Coleus betonicifolius (Baker) A. J. Paton var. kasomenensis (De Wild.) Meerts & A. J. Paton, 2024

Meerts, Pierre J. & Paton, Alan J., 2024, The genus Coleus (Lamiaceae) in Central Africa (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi), with the description of 15 new species, PhytoKeys 246, pp. 71-178 : 71-178

Coleus betonicifolius (Baker) A. J. Paton var. kasomenensis (De Wild.) Meerts & A. J. Paton , comb. et stat. nov.

Coleus kasomenensis (in protologue as “ kasonememsis ”) De Wild., in Rep. Spec. Nov. Reg. Veg. 11: 515. 1913. Type: DR. Congo, Elisabethville [Lubumbashi], Mar. 1912, H. Homblé 246 (in protologue “ 206 ”) (lectotype BR [ BR 0000006258283 ], designated here). (Basionym)

= Coleus hockii De Wild. , Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 11: 514. 1913. Type: DR. Congo, Haut-Katanga, vallée de la petite Luembe, lieux humides, Feb 1910, A. Hock s. n. (holotype BR [ BR 0000008907790 ]), syn. nov.

= Coleus baumii Gürke , in O. Warburg (ed.), Kunene-Sambesi Exped.: 357. 1903. Type: Angola, Cuito, 14 Dec 1899, H. Baum 544 (holotype B destroyed; isotype BM [ BM 000910139 ], E, G [ G 00435191], HBG [ HBG 518672], K [ K 000431990 ], M [ M 0104724], S [S-G- 1537], W [ W 1901-0006713]), syn. nov.

=? Leocus lyratus A. Chev. , J. Bot. (Morot) 22: 126. 1909. Type: Guinea, Fouta-Djalon, Mt. Tinka, near Dalaba. Sep-Oct 1907, A. Chevalier 18824 (holotype P [P 00541249], syn. nov.

Description.

Differs from the type variety by the leaf blade narrowly elliptic to almost linear (<1 cm wide), progressively attenuate at base (vs. ovate, abruptly contracted at base).

Distribution.

DR. Congo, Angola, Zambia.

Habitat and ecology.

Savannah, on seasonally flooded soil, marshland, often on sand, ca. 1050–1300 m elev.

Additional specimens.

DR. Congo, Kasaï, Kapanga, 1933, F. Overlaet 915 ( BR); Bas-Katanga, Route Kaniama-Kamina, 85 km from Kamina, 21 Dec 1957, J. Brynaert 670 ( BR); Kelambwe, 8 Dec 1948, G. Kevers 228 ( BR); Haut-Katanga, Dilolo, dilungu de la Mangoa, 1 May 1959, S. Risopoulos 1032 ( BR); Kasumbalesa, 26 Mar 1951, A. Schmitz 3509 ( BR); Kipopo, 13 Mar 1960, A. Schmitz 6890 ( BR).

Angola, Lunda Norte, S of River Luovwa [Lovua?], 18 Jan 1938, E. Milne-Redhead 4205 ( BR, K); Bié, Serpa Pinto, 26 Apr 1906, J. Gossweiler 2679 ( COI).

Zambia, District Chingola, 19 Apr 1954, D. B. Fanshawe 1128 ( K); Kawambwa District, Kalungweshi River, 26 Apr 1957, H. M. Richards 9446 ( K).

Notes.

1. Coleus hockii De Wild. was wrongly interpreted as a synonym of Coleus buchananii (Baker) Brenan by Paton et al. (2019), due to confusion with A. Hock s. n. (BR [ BR 0000008109613 ]), which is the type specimen of C. kisanfuensis De Wild. (= Coleus buchananii (Baker) Brenan ). The protologue and the original materials of Coleus hockii De Wild. clearly refer to C. betonicifolius . See also note under C. buchananii .

2. The spelling of the epithet in the protologue is “ kasonememsis ”, obviously a typo; the locality cited in the protologue is “ Kasomenia ” and on the specimen label “ Kasonema ”. The current name of the locality is Kasomeno (10 ° 45 ' S, 28 ° 16 ' E); therefore, we correct the epithet to “ kasomenensis ” following Art. 60.1. and Rec. 60 D. 1. of the ICN.

3. Lectotypification of Coleus kasomenensis . De Wildeman (1913 a) cited four syntypes: T. Kassner 2555 (syntype BR; isosyntype E, K), DR. Congo, Haut-Katanga, Kasomenia (in protologue; Kasonema on specimen label) [Kasomeno], 10 Mar 1908, & H. Homblé 246 (in protologue “ 206 ”) (syntype BR [ BR 0000006258283 ] & [ BR 0000006258917 ]), Elisabethville [Lubumbashi], Mar 1912, & J. Bequaert 382 (syntype BR [ BR 0000009824553 ] with a collecting label, [ BR 0000009824577 ] without a collecting label), Welgelegen, 2 May 1912 and J. Bequaert 564 (syntype BR [ BR 0000009824553 ]), Welgelegen, dembo, 2 May 1912. All these specimens match the protologue; H. Homblé 246 [ BR 0000006258283 ] is selected as the lectotype because it is the only specimen with De Wildeman’s handwriting on the label.

4. Material of C. betonicifolius from Guinea and Sierra Leone is similar to the type of Leocus lyratus A. Chev. and resembles var. kasomenensis , but the leaves are much larger than material from the remainder of the distribution ( Pollard and Paton 2009); further work is needed.