taxonID	type	description	language	source
A10A71FCDAAF56979366BBEC01103E16.taxon	description	Figs 1 A, 2 A, 3	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
A10A71FCDAAF56979366BBEC01103E16.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Diospyros angolensis can be distinguished from other African species previously included in D. ferrea by the combination of leaves with a symmetric (not falcate) lamina that has dark, pitted glands in the proximal half and an obtuse to rounded (rarely acute or retuse) apex, a globose to very slightly ellipsoid fruit 7 – 8 × 7 – 9 mm, and a fruiting calyx with 3 rounded lobes 1 – 1.5 × 3 – 4 mm.	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
A10A71FCDAAF56979366BBEC01103E16.taxon	description	Description Tree (?). Bark pale to dark grey, smooth to slightly rugose, lenticels pale brown, round. Young stems (sub) terete, pale to dark grey, initially covered in short, translucent hispid hairs ca 0.1 mm long and sparse, appressed, yellowish brown hairs ca 0.4 mm long. Leaves alternate; petiole 1 – 4 mm long, 0.5 – 1 mm diam., flat to sulcate above, tomentose, white to yellowish-brown hairs; lamina 1.1 – 5.5 × 0.7 – 2.8 cm, elliptic to orbicular or obovate, symmetric (never falcate), chartaceous to thinly coriaceous, with sparse indument above and below (likely caducous, t-shaped), discolourous, dark brown above, chestnut brown below, with dark, pitted glands present in varying number in the basal half of the lamina, base acute to obtuse, margin slightly undulate, thickened, apex obtuse to rounded, or rarely acute or retuse; venation pinnate, midrib slightly impressed to flat above, raised below, secondary and tertiary venation usually visible on both sides, sometimes inconspicuous above, more apparent below, darker in younger leaves and concolourous with blade in older leaves, raised below and very slightly so above; secondary venation emerging at varying angles from the midrib, veins (5) 6 or 7 (8) per side, weakly brochidodromous, forming irregular loops 1 / 2 to 2 / 3 of the way between the midrib and margin, the most apical smaller and more steeply angled; tertiary venation similar to the secondary in size and colour, irregularly reticulate and forming further loops between the secondary veins and the margin. Male flowers (known only from immature material) in (1 to) 3 (4) - flowered axillary cymes, axes densely covered in semi-appressed, brown hairs <0.5 mm long, peduncle 2 – 4 mm long, pedicel <1 mm long; calyx with dense, straight, appressed, golden to golden-brown hairs 0.25 – 0.5 mm long outside, sparser and shorter inside, basal portion cupuliform, ca 2 × 2 – 2.5 mm, lobes 3, triangular, 1.5 × 1.5 – 2 mm, acute; corolla with dense, appressed, light golden hairs ca 1 mm long outside (only on lobes), glabrous inside, tube narrowly ovoid, 1 – 1.5 × 1.5 – 2 mm, lobes 3, rounded-triangular, ca 2 × 1.5 mm, imbricate, apex acute; stamens 10, inserted at the base of the corolla tube, filament 0.2 – 0.5 mm long, anther 1 – 1.5 mm long; pistillode discoid, ca 0.5 × 1 – 1.5 mm, densely covered in erect, straight, golden hairs ca 0.75 mm long. Female flowers axillary (sometimes appearing as elongated spikes when the leaves are lost), solitary, pedicel <1 mm long; calyx densely covered outside and inside with straight, appressed, golden hairs 0.25 – 0.5 mm long, basal portion cupuliform, ca 2.5 mm × ca 3.5 mm, lobes 3, triangular, valvate, ca 1.5 × 2 mm, obtuse to bluntly acute; corolla glabrous outside except for a rhomboid central area of dense, straight, appressed, golden hairs 0.3 – 0.5 mm long, glabrous inside, tube cylindrical, ca 4 × 2 mm, lobes 3, rounded-triangular, ca 1 × 1.5 mm, weakly imbricate, apex broadly acute; staminodes lacking; ovary globose, ca 2 × 2 mm, densely covered with straight, appressed, golden hairs ca 0.5 mm long, style 1 – 1.5 mm long, glabrous. Fruits axillary, solitary, pedicel 1 – 2 mm long; calyx nearly flat, ca 6 mm wide, with minute, dense, golden hairs ca 0.3 mm long outside, shorter inside, basal portion shallowly cupuliform, 0.5 – 1 × 4 – 5 mm, lobes 3, rounded, entire, 1 – 1.5 × 3 – 4 mm, apex rounded; fruit globose to very slightly ellipsoid, 7 – 8 × 7 – 8 (– 9) mm, reddish brown to orange (in vivo), surface smooth, with sparse, appressed, white hairs ca 0.3 mm long or glabrescent, style persistent at the apex. Seeds 1 or 2, 6 – 7 × 4 – 5 mm, ellipsoid or hemi-ellipsoid, irregularly rough, black, dull.	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
A10A71FCDAAF56979366BBEC01103E16.taxon	distribution	Distribution Angola (Fig. 4).	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
A10A71FCDAAF56979366BBEC01103E16.taxon	etymology	Etymology This species is named after the only country from which it has thus far been recorded.	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
B6CFF7FFACD45DCDB57B87441C2E911C.taxon	description	Figs 1 B, 2 B	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
B6CFF7FFACD45DCDB57B87441C2E911C.taxon	description	Description Shrub ca 1.5 m tall. Bark grey, rugose, densely lenticellate, lenticels brown, elliptic to round. Young stems terete, pale grey, peeling to a darker grey bark, initially covered in sparse, semi-appressed, minute, yellowish hairs ca 0.3 – 0.7 mm long. Leaves alternate; petiole 1 – 4 mm long, 0.5 – 1 mm diam., somewhat glossy and tightly wrinkly (in sicco), terete to flattened above, with sparse, minute, semi-erect, white to yellowish-brown hairs or glabrescent; lamina 1.3 – 8.6 × 1 – 5.5 cm, elliptic to slightly ovate or obovate, symmetric (rarely slightly asymmetric), thinly coriaceous, glabrescent above, glabrescent or with scattered, semi-appressed, yellowish hairs ca 0.5 mm long below, concolourous to very slightly discolourous, shiny, with medium green-brown to reddish brown, dark, pitted glands sometimes present in pairs near the leaf base, rarely few elsewhere on the lamina, base attenuate to (broadly) acute, margin flat to weakly undulate and revolute, slightly thickened, sometimes paler than the leaf blade, apex acute, obtuse or nearly rounded, occasionally weakly and broadly acuminate; venation pinnate, midrib slightly impressed to flat above, raised below, secondary and tertiary venation usually visible on both sides, less conspicuous above, concolourous with the blade or slightly darker, raised on both sides; secondary venation acute or decurrent to the midrib, veins 5 or 6 (7) per side, weakly brochidodromous, forming irregular loops 1 / 2 to 2 / 3 of the way between the midrib and margin, the most apical smaller and more steeply angled; tertiary venation similar to the secondary in size and colour, irregularly reticulate and forming further loops between the secondary veins and the margin. Male flowers in 3 - to 6 - flowered axillary cymes or pseudo-umbels, axes with dense, semi-appressed, golden hairs <0.5 mm long, peduncle to 4 mm long, pedicel to 1 mm long; calyx with straight, appressed, golden to golden brown hairs 0.25 – 0.75 mm long inside and outside, denser closer to the inside margin, basal portion cupuliform, 1.5 – 2 × 2.5 – 3 mm, lobes 3, triangular, valvate, 1.5 × 1.5 – 2 mm, acute to broadly acute; corolla glabrous inside and outside except for a rhomboid central area of dense straight, appressed, golden hairs 0.75 – 1.25 mm long outside, tube narrowly urceolate, 2 – 2.5 × 2.5 – 3 mm, lobes 3, ovate, 2 – 2.5 × 2 – 2.5 mm, imbricate, apex acute; stamens 9 or 10, inserted at the base of the corolla tube, filament 0.5 – 1 mm, anther 1 – 1.5 mm; pistillode discoid, ca 0.5 × 1 – 1.5 mm, densely covered in erect, straight golden hairs ca 0.25 – 0.5 mm long. Female flowers axillary (branches sometimes appearing spike-like when leaves abscise prior to anthesis), solitary, rarely in pairs, pedicel 0.5 – 1.5 mm long, with sparse, semi-appressed, golden hairs <0.5 mm long; calyx moderately covered outside and inside in straight, appressed, whitish-golden hairs ca 0.25 mm long, basal portion cupuliform, 2 – 2.5 × ca 3 mm, lobes 3, broadly triangular, valvate, ca 1 × 2 mm, obtuse; corolla glabrous except for a rhomboid central area of dense straight, appressed, whitish-golden hairs 0.3 – 0.5 mm long, glabrous inside, tube cylindrical to slightly urceolate, 2.5 – 3 × ca 2 mm, lobes 3, broadly ovate, spreading, ca 3 × 2.5 mm, weakly imbricate, apex rounded; staminodes lacking; ovary ovoid, rounded-triangular in cross section, ca 1.5 × 1.5 – 2 mm, densely covered in straight, appressed, golden hairs ca 0.5 mm long, style 1 – 1.5 mm long, glabrous. Fruits axillary, solitary, pedicel to 0.5 – 1.5 mm; calyx cupuliform, 5 – 7 mm wide, with short, dense, appressed, pale hairs <0.5 mm long, denser inside, basal portion cupuliform, not closely appressed to the fruit wall (in sicco), 2 – 3.5 × 5 – 7 mm, lobes 3, broadly triangular, entire, 0.5 – 2.5 × 4 – 6 mm, apex broadly acute to obtuse; fruit ellipsoid to slightly ovoid, 8 – 12 × 6 – 8 mm, orangish brown (in vivo), surface smooth, with sparse, appressed, golden hairs ca 0.5 mm long, denser toward the apex, style persistent at the apex. Seeds 1 to 3, 9 – 10 × 3 – 4.5 mm, narrowly ovoid to ovoid-wedge shaped, minutely verrucose, dark grey, dull.	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
B6CFF7FFACD45DCDB57B87441C2E911C.taxon	distribution	Distribution Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Benin (Fig. 4).	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
8C85449434625E91A6FF8140290B709A.taxon	description	Figs 1 C, 2 C, 5, 6	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
8C85449434625E91A6FF8140290B709A.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Diospyros moutsambotei E. Mestre, Meeprom, H. N. Rakouth & Lowry can be distinguished from other African species previously included in D. ferrea by the combination of leaves with a symmetric (not falcate) lamina that has an evident pair of basal glands and an acuminate (rarely acute) apex, a broadly ellipsoid fruit 12 – 15 × 9 – 11 mm, and a fruiting calyx with 3 very broadly rounded-triangular lobes ca 2 – 3 × 9 – 11 mm.	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
8C85449434625E91A6FF8140290B709A.taxon	description	Description Treelet 2 – 8 m tall. Bark dark grey-brown, surface irregular, lenticels brown, round and prominent. Young stems terete, dark brown to black, with dense, persistent, shortly hispid, pale hairs ca 0.5 mm long, and sparse, caducous, longer, golden hairs <0.1 mm long. Leaves alternate; petiole 1.5 – 5 mm long, 0.5 – 1 mm diam., terete, flat or shallowly sulcate above, with the same two types of indument as the stem; lamina 1.5 – 10.5 × 1 – 4.5 cm, ovate to elliptic, rarely obovate or suborbicular, consistently symmetric (never falcate), coriaceous, glabrous on both sides, concolourous to weakly discolourous, glossy, dark green above, pale green below, with an evident pair of glands toward the base, borne equally or unequally distant to the petiole, base obtuse to acute, margin slightly thickened, sometimes minutely revolute, apex acuminate, rarely acute, the acumen to 15 mm long and rounded; venation pinnate, midvein sulcate above, raised below, secondary and tertiary venation visible on both sides, more so below, darker in younger leaves and lighter in older leaves, raised below and slightly so above; secondary venation forming a nearly right angle with the midrib and slightly decurrent to it, veins (6) 8 or 9 (10) per side, brochidodromous, forming loops 2 / 3 or more of the way between the midrib and margin, the most apical ones smaller and more steeply angled; tertiary venation slightly finer than the secondary, forming a nearly horizontal reticulation and further loops between the secondary veins and the margin. Male flowers in dense, axillary clusters of up 9 flowers, pedicel <1 mm; calyx moderately covered in straight, appressed, golden to golden brown hairs 0.5 – 0.75 mm long outside, nearly glabrous inside, basal portion cupuliform, ca 3.5 × ca 4 mm, lobes 3, broadly triangular, 1.5 × 3 – 3.5 mm, acute; corolla creamy white (in vivo), with dense, appressed, golden to light brown hairs 0.75 – 1 mm long outside, glabrous inside, tube narrowly urceolate, 4 – 5 × 2.5 – 3 mm, lobes 3, ovate, ca 3.5 × 2 mm, imbricate, apex acute; stamens 5, inserted at the base of the corolla tube, very pale cream-brown (in vivo), filament 0.5 – 1 mm, anther 3.5 – 4 mm; pistillode broadly ovoid, 1 – 1.5 × 1 – 2 mm, densely covered in erect, straight, golden hairs 0.75 mm long. Female flowers axillary, solitary or in short, few-flowered cymes, axes with sparse straight, appressed, whitish-golden hairs ca 0.25 mm long, pedicel 1 – 2 mm long; calyx moderately covered outside and more sparsely inside in straight, appressed, whitish-golden hairs ca 0.25 mm long, basal portion cupuliform, 4.5 – 5 × 3.5 – 4 mm, lobes 3, shallowly and broadly triangular, spreading, ca 0.5 × 3 mm, short-acuminate; corolla densely covered in straight, appressed, whitish-golden hairs to 1 mm long, becoming glabrous towards the lobe margins, glabrous inside, tube slightly urceolate, 5.5 – 6 × 3 – 3.5 mm, lobes 3 (4), broadly ovate, spreading, weakly imbricate, 2 – 2.5 × 2 – 2.5 mm, apex rounded-acute; staminodes lacking; ovary ovoid, rounded-triangular in cross section, ca 3 × 2 mm, densely covered in straight, appressed, golden hairs 0.75 mm long, style 1.0 – 1.5 mm long, base with minute, appressed hairs, apex glabrous. Fruits axillary, solitary or in pairs, pedicel 1 – 1.5 mm, indumentum persistent; calyx cupuliform, 9 – 11 mm wide, dark brown (in sicco), with moderately dense, appressed, greyish-white hairs to 1 mm long outside, sparser, shorter and darker inside, basal portion cupuliform, 5 – 6 × ca 9 – 11 mm, lobes 3, shallow, entire, very broadly rounded-triangular, ca 2 – 3 × 9 – 11 mm, apex short-acuminate; fruit globose when immature, broadly ellipsoid when ripe, 12 – 15 (– 20) × 9 – 11 mm, surface smooth, with sparse, appressed, golden hairs, denser toward the apex, brown (in sicco), style persistent at the apex. Seed 1, 12 – 20 × 4 – 6 mm, narrowly obloid, slightly asymmetrical, minutely rugose, dark reddish brown and somewhat glossy (in sicco).	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
8C85449434625E91A6FF8140290B709A.taxon	distribution	Distribution Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Republic of the Congo (Fig. 4).	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
8C85449434625E91A6FF8140290B709A.taxon	etymology	Etymology This species is named in honour of Jean-Marie Moutsamboté (1953 – 2022), who was one of the most highly regarded botanists working in Central Africa. Prof. Moutsamboté contributed greatly to our knowledge of the forests of the Republic of the Congo, participating in dozens of botanical expeditions throughout the country. He served as Head of the Botany Laboratory at the Centre d’Études sur les Ressources végétales and the National Herbarium in Brazzaville from 1986 to 2001 and then taught plant biology and forestry at the Université Marien N’Gouabi before returning to the National Herbarium in 2015, where he headed the Ecology-Phytosociology unit. Jean-Marie has left an important legacy and will long be remembered by the many students and colleagues who had the pleasure of working with him.	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
414C0424318A557E81429C3A60A1361E.taxon	description	Figs 1 D, 2 D	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
414C0424318A557E81429C3A60A1361E.taxon	description	Description Shrub, tree 2 – 10 m tall, 4 – 10 cm DBH. Bark pale grey, rugose, lenticels orange-brown, longitudinally elliptic. Young stems terete, dark brown to black, initially covered in dense, hispid, short, translucent pale yellow hairs <0.5 mm long and caducous, yellow-brown hairs 0.75 – 1.5 mm long. Leaves alternate; petiole 1.5 – 7 mm long, 0.5 – 1 mm diam., terete to nearly flat, occasionally narrowly sulcate, with short, erect, pale yellow hairs <0.5 mm long; lamina 1.5 – 11.5 × 0.6 – 4 cm, elliptic to occasionally obovate, often asymmetric and somewhat falcate, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, young leaves with a very sparse indumentum above, mature leaves glabrous above except for sparse to dense, tomentose hairs ca 0.5 – 1.5 mm long at the base and along the midvein below, sometimes discolourous (in sicco), dull green-brown to dark brown above, glossy, similarly coloured, occasionally glossy below (in vivo), young leaves red above, pale green below, mature leaves deep green and glossy above, paler and glaucous or glossy below, with scattered minute glands in varying numbers, primarily in the lower half of the lamina, base acute, margin flat or weakly undulated, slightly thickened and revolute, apex acuminate, acute or rarely rounded, acumen to 15 mm, rounded at the tip; venation pinnate, midrib narrowly sulcate above, raised below, secondary and tertiary venation faintly visible on both sides, concolourous with the blade to slightly lighter in colour below, raised on both sides; secondary venation emerging slightly decurrently at acute angles from the midrib, veins 7 to 9 per side, brochidodromous, forming loops sometimes close to the margin, the most apical ones smaller and more steeply angled; tertiary venation less conspicuous than the secondary, irregularly reticulate, branching, and forming further loops between the secondary veins and the margin. Male flowers in 2 - to 4 - flowered axillary cymes, axes densely covered in semi-appressed, tomentose, golden hairs ca 0.5 mm long, peduncle 0.5 – 2.5 mm long, pedicel 0.5 – 1 mm; calyx with moderate to sparse straight, appressed, golden to golden brown hairs 0.5 - 0.75 mm long outside, glabrous inside, basal portion cupuliform, 1.5 – 2.5 × 2.5 – 3 mm, lobes 3, broadly rounded-triangular to triangular, slightly reflexed, 1 – 2 × 1.5 – 2.5 mm, apex broadly acute; corolla glabrous outside except for a rhomboid to narrowly-rhomboid central area with dense, straight, appressed, golden to light brown hairs 1 – 1.25 mm long, glabrous inside, tube cupuliform, 2.5 – 4 × 2.5 – 3 mm, lobes 3, rounded-triangular, 2 – 3 × 2 – 3 mm, slightly imbricate, apex acute; stamens (3) 6 to 10 (11), inserted at the base of the corolla tube, filament 0.75 – 1 mm long, anther 1.5 – 2.5 mm long; pistillode ovoid, 1.5 – 2 × 1.5 mm, densely covered in erect, straight, golden hairs 0.75 mm long. Female flowers axillary, solitary, pedicel 1 – 2.5 mm long, densely covered in semi-appressed, sericeous, brown hairs <0.5 mm long; calyx densely covered in straight, appressed, golden hairs 0.25 – 0.5 mm long outside, glabrous inside, basal portion cupuliform, 2 – 3 × 2.5 – 3.5 mm, lobes 3, entire, broadly triangular, 1 – 1.5 × 2 – 3 mm, apex broadly acute; corolla glabrous except for a rhomboid central area of dense straight, appressed, golden hairs 0.75 – 1 mm long, glabrous inside, tube cylindrical, 2 – 3 × ca 2 mm, lobes ovate, slightly spreading, 2 – 2.5 × 1.5 – 2 mm, weakly imbricate, apex shortly acute; staminodes lacking; ovary ovoid, rounded-triangular in cross section, 2 – 2.5 × 2 mm, densely covered in straight, appressed, golden hairs ca 0.25 mm long, style ca 1 mm long, with the same indumentum as the ovary, increasingly sparse towards the stigmas. Fruits axillary, solitary, pedicel 1 – 1.5 mm; calyx cupuliform, 6 – 9 mm wide, with minute, moderately dense indumentum, sometimes glabrescent, brown (in vivo), basal portion cupuliform, 9 – 12 × 3.5 – 4 mm, lobes 3, broadly triangular, entire, 2 – 2.5 × 8 – 11 mm, apex broadly acute; fruit ellipsoid, 10 – 14 × 5 – 9 mm, orange at maturity (in vivo), surface smooth, with scattered, short, appressed, yellowish hairs, denser toward the apex, style persistent at the apex. Seeds 2, 10 – 11 × 4 – 4.5 mm, hemi-ellipsoid, surface uneven, dark grey to black, somewhat shiny.	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
414C0424318A557E81429C3A60A1361E.taxon	distribution	Distribution Senegal to NE Democratic Republic of the Congo (Fig. 4).	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
BC86C059D6EA5FD0B030AC3BB3982CED.taxon	description	Figs 1 E, 2 E, 7	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
BC86C059D6EA5FD0B030AC3BB3982CED.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Diospyros suaheliensis can be distinguished from other African species previously included in D. ferrea by the combination of leaves with a symmetric (not falcate) lamina that has a few dark, pitted glands toward the base and a retuse, rounded or obtuse (sometimes broadly acute) apex, a globose fruit 8 – 12 × 8 – 11 mm, and a fruiting calyx with 3 broadly triangular lobes 3 – 4 × 6 – 8 mm.	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
BC86C059D6EA5FD0B030AC3BB3982CED.taxon	description	Description Tree or shrub 2 – 12 m tall. Bark pale grey to brownish grey, rugose, lenticels brown, round to longitudinally elliptic. Young stems terete, brown, then pale grey, initially covered in dense, hispid, very short, translucent pale yellow hairs and golden yellow, longer and caducous hairs 0.75 – 1 mm long. Leaves alternate; petiole 2 – 8 mm long, 0.5 – 1.5 mm diam., flat to deeply sulcate, with the same indumentum as the stem or glabrescent; lamina 0.8 – 8.5 × 0.8 – 5.6 cm, elliptic to orbicular or slightly obovate, symmetric (never falcate), chartaceous to coriaceous, glabrous above and below, concolourous to slightly discolourous, pale grey-green to dark brown above, often dull-glaucous, pale, dark or reddish brown below, with dark, pitted glands occasionally present in very small numbers in the basal part, base, acute to rounded, rarely cuneate, margin slightly to majorly undulate, thickened, often lighter than the rest of the lamina, apex retuse, rounded, obtuse or less frequently broadly acute; venation pinnate, midrib narrowly impressed to flat above, raised below, secondary and tertiary venation visible on both sides, concolourous with blade, raised on both sides; secondary venation emerging at irregularly acute and decurrent angles from the midrib, (5) 6 or 7 (8) veins per side, brochidodromous, forming irregular loops close to the margin, the most apical ones smaller and more steeply angled; tertiary venation similar to the secondary in size and colour, irregularly reticulate and forming further loops between the secondary veins and the margin. Male flowers in short, 3 - flowered axillary cymes, axes with moderately dense, semi-appressed, golden hairs <0.5 mm long, peduncle 1 – 3 mm long, pedicel <1 mm long; calyx with moderately straight, appressed, golden brown hairs 0.25 – 0.5 mm long outside, sparse and limited to the margin inside, basal portion cupuliform, ca 2.5 × 2.5 – 3 mm, lobes 3, round to round-triangular, ca 1 × 2.5 mm, apex shortly acute; corolla with dense, appressed straight, golden inside 0.5 – 1.5 mm long outside on the lobes, glabrous elsewhere, tube shortly campanulate 3 × 2.5 mm, lobes 3, entire, ovate, spreading, 2.5 – 3 × 2 – 2.5 mm, apex acute; stamens 9 or 10, inserted at the base of the corolla tube, filament 1.0 – 1.5 mm long, anther 1.75 – 2.3 mm long; pistillode discoid, 3 - to 6 - lobed, ca 0.5 × 1 – 1.1 mm, densely covered in erect, straight golden hairs ca 0.25 mm long. Female flowers axillary, solitary, subsessile; calyx moderately covered outside and inside in straight appressed golden hairs 0.25 – 0.75 mm long, basal portion cupuliform, ca 3 × ca 2.5 mm, lobes 3, triangular, ca 1 × 2 mm, acute (often broadly so); corolla and staminodes not seen; ovary obovoid, ca 3 × 3 mm (post receptivity), covered toward the apex with straight, appressed, golden hairs ca 0.25 mm long, style ca 1 mm long, glabrous. Fruits axillary, solitary, pedicel to 1 mm long; calyx cupuliform, 8 – 10 mm wide, with dense to very sparse, minute, golden hairs 0.25 – 0.5 mm long, basal portion shallowly cupuliform to flat, 2 – 4 × 7 – 11 mm, lobes 3, broadly triangular, margins ciliate, entire, 3 – 4 × 6 – 8 mm, apex broadly acute; fruit globose, (8 –) 10 – 11 (– 12) × 8 – 11 mm, bright red at maturity (in vivo), surface smooth, sparsely tomentose, style persistent at the apex. Seeds 4, 7 – 7.5 × 3.5 – 6 mm, ellipsoid-wedge shaped, rugose, dark grey, slightly shiny.	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
BC86C059D6EA5FD0B030AC3BB3982CED.taxon	distribution	Distribution Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique (Fig. 4).	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
BC86C059D6EA5FD0B030AC3BB3982CED.taxon	etymology	Etymology The name chosen for this new species reflects its geographic distribution, which corresponds very closely to the Swahilian regional centre of endemism, as defined by Clarke (1998), which extends from southern Somalia through Kenya and Tanzania south to northern Mozambique.	en	Mestre Serra, Edgard, Puglisi, Carmen, Linan, Alexander G., Meeprom, Nattanon, Rakouth, Hasina N., Schmidt, Heidi H., Lowry II, Porter P. (2025): A taxonomic revision of the continental African material previously included in Diospyros ferrea (Ebenaceae). Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (1): 82-99, DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.140561
