Boehmeria, as currently circumscribed, comprises 52 species and has a pantropical distribution. L... more Boehmeria, as currently circumscribed, comprises 52 species and has a pantropical distribution. Liang et al. propose a sectional classification of Boehmeria based on the phylogenetic analysis of SNP data for 20 species and an additional 10 subspecific taxa of these at the rank of variety or form. They restrict their sampling to species documented in China. We found many shortcomings in the sampling and analyses which we feel have resulted in a misleading phylogeny for the genus and the economically important fibre-plant, Boehmeria nivea. By sampling only Chinese species of this genus for their in-group and using a single distantly related outgroup, Liang et al. have failed to capture the diversity of the genus and so erroneously concluded that it forms a monophyletic group. Previous published research clearly demonstrates that Boehmeria is paraphyletic and polyphyletic, comprising at least four monophyletic groupings most closely related to several genera within the Boehmerieae. For...
The nomenclatural history of the genus Pteranthus (Caryophyllaceae) is reviewed. Original materia... more The nomenclatural history of the genus Pteranthus (Caryophyllaceae) is reviewed. Original material of Camphorosma pteranthus and Pteranthus dichotomus came from a single gathering made by Forsskål in the desert outside Cairo, Egypt, in March 1762. The original material of C. pteranthus was grown from seed collected with the herbarium material of P. dichotomus. Pteranthus dichotomus is therefore considered a replacement name for C. pteranthus and lectotypified with the same specimen, no. 165.5 LINN (right‐hand plant). A supporting epitype is chosen from flowering herbarium material of the same gathering held at C (as florets are required to distinguish between varieties). The name P. trigynus is lectotypified by a specimen preserved at MA and the varietal status of P. dichotomus var. trigynus is confirmed.
After a taxonomic revision of the genera of the tribe Forsskaoleae has been completed a form of D... more After a taxonomic revision of the genera of the tribe Forsskaoleae has been completed a form of Droguetia iners differing from all subspecies recognized and described in that revision has been discovering during field work in the Bale Mountains, SE Ethiopia. The new form is described here and proposed given rank as a subspecies, D. iners ssp. pedunculata; the discovery of the new taxon makes a modification of the generic description of Droguetia necessary.
A new arborescent species of Croton, C. megalocarpoides Friis & Gilbert, is described from the co... more A new arborescent species of Croton, C. megalocarpoides Friis & Gilbert, is described from the coastal semi–evergreen forest and bushland in S Somalia and E Kenya. Its taxonomic affinity with other African species is demonstrated, particularly the relationship to C. megalocarpus Hutch., a montane E African species with which it has long been confused, and to C. mayumbense J. Léonard, and C. mubango Mull. Arg., two species from lowland forest and forest–savannah mosaic in W Zaire and surrounding countries. The phytogeographical position of the new species is briefly discussed.
The following new combinations are needed for the forthcoming volume of Flora of Somalia. The new... more The following new combinations are needed for the forthcoming volume of Flora of Somalia. The new combinations are unanimously supported by the three authors, of whom Verdcourt is responsible for the account for the Flora of Tropical East Africa, and Friis for the account for the Flora of Somalia. The remaining new combinations needed for the Flora of Tropical East Africa will be made by Verdcourt when the account is published.
Friis & Jellis (1984) revised the African species of Pouzolzia, and described two new species... more Friis & Jellis (1984) revised the African species of Pouzolzia, and described two new species. One of these, P. conulifera, was based on material from Cameroon sent from Paris by R. Letouzey who also gave additional information about his collecting locality: sandy riverbanks in the western lowlands of Cameroon. When revising the Neotropical material of Pouzolzia I became aware of the similarity between our P. conulifera and Phenax sonneratii, a tropical American species. Comparison of the Cameroon plant with material of Phenax sonneratii has indeed convinced me that the two taxa are conspecific. In the diagnosis of Pouzolzia conulifera the conspicuous bracts were pointed out, and it was suggested that the fruit presumably consisted of an ovary tightly enclosed in a hard persisting perianth, features which are possible, but not representative, in Pouzolzia. In fact broad membranous bracts, each surrounding what is now generally believed to be a naked female ovary, are diagnostic characters of the Neotropical genus Phenax. P. sonneratii is known from Central America (Burger 1977), the West Indies, eastern Brazil and French Guiana (Berg 1992); it is common in the lesser Antilles and in Jamaica (Adams 1972). Throughout the range, the species is found in pastures, along roads and rivers, and in banana-, cacaoand coconut-plantations, etc. It occurs from near sea level up to c. 800 m. However, the type of P. sonneratii is said to come from India, as stated with doubt by Weddell (1856) and later without reservation by Weddell (1869). The occurrence in tropical Asia is confirmed by Hooker (1888) in a note under his account of Pouzolzia and is documented by two collections at Kew: Heifer 123 from near Calcutta, and Helfer s.n. (Kew Distr. no. 4584) from Tenasserim in Burma, both collected in 1836-38. An old record of P. sonneratii from Mauritius (Baker 1877) is based on a Commerson specimen at P (Herb. Jussieu no. 16903; photo, K), but this record has been rejected for the Flore des Mascareignes, in which it is assumed that the Commerson material almost certainly came from tropical America (Marais 1985). In this century, the species has not been reported from tropical Asia or the Mascarenes. There are, however, more recent records of the genus Phenax from Madagascar;
Pouzolzia rugulosa (Wedd.) Acharya & Kravtsova, comb. nov., is transferred from the genus Boehmer... more Pouzolzia rugulosa (Wedd.) Acharya & Kravtsova, comb. nov., is transferred from the genus Boehmeria on the grounds of the anatomy and morphology of the fruit, correlated with molecular data. A revised set of anatomical and morphological characters is provided to distinguish between Boehmeria and Pouzolzia. Pouzolzia rugulosa shares morphological similarities with a group of serrate-leaved taxa in that genus known from Asia and Oceania. It is a shrub or small tree and is found along the southern slopes of the Himalayas from Himachal Pradesh in northern India to the mountains of northern Burma. It occurs in forest at elevations of up to 1900 m, mainly at forest edges and in clearings. A full description of Pouzolzia rugulosa, including drawings and SEM images of the fruit, is provided, together with a key.
Boehmeria, as currently circumscribed, comprises 52 species and has a pantropical distribution. L... more Boehmeria, as currently circumscribed, comprises 52 species and has a pantropical distribution. Liang et al. propose a sectional classification of Boehmeria based on the phylogenetic analysis of SNP data for 20 species and an additional 10 subspecific taxa of these at the rank of variety or form. They restrict their sampling to species documented in China. We found many shortcomings in the sampling and analyses which we feel have resulted in a misleading phylogeny for the genus and the economically important fibre-plant, Boehmeria nivea. By sampling only Chinese species of this genus for their in-group and using a single distantly related outgroup, Liang et al. have failed to capture the diversity of the genus and so erroneously concluded that it forms a monophyletic group. Previous published research clearly demonstrates that Boehmeria is paraphyletic and polyphyletic, comprising at least four monophyletic groupings most closely related to several genera within the Boehmerieae. For...
The nomenclatural history of the genus Pteranthus (Caryophyllaceae) is reviewed. Original materia... more The nomenclatural history of the genus Pteranthus (Caryophyllaceae) is reviewed. Original material of Camphorosma pteranthus and Pteranthus dichotomus came from a single gathering made by Forsskål in the desert outside Cairo, Egypt, in March 1762. The original material of C. pteranthus was grown from seed collected with the herbarium material of P. dichotomus. Pteranthus dichotomus is therefore considered a replacement name for C. pteranthus and lectotypified with the same specimen, no. 165.5 LINN (right‐hand plant). A supporting epitype is chosen from flowering herbarium material of the same gathering held at C (as florets are required to distinguish between varieties). The name P. trigynus is lectotypified by a specimen preserved at MA and the varietal status of P. dichotomus var. trigynus is confirmed.
After a taxonomic revision of the genera of the tribe Forsskaoleae has been completed a form of D... more After a taxonomic revision of the genera of the tribe Forsskaoleae has been completed a form of Droguetia iners differing from all subspecies recognized and described in that revision has been discovering during field work in the Bale Mountains, SE Ethiopia. The new form is described here and proposed given rank as a subspecies, D. iners ssp. pedunculata; the discovery of the new taxon makes a modification of the generic description of Droguetia necessary.
A new arborescent species of Croton, C. megalocarpoides Friis & Gilbert, is described from the co... more A new arborescent species of Croton, C. megalocarpoides Friis & Gilbert, is described from the coastal semi–evergreen forest and bushland in S Somalia and E Kenya. Its taxonomic affinity with other African species is demonstrated, particularly the relationship to C. megalocarpus Hutch., a montane E African species with which it has long been confused, and to C. mayumbense J. Léonard, and C. mubango Mull. Arg., two species from lowland forest and forest–savannah mosaic in W Zaire and surrounding countries. The phytogeographical position of the new species is briefly discussed.
The following new combinations are needed for the forthcoming volume of Flora of Somalia. The new... more The following new combinations are needed for the forthcoming volume of Flora of Somalia. The new combinations are unanimously supported by the three authors, of whom Verdcourt is responsible for the account for the Flora of Tropical East Africa, and Friis for the account for the Flora of Somalia. The remaining new combinations needed for the Flora of Tropical East Africa will be made by Verdcourt when the account is published.
Friis & Jellis (1984) revised the African species of Pouzolzia, and described two new species... more Friis & Jellis (1984) revised the African species of Pouzolzia, and described two new species. One of these, P. conulifera, was based on material from Cameroon sent from Paris by R. Letouzey who also gave additional information about his collecting locality: sandy riverbanks in the western lowlands of Cameroon. When revising the Neotropical material of Pouzolzia I became aware of the similarity between our P. conulifera and Phenax sonneratii, a tropical American species. Comparison of the Cameroon plant with material of Phenax sonneratii has indeed convinced me that the two taxa are conspecific. In the diagnosis of Pouzolzia conulifera the conspicuous bracts were pointed out, and it was suggested that the fruit presumably consisted of an ovary tightly enclosed in a hard persisting perianth, features which are possible, but not representative, in Pouzolzia. In fact broad membranous bracts, each surrounding what is now generally believed to be a naked female ovary, are diagnostic characters of the Neotropical genus Phenax. P. sonneratii is known from Central America (Burger 1977), the West Indies, eastern Brazil and French Guiana (Berg 1992); it is common in the lesser Antilles and in Jamaica (Adams 1972). Throughout the range, the species is found in pastures, along roads and rivers, and in banana-, cacaoand coconut-plantations, etc. It occurs from near sea level up to c. 800 m. However, the type of P. sonneratii is said to come from India, as stated with doubt by Weddell (1856) and later without reservation by Weddell (1869). The occurrence in tropical Asia is confirmed by Hooker (1888) in a note under his account of Pouzolzia and is documented by two collections at Kew: Heifer 123 from near Calcutta, and Helfer s.n. (Kew Distr. no. 4584) from Tenasserim in Burma, both collected in 1836-38. An old record of P. sonneratii from Mauritius (Baker 1877) is based on a Commerson specimen at P (Herb. Jussieu no. 16903; photo, K), but this record has been rejected for the Flore des Mascareignes, in which it is assumed that the Commerson material almost certainly came from tropical America (Marais 1985). In this century, the species has not been reported from tropical Asia or the Mascarenes. There are, however, more recent records of the genus Phenax from Madagascar;
Pouzolzia rugulosa (Wedd.) Acharya & Kravtsova, comb. nov., is transferred from the genus Boehmer... more Pouzolzia rugulosa (Wedd.) Acharya & Kravtsova, comb. nov., is transferred from the genus Boehmeria on the grounds of the anatomy and morphology of the fruit, correlated with molecular data. A revised set of anatomical and morphological characters is provided to distinguish between Boehmeria and Pouzolzia. Pouzolzia rugulosa shares morphological similarities with a group of serrate-leaved taxa in that genus known from Asia and Oceania. It is a shrub or small tree and is found along the southern slopes of the Himalayas from Himachal Pradesh in northern India to the mountains of northern Burma. It occurs in forest at elevations of up to 1900 m, mainly at forest edges and in clearings. A full description of Pouzolzia rugulosa, including drawings and SEM images of the fruit, is provided, together with a key.
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