Rhaphiostylis Planch. ex Benth.

Jongkind, Carel C. H., 2015, Rhaphiostylis minima Jongkind (Icacinaceae), a new liana species from Ivory Coast & Liberia, European Journal of Taxonomy 138, pp. 1-8 : 2-3

Genus Rhaphiostylis Planch. ex Benth.

Key to the species in Upper Guinea (forest area west of Nigeria)

1. Leaves and twigs of plant almost glabrous..........................................................................................2

– Leaves and twigs of plant densely appressed or erect hairy, at least on the young parts ....................4

2. Ovary for most of its surface, and the fruit around the base of the style, hairy...................................3

– Ovary glabrous or with a small patch of hairs on top, fruit glabrous.................................................. ....................................................................... R. beninensis (Hook.f. ex Planch.) Planch. ex Benth.

3. Constricted middle of the ovary glabrous. All leaves with drip tip 1.5–3 cm long. Slender liana up to 4 m high .................................................................................................................. R. minima sp. nov.

– Constricted middle of the ovary hairy. Drip tip on leaves, if present, shorter. Usually a larger liana............................................................................................................................. R. preussii Engl.

4. Leafbase rounded to cordate. Flower pedicel up to 3 mm long. In evergreen forest ............................ .............................................................................................................. R. cordifolia Hutch. & Dalziel

– Leafbase cuneate or obtuse. Flower pedicel 6 to 9 mm long. Mainly in semideciduous forest .............................................................................................................................. R. ferruginea Engl.