Hypselodelphys lopei, 2012

Ley, Alexandra C. & Classen-Bockhoff, Regine, 2012, Five new species of Marantaceae endemic to Gabon, Adansonia (3) 34 (1), pp. 37-52 : 50-51

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.5252/a2012n1a4
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/E6568786-4011-E244-FF07-FDF195BE9A27
treatment provided by	Carolina (2021-08-16 13:13:08, last updated by Plazi 2023-11-04 01:03:13)
scientific name	Hypselodelphys lopei
status

Treatment

Hypselodelphys (K. Schum.) Milne. View in CoL -Redh.

All 8 species of this genus are lianescent. The architecture of the vegetative shoot is the same in all species as depicted for H. lopei A. C. Ley , sp. nov. in Figure 7 View FIG . All species of the genus have a characteristic interruption before the petiole goes into the midrib and are best distinguished by the morphology of their fruits ( Fig. 8 View FIG ). Leaf morphology, leaf pubescence and flower colour have been experienced to be very variable within species and thus do not serve as unique characters for an unequivocal determination at species level (see also Koechlin 1964; Dhetchuvi 1996a; Jongkind 2008).

1. Inflorescence internodes long (7-15 mm) and glabrous .............................................. 2

— Inflorescence internodes short (c. 5 mm), glabrous or velutinous ................................ 3

2. Inflorescence multi-branched with numerous partial inflorescences arising from the base and many sterile, persistent bracts; fertile bracts closely overlapping, acutely acuminate, about 3 cm long; only known from Cameroun...................................... H. zenkeriana View in CoL

— Inflorescence rarely branched and only few sterile bracts ............................................ 3

3. Fruit acutely triangular, each side about 4 cm long with median and lateral ledges, muricate-very short spines; widespread ............................................................. H. violacea View in CoL

— Fruit with three round lobes without ledges, muricate – long spines; leaves large, wide along its whole length, up to 35 cm long and 17 cm wide; restricted to Lower Guinea and Congolia ............................................................................................. H. scandens View in CoL

4. Fruit with oval lobes slightly flattened with lateral ledges running around; surface verrucous; so far only known from Central Gabon................................................ H. lopei View in CoL

— Fruit lobes round with or without longitudinal ledges, muricate ................................ 4

5. Fruit round without ledges ......................................................................................... 5

— Fruit round with longitudinal ledges .......................................................................... 6

6. Fruit muricate – short spines; inflorescence glabrous; leaves generally small, up to 25 cm long and 9 cm wide; widespread ................................................................ H. poggeana View in CoL

— Fruit muricate – long spines; inflorescence internodes and bracts are densely velutinous; distribution restricted to Upper Guinea....................................................... H. velutina View in CoL

7. Fruit with round lobes; leaves triangular pointed, up to 25 cm long and 10 cm wide; often whole plant very hairy; distribution restricted to Lower Guinea................... H. hirsuta View in CoL

— Fruit lobes strongly acute, flattened; distribution restricted to Upper Guinea................ .............................................................................................................. H. triangularis View in CoL

A B

References

DHETCHUVI J. B. 1996 a. - Taxonomie et phytogeographie des Marantaceae et des Zingiberaceae de l'Afrique Centrale (Gabon, Congo, Zaire, Rwanda et Burundi). PhD thesis. Universite de Bruxelles, Belgium, 421 p.

JONGKIND C. C. H. 2008. - Two new species of Hypselodelphys (Marantaceae) from West Africa. Adansonia, ser. 3, 30 (1): 57 - 62.

KOECHLIN J. 1964. - Scitaminales, in AUBREVILLE A (ed.), Flore du Gabon. Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, 163 p.

Figures

FIG. 7. — Hypselodelphys lopei A. C. Ley, sp. nov.: A, habitus (liana); B, leaf; C, flower; D, fruit (note the verrucous surface with short spiny tips). A-D, A. C. Ley 141. Abbreviations:br, bracteole;fs, fleshy staminode; o, ovary; os, outer staminode; p, petal; pa, petaloid appendage of fertile theca; s, sepal. Scale bars: A, 10 cm; B-D, 1 cm.

FIG. 8. — Fruits of Hypselodelphys (K. Schum.) Milne.-Redh. species: A, B, H. triangularis Jongkind (from Jongkind 2008); C, H. ve- lutina Jongkind (from Jongkind 2008); D, H. violacea (Ridley) Milne-Redh. (from Koechlin 1964); E, H. violacea (from Hepper 1968); F, H. poggeana (K.Schum.) Milne-Redh. (from Koechlin 1964); G, H. lopei A. C. Ley, sp. nov.(drawing from this paper); H, H. scandens Louis & Mullenders (from Koechlin 1964); I, H. hirsuta (Loes.) J.Koechlin (drawing by A. C. Ley). Scale bar: 1 cm.