Hypselodelphys lopei A. C. Ley, 2012

Ley, Alexandra C. & Classen-Bockhoff, Regine, 2012, Five new species of Marantaceae endemic to Gabon, Adansonia (3) 34 (1), pp. 37-52 : 44-48

Hypselodelphys lopei A. C. Ley , sp. nov.

( Figs 1 ; 7 )

Ab omnibus aliis speciebus generis Hypselodelphys similis, sed fructuum forma cum lineis rotundis verrucisque praecipue differt.

TYPUS. — Gabon. La Lope , Research station, 0°12.308’N, 11°36.304’E, 16.XII.2004, A. C. Ley 141 (holo- WAG!; iso- LBV!) .

PARATYPUS. — Gabon. Mikongo, 0°17.104’N, 11°42.517’E, 13.XII.2004, A. C. Ley 125 ( LBV, WAG). HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION. — Secondary forest at La Lope and Mikongo in Gabon (Fig. 3) .

A

DESCRIPTION

Liana. Shoots erect when young and supported by other plants later on. Leaves 4 per short shoot; sheath up to 17 × 6 cm; midrib glabrous; lamina ending in a tip of 0.5-0.7 cm length. Inflorescence with several partial inflorescences, each having up to 12 internodes, glabrous, 5 mm long; only one flower pair per bract; axis 5 mm long, glabrous; 2 bracteoles, 3 mm each; fertile bracts 1.8-2 cm long. Flower white and violet, sepals white; petals violet; outer staminodes and stamen (including petaloid appendage) white. Fruit green, large (2-4 cm in diameter), rounded with 1-3 oval lobes, with ledges running around the oval lobes; surface verrucous with short spiny tips. Seeds not investigated.

REMARKS

The species Hypselodelphys lopei A. C. Ley , sp. nov. is most easily differentiated from the other species of the genus by its distinct fruit morphology, notably its different shape and surface structure (see Fig. 1 ).

NEW KEYS TO THE GENERA

For geographic circumscription of phytochoria see White (1979).

Figures

FIG. 1. — A-C, Hypselodelphys lopei A. C. Ley, sp. nov., inflorescence (A), flower (B) and fruit (C); D, E, Marantochloa montsdecristalii A. C. Ley,sp. nov., inflorescence (D) and flower (E); F-H, Marantochloa alba A. C. Ley,sp.nov., flower pair (F), habitus (G), inflorescence (H); I, J, Thaumatococcus flavus A. C. Ley, sp. nov., habitus (I), inflorescence (J); K-M, Marantochloa grandiflora A. C. Ley, sp. nov., habitus (K), inflorescence (L) and flower pair (M). Scale bars: 1 cm.

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.