Trichoscypha liberica Engl.

Breteler, F. J., 2001, The genus Trichoscypha (Anacardiaceae) in Upper Guinea: A synoptic revision, Adansonia (3) 23 (2), pp. 247-264 : 256

8. Trichoscypha liberica Engl.

Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 15: 108 (1892); Keay in Hutch. & Dalz., Fl. West Trop. Afr. , ed. 2, 1: 737 (1958). — Type: Naumann s.n., Liberia, near Monrovia, Ƌ fl. Aug. (holo-, B, delet.). Neotype (designated here): Jansen 2151, Liberia, 18 miles S of Tchien, Ƌ fl. July ( WAG; iso-, BR n.v., MO n.v., P).

Shrub or small tree to 10 m tall, trunk to 15 cm in diam. Leaves 3-5-jugate; leaflets coriaceous, glabrous, minutely pustulate above, elliptic, up to 28 × 8 cm with 13 pairs of main lateral nerves or less. Inflorescence axillary or terminal. Male flowers purple-red. Fruit unknown. — Figs. 1 H-I, 9.

HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION. — Rain forest of

Liberia.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — LIBERIA: Jansen 2151, 18 miles S of Tchien, Ƌ fl. July (P, WAG), neotype; Voorhoeve 452, Monrovia, ♀ fl. Sep. ( WAG); 1209B, Duport, ♀ fl. Aug. (K) .

NOTE. — The neotype that has been designated does not fit the original description of T. liberica in all aspects. The number of lateral nerves for instance are 4-6 in the original diagnosis, much lower than in the specimens assigned to this species in this publication. Analysis of ENGLER’ s description reveals that his mention of 4-6 veins must be too low. He described the size of the leaflets as 10-15 × 5-6 cm, and the nerves as being 1-1.5 cm apart. Based on these data the number of main laterals must therefore have been higher than 4-6 pairs. The second notable difference is seen in the male flowers, which ENGLER described as sessile whereas in the neotype the flowers have a pedicel of 1-1.5 mm. This difference may be of little importance as, at least in some species (e.g. T. lucens ), this element varies to the same degree.

Figures

Fig. 1. — Flowers of Trichoscypha species, one petal removed: A-B, T. arborea (A. Chev) A. Chev.; C-D, T. baldwinii Keay; E-F, T. bijuga Engl.; G, T. cavalliensis Aubrév. & Pellegr.; H-I, T. liberica Engl.; J, T. longifolia (Hook. f.) Engl.; K-L, T. lucens Oliv.; M-N, T. smythei Hutch. & Dalz. (A, de Wilde 311, B, van der Burg 766; C, van Meer 11; D, Adam 25718; E, Stoop - van de Kasteele 210; F, Beentje 889; G, Leeuwenberg & Voorhoeve 4938; H, Jansen 2151; I, Voorhoeve 452; J, Vogel 160; K, de Koning 3909; L, Beentje 875; M, Chevalier 18792; N, Jansen 2250). Drawing by H. DE VRIES.