Achyranthes seychellensis Sukhor. sp. nov.

Holotype.

Seychelles, Farquhar Atoll, coconut plantation, 18 August 1984, G. Ogureeva 608 (MW 0586306!, isotype LE 00019370!).

Description.

(Fig. 16). Annual herb up to 1.5 m tall; stem stout, basally ± roundish, four-angled in the inflorescence; leaf petioles 10–25 mm long, blades 80–120 × 30–60 mm, cuneate, tip shortly acuminate, green above and pale green below, slightly pubescent on veins; inflorescence up to 25 cm long with hirsute axis; bract 3.5–4.0 mm long; bracteoles 3.2–4.0 mm long; perianth 4.5–5.5 mm long, ± equal, deep rose or purple inside; stamens 5, anthers 0.75–1.0 mm long; pseudostaminodes 1.25–2.0 mm long, brownish or white when dry, fimbriate; style with stigma 2.2–2.7 mm long; fruit (without style) ± 2.0 mm long.

Habitat.

Calcareous and rocky areas at elevations of 0–200 m a. s. l. It can be a common weed in coconut plantations.

Flowering at fruiting.

Around the year.

Additional specimens seen.

Seychelles: Sèche Island, 23 Jan 1938, Ves 6149 (K) ; St. Pierre Island, Oct 1960, C. J. Pigeott s. n. (K) ; Aride Island, Feb 1983, F. Friedmann 4469 (P 00804851) & Apr 1987, F. Friedmann 5455 (P 00804847); Bird Island, 28 Sep 1952, E. S. Brown s. n. (BM) ; Cousin Island, 25 Jan 1970, F. R. Fosberg 52173 (K) ; Fouquet Island, 5 Apr 1976, D. R. Stoddart 7148 (K) ; Farquhar Atoll (South), 2 Oct 1967, Gwynne & Wood 1189 (K) ; Farquhar Atoll (North), 19 Sep 1968, D. R. Stoddart 1376 (K) ; Aride Island, Jul 1975, Warman 23 (K) ; Rémire [Eagle] Island, 25 Oct 1976, S. A. Robertson 2319 (K) ; Bird Island, Mar 1976, D. R. Stoddart 7079 (K) ; Denis Island, 10 Dec 1977, D. R. Stoddart 8086 (K) ; Platte Island, 26 Feb 1980, S. A. Robertson 3021 (K) ; Poivre Island, 6 Aug 1984, L. Averyanov & al. s. n. (LE, MHA) ; Farquhar Atoll, 16 Aug 1984, L. Averyanov & al. 580 (LE) .

Mauritius: Chagos Archipelago, Diego Garcia Atoll, East Island, 26 Jul 1967, D. R. Stoddart 875 (K) ; Diego Garcia, near north coast, 30 Mar 1971, A. M. Hutson 15 (BM) ; Sea Cow Island, 21 Feb 1975, M. J. D. Hirons 50 (K) .

Relationship.

Friedmann (1994) reported three varieties of A. aspera: var. aspera, var. velutina, and var. fruticosa from the Seychelles. The specimens seen were identified as var. aspera or var. velutina . From A. aspera, the new species differs by longer leaf blades (80–120 × 30–60 mm vs. 15–110 × 20–80 mm), and longer anthers (0.75–1.0 mm vs. 0.4–0.6 mm) and styles (2.2–2.7 mm vs. 1.0– 1.1 mm). The true A. velutina Hook. & Arn. from the Pacific (Samoa, Tahiti, Tuamotu etc.) is a hirsute shrub with longer (ca. 7 mm long) perianths, but some other characters, i. e. length of anthers and styles are similar. Several specimens from the Aldabra Islands identified as ‘ var. fruticosa ’ represent plant fragments with a woody base and need further evalution.

General distribution.

Endemic to the Seychelles and Chagos Archipelago.