Vitex ciliata Pierre ex Pellegr.

Meerts, Pierre, 2018, Synopsis of the genus Vitex (Lamiaceae) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Plant Ecology and Evolution 151 (3), pp. 380-392 : 381

3. Vitex ciliata Pierre ex Pellegr.

( Pellegrin 1927: 268); Lebrun & Stork (1997: 524).

– Type: Gabon, Région du Nyanga, Mayombé, Bayaka , Tchibanga , 2 Mar. 1914, Le Testu 1701 (lecto-: Pbarcode P 00442307 designated here ; isolecto-: Pbarcodes P 00442308 & P 00442309) .

A tree. Twigs chocolate brown, with sparse yellow cilia. Leaflets 5; petiolule 0–2(–3) mm; lamina strongly spathulate, cuspidate, with sparse fine yellowish hairs on veins beneath. Inflorescence a large multiflorous long pedunculate dichasium equalling leaves. Calyx c. 2 mm; corolla whitish. Fruit obovoid, 10–15 mm long.

Distribution – Wof Central Africa, from Gabon to D.R. Congo. This species is new to D.R. Congo. Voucher: Mayumbe , Mbenge , s.d., Bittremieux 244 ( BR barcode BR 0000018425963) .

Note – Lectotypification of Vitex ciliata Pierre ex Pellegr. The protologue cited Le Testu 1701 and Klaine 3257; three sheets of the former and three sheets of the latter have been found, which all match the description in the protologue. I designate one of the most complete specimens as the lectotype.