A matter of warts: a taxonomic treatment for Drypetes verrucosa (Putranjivaceae, Malpighiales) and a new cauliflorous species from Cameroon and Nigeria, D. stevartii

Abstract

Background and aims – Specimens of a new tree species in the genus Drypetes (Putranjivaceae) distributed in Cameroon and eastern Nigeria, D. stevartii, were associated with D. verrucosa, another tree species endemic to Gabon, due to its warty fruits and to the overall morphological resemblances of both species. Material and methods – The present study is based on the study of 20 gatherings of D. verrucosa and 26 gatherings of D. stevartii. Morphological observations on herbarium specimens belonging to the new species and D. verrucosa were carried out in order to describe them. Key results – This treatment includes the detailed descriptions of these two species, the typification of their names, a comparative table summarizing their main morphological differences, an identification key, photographs of both, as well as information about their distribution, habitat, and phenology. Preliminary IUCN Red List assessments show that both D. verrucosa and D. stevartii are ‘Near Threatened’ species.

Keetia nodulosa sp. nov. (Rubiaceae - Vanguerieae) of West-Central Africa: bacterial leaf nodulation discovered in a fourth genus and tribe of Rubiaceae

“…Within Africa, Cameroon remains a major source of discovery for new species to science of vascular plants, with more species new to science published per annum than any other country in tropical Africa (Cheek et al 2020a). Recent novelties range from forest trees (Quintanar et al 2023;Cheek et al 2022a;, shrubs and small trees (Couvreur et al 2022;Gosline et al 2022;Stone et al 2023;Cheek et al 2023b), lianas (Jongkind and Lachenaud 2022), rheophytes (Cheek et al 2022b), terrestrial herbs , to epilithic herbs (Janssens et al 2022;Cheek et al 2023c) and ferns (Shang and Zhang 2023;Dubuisson et al 2022).…”

Keetia nodulosasp. nov. (Rubiaceae - Vanguerieae) of West - Central Africa: bacterial leaf nodulation discovered in a fourth genus and tribe of Rubiaceae

“…Within Africa, Cameroon remains a major source of discovery for new species to science of vascular plants, with more species new to science published per annum than any other country in tropical Africa (Cheek et al 2020a). Recent novelties range from forest trees (Quintanar et al 2023;Cheek et al 2022a;, shrubs and small trees (Couvreur et al 2022;Gosline et al 2022;Stone et al 2023;Cheek et al 2023b), lianas (Jongkind & Lachenaud 2022), rheophytes (Cheek et al 2022b), terrestrial herbs , to epilithic herbs (Janssens et al 2022;Cheek et al 2023c) and ferns (Shang & Zhang 2023;Dubuisson et al 2022).…”

Keetia korupensis sp. nov. (Rubiaceae - Vanguerieae) a threatened lowland evergreen forest climber and the endemic plant species of Korup National Park, SW Region, Cameroon

“…New species to science are continually being described from Cameroon, mainly from the surviving species-diverse forests of the coastal plains and Cameroon Highlands. Among the most recent discoveries are new species of Voacanga (Apocynaceae, Lachenaud et al 2024;Jongkind & Lachenaud 2022), Drypetes ( Putranjivaceae, Quintanar et al 2023), Didymochlaena (Didymochlaenaceae, Shang & Zhang 2023), Memecylon (Melastomataceae, Stone et al 2023), Monanthotaxis and Uvariopsis (Annonaceae, Cheek et al 2023a;Gosline et al 2022), Impatiens (Balsaminaceae, Janssens et al 2022;Cheek et al 2023b) and Microcos (Malvaceae-Grewioideae/Grewiaceae; Cheek et al 2023c).…”

“…Among the most recent discoveries are new species of Voacanga (Apocynaceae, Lachenaud et al . 2024; Jongkind & Lachenaud 2022), Drypetes ( Putranjivaceae, Quintanar et al . 2023), Didymochlaena (Didymochlaenaceae, Shang & Zhang 2023), Memecylon (Melastomataceae, Stone et al .…”