Zehneria subcoriacea Y.D. Zhou & Q.F. Wang, sp. nov. Fig. 1 & 2.

≡ Zehneria sp. A ., Jeffrey, Cucurbitaceae, 124: 1967, in Milne-Redhead & Polhill (eds.) Flora of Tropical East Africa.

Climber, glabrous. Leaves sub-coriaceous. Dioecious. Male flowers: petals (4–)5(–6), white, hairy; stamens 3, hairy. Female flowers: petals 5–6(–8), white, hairy; staminodes 3(–5), hairy; stigma 3-lobed. Fruits sub-globose. Seeds ovate, compressed.

Type:— KENYA. Mt. Kenya, West slope, Naro Moru Track, near Met. Station, S 00° 10’ 13.21’’, E 37° 12’ 51.36’’, 3065 m, 27 Jun. 2016, Zhou & Mbuni 16/3 (female) (holotype HIB, isotypes EA, PE); KENYA. Mt. Kenya, West slope, Naro Moru Track, Hagenia forest, S 00° 10’ 12.28’’, E 37° 13’ 09.63’’, 3136 m, 27 Jun. 2016, Zhou & Mbuni 16/2 (male) (paratypes HIB, EA, PE) .

Climber (Fig. 1A, Fig. 2A), 2–5 m or more long; stems grooved, glabrous except when very young. Tendrils simple, to 20 cm or more long. Leaves (Fig. 2B) sub-coriaceous, oblong-ovate, 5–15 × 1.5–7 cm, base rounded to weakly cordate, apex acuminate and apiculate, margins apiculate-toothed, 5(–7)-veined at the base. Petioles 1–2.5(–4) cm long. Dioecious. Male flowers (Fig. 1 BC, Fig. 2 CD) usually in sessile umbelliform clusters of 5–30; pedicels 5–9 mm long; receptacle-tube campanulate, 3–5 × 3–5 mm, hairy within, calyx-lobes 5(–6), 0.3–0.6 mm long; petals (4–)5(–6), white, becoming cream-yellow when old, lanceolate-ovate, 3–4 × 2–3 mm, hairy; stamens 3, filaments 3–4 mm long, hairy. Female flowers (Fig. 1 DE, Fig. 2E–G) usually in sessile umbelliform clusters of 2–20; pedicels 6–10 mm long; ovary sub-globose to slightly fusiform, 2–4 × 3–5.5 mm; receptacle-tube campanulate, 3–4 × 4–5 mm, hairy within, calyx-lobes 5(–6), 0.3–0.6 mm long; petals 5–6(–8), white, become cream-yellow when old, lanceolate-ovate to lanceolate, 4–5 × 2–3 mm, hairy; staminodes 3(–5), 3–5 mm long, hairy; style 4–5 mm long, stigma 2–3 mm wide, 3-lobed. Fruits (Fig. 1F, Fig. 2H) in sessile clusters of 2–20, on 6–10 mm long pedicels, sub-globose, 7–12 mm in diameter. Seeds (Fig. 1G, Fig. 2I) ovate, compressed, ca. 4 × 2.5 × 1 mm.

Etymology:— The specific epithet “ subcoriacea ” refers to the sub-coriaceous leaves of this new species.

Distribution and habitat: —K3 & K4 (Fig. 3). Montane rain-forest, riverine thickets, Hagenia forest or bamboo zone; 2050–3150 m.

Additional collections:— KENYA. Mt. Kenya, West slope, Naro Moru Track, Hagenia forest, S 00° 10’ 12.28’’, E 37° 13’ 09.63’’, 3136 m, 27 Jun. 2016, Zhou & Mbuni 16/1 (HIB!) ; KENYA. Mt. Kenya, West slope, Naro Moru Track, near Met. Station, S 0° 10’ 13.21’’, E 37° 12’ 51.36’’, 3065 m, 24 Jul. 2014, SAJIT 002112 (HIB!) ; KENYA. Gakoe-Kieni Road, ca. 1 km beyond tea plantation on a path into the forest, 15 Dec. 1989, Mungai 179/89 (EA!) ; KENYA. Mt. Kenya, Castle Forest Station, track going east from road ca. 300 m above buildings, S 0°23’, E 37°19’, 2050 m, 20 Oct. 1979, Gilbert 5763 (EA!, K!) ; KENYA. Nyambeni Hills, N 0°13’, E 37°52’, 2350 m, 25 May 2004, Luke et al. 10285 (EA!, K!) ; KENYA. Naivasha District, Kinangop, 23 Jul. 1922, Fries 2734 (EA!, K) .