Lepidagathis alopecuroides R.Br. ex Griseb., Fl. Brit. W. I. 453 (1862)

Kuetegue, Felix, Sonke, Bonaventure & Ameka, Gabriel K., 2019, A checklist of rheophytes of Cameroon, PhytoKeys 121, pp. 81-131 : 81

Lepidagathis alopecuroides R.Br. ex Griseb., Fl. Brit. W. I. 453 (1862)

Adenosma chenopodiifolia (Poir.) Spreng., Syst. Veg. ed. 16, 2: 829 (1825)

Aetheilema alopecuroidea (Vahl) Spreng., Syst. Veg. 2: 826 (1825)

Ruellia alopecuroidea Vahl, Eclog. Amer. 2: 49 (1798)

Ruellia chenopodiifolia Poir., Encycl. 6(1): 339 (1804)

Teliostachya alopecuroidea Nees, Prodr. 11: 263 (1847)

Type.

Sierra Leone, by Scaries River, 1891, G. F. Scott Elliot 4533 (K, K000529239).

Description.

Herb, slender, flexible, decumbent and branching stems, with lanceolate leaves 5.0-6.5 × 0.4-0.6 cm; strong fibrous root system; pink or purplish flowers.

Specimens examined.

40 km northwest of Moloundou on Dja River, 18 Mar 1973, R. Letouzey 12132 (YA); Ndian 50 m on bank of Mana River, 4°58'N, 8°51'E, 09 Dec 1983, D. W. Thomas 2659 (YA); Mundemba on Mana River, 11 Jan 1998, M. Cheek 8850 (YA).

Habitat.

Rocky and sandy riverbeds or on the banks of rivers and streams; in rainforest.

Distribution.

Benin, Cameroon (Fig. 4 ), Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea and Nigeria.

Conservation status in Cameroon.

Lepidagathis alopecuroides is not listed on http://www.iucnredlist.org nor in Onana and Cheek (2011). The extent of occurrence of this species is estimated at 124,600 km2 and has an area of occupancy of about 20 km2. The taxon is currently known from five localities. Construction of dams are in progress at two sites for this species: a hydroelectric dam at Natchigal on the Sanaga River; and another on the Dja River, and if fully operational the habitat of L. alopecuroides may be destroyed. Based on these threats, and the fact that the species is only known from five localities, L. alopecuroides is here assessed as Endangered. IUCN Red List Category: Endangered ENB2ab (ii, iii).

Figures

Figures 2 - 10. 2 Bolbitis fluviatilis (Hook.) Ching 3 Bolbitis heudelotii (Bory ex Fee) Alston 4 Lepidagathis alopecuroides R. Br. ex Griseb. 5 Achyranthes talbotii Hutch & Daziel 6 Crinum natans Baker 7 Kanahia laniflora (Forssk.) R. Br. 8 Anubias barteri Schott 9 Cyperus rheophyticus Lye 10 Cyperus tonkinensis C. B. Clarke var. baikiei (C. B. Clarke ex Kuk) S. S. Hooper.