gold, and photographs were taken using a J840 scanning electron microscope. RESULTS : Based on whether the lemma surface is smooth, papillate, scaberulous, scabrid or a combination of these, five groups of species are distinguished. All species, except Helictotrichon barbatum which has a smooth lemma surface, have small prickles (scaberulous). Helictotrichon leoninum, Helictotrichon quinquesetum and Helictotrichon rogerellisii have only small prickles, whilst Helictotrichon dodii, Helictotrichon hirtulum, Helictotrichon namaquense and Helictotrichon roggeveldense have, in addition, medium to large prickles (scabrid). Helictotrichon capense, Helictotrichon longifolium, Helictotrichon longum and Helictotrichon turgidulum have a combination of small prickles and papillae whilst Helictotrichon galpinii and Helictotrichon natalense have a combination of all three. A key to the groups and photos of the different types of surfaces are provided. CONCLUSION : The micromorphology of the lemma surface was shown to be of considerable taxonomic significance and to be extremely useful for differentiating amongst species.South African National Biodiversity Institutehttp://www.abcjournal.orgam2016Plant Scienc

A new species of Combretum sect. Ciliatipetala (Combretaceae) from South Africa

Combretum eugeneanum, a new species from northeastern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and confined to the Maputaland Centre of Plant Endemism, is described, illustrated, mapped, and compared with southern African members of the genus with which it may be confused. In a narrowly defined genus Combretum, the new species belongs to Combretum sect. Ciliatipetala. In herbaria, it has usually been confused with close relatives C. apiculatum and C. edwardsii, as well as several other more distantly related members of the genus, in particular C. woodii. The new species is also closely related to the recently described C. stylesii. It is readily distinguished as an essentially glabrous woody climber or scrambling shrub needing other vegetation for support, leaf apices rarely apiculate, tertiary veins raised on the adaxial leaf surface, inflorescences few-flowered and subcapitate, upper hypanthium cupuliform, flowers with orange-red centres (discs) and peltate scales comprised of essentially eight radial cells, most of which are subdivided by at least one tangential wall, the resulting outer and inner cell(s) often with at least one additional radial wall. Combretum eugeneanum grows in Sand Forest and associated sandy bushveld, and its range and habitat does not overlap with that of C. edwardsii or C. stylesii, both of which are also very often lianas.University of KwaZulu-Natal and University of Pretoria.https://www.mapress.com/j/ptpm2021Plant Production and Soil Scienc