Gaertnera Lam.

Jongkind, Carel Christiaan Hugo, 2015, Description of Gaertnera luteocarpa (Gentianales: Rubiaceae), with two subspecies, a new forest shrub species from Liberia, Ivory Coast and Ghana, European Journal of Taxonomy 126, pp. 1-8 : 2-3

Genus Gaertnera Lam. nom. cons.

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

(Largely based on the key in Malcomber & Taylor 2009)

1. Stipules 4-lobed, with several to numerous setae at the apex of the stipule rim, each 0.5–9 mm long .................................................................................................................................................... 2

– Stipules 2 to 4-lobed or without lobes, without setae at apex of the stipule rim ............................... 3

2. Leaves 6–12 × 1.5–3 cm; petiole <1 cm long. Corolla in bud white.................................................. ................................................ G. liberiensis E.M.A.Petit (only known from type with flower buds)

– Leaves 18–29 × 5–9 cm; petiole 1.5–3.2 cm long. Corolla in bud red................................................ ................................................................................. G. spicata K.Schum. (only known from Gabon)

3. Stipules with ridges or wings not extending below the petioles, the stems merging smoothly into the petiole base or the base encircled by a thin, ciliolate, skirt-like flap ................................................. 4

– Stipules with ridges or wings extending below petiole as a thickened, well-developed wing or flange encircling petiole base ....................................................................................................................... 5

4. Corolla tube 2.5–4 mm long, lobes 1.5–2.5 mm long. Stipules drying chartaceous ........................... ........................................................................................................................... G. paniculata Benth.

– Corolla tube 4–6 mm long, lobes 2.5–5 mm long. Stipules drying membranous ............................... .......................................................................... G. longivaginalis (Schweinf. ex Hiern) E.M.A.Petit

5. Corolla tube 8–11 mm long, lobes 3.5–6 mm long, the lobes inflated and cucullate at apex, in bud the lobes forming an urceolate cap. Mature drupes violet-black, 5–10 mm long................................ ........................................................................................................... G. cooperi Hutch. & M.B.Moss

– Corolla tube 1.8–9 mm long, lobes 0.8–5 mm long, the lobes flattened at apex or with an adaxial hook or flange, in bud the lobes forming a smoothly tapered, acute apex. Mature drupes purplish or yellow ................................................................................................................................................ 6 6. Corolla tube 1.8–3.3 mm long, lobes 1.8–2.7 mm long. Mature drupes violet-black, 5–10 mm long ............................................................................................................................ G. aurea Malcomber

– Corolla tube c. 9 mm long, lobes c. 5 mm long. Mature drupes yellow, 18–20 mm long................... ...................................................................................................................... G. luteocarpa sp. nov., 7

7. Stipular tube densely pale hairy. Fertile branchlets 4 mm wide (when dry) ....................................... ......................................................................................................... G. luteocarpa subsp. luteocarpa

– Stipular tube glabrous. Fertile branchlets 2 mm wide (when dry) ...................................................... ......................................................................................... G. luteocarpa subsp. sinoensis subsp. nov.