Celtis africana Burman (1768

Zamengo, Henrique Borges, Chamorro, Debora, Gaglioti, André Luiz & Pederneiras, Leandro Cardoso, 2023, Nomenclatural revision of the names of Celtis (Cannabaceae) described for Africa, and lectotypification of one Asian name, Phytotaxa 603 (3), pp. 205-223 : 217

Celtis africana Burman (1768 : Prodr. pl. cap. 31 [‘27’]).

Holotype: —[illustration] AFRICA. South Africa. Tab. 88 in Burmann, Rar. Afr. Plant 9: 242 (1739).

Epitype (designated here): — AFRICA. South Africa, Eastern Cape, Baviaans Kloof , 13 September 1974, fl., R.D.A. Bayliss 6792 (epitype WAG barcode 1855913!; isoepitype WAG barcode 1855912!) .

Nomenclatural notes: —When describing C. africana, Burman (1768) did not provide a diagnosis, mentioning only illustration 88 in an earlier publication by his father ( Burman 1739), which pre-dates the nomenclatural starting-point for flowering plants (ICN Art. 13.1(a)). In analyzing the 1739 reference we found the diagnosis that satisfies ICN Art. 38.1. Even though Burman (1739) provided an illustration, some of the main characteristics used for the identification of this species cannot be evaluated, for example, the indumentum and the texture of the leaf surfaces (how it feels when touched). Considering that many species of Celtis are difficult to distinguish because of overlapping morphological characteristics ( Chamorro et al. 2021), the illustration may cause doubts about the identity of this species. We therefore designate the specimen at Herb.WAG with barcode 1855913 as epitype (ICN Art. 9.9) of C. africana , because like the material depicted in t. 88 of Burman (1739), this specimen was collected in South Africa, and has leaves and flowers consistent with the main characteristics used to recognize the species.

Taxonomic notes: —Accepted species ( Sattarian et al. 2006).