Afropectinariella (Vandeae, Orchidaceae), a new genus of the Angraecum alliance

Abstract

A recent phylogenetic study showed that species assigned to the newly recognised genus Pectinariella Szlach., Mytnik & Grochocka (previously treated as Angraecum Bory sect. Pectinaria Benth.) are polyphyletic, comprising a clade with species primarily in Madagascar and the Western Indian Ocean islands (including the type) and another non-sister clade whose members occur in continental Africa and the Gulf of Guinea islands. In order to render Pectinariella monophyletic, the five continental African species must therefore be removed. A new genus, Afropectinariella M.Simo & Stévart, is described and the following combinations are made: Afropectinariella atlantica (Stévart & Droissart) M.Simo & Stévart, Afropectinariella doratophylla (Summerh.) M.Simo & Stévart, Afropectinariella gabonensis (Summerh.) M.Simo & Stévart, Afropectinariella pungens (Schltr.) M.Simo & Stévart and Afropectinariella subulata (Lindl.) M.Simo & Stévart.

An Elegy to Rangaeris, Including a Description of Two New Genera in the Cyrtorchis–Tridactyle Clade (Orchidaceae, Angraecinae)

“…Some photos of P. dactyloceras Schltr. and R. muscicola from Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Tanzania were retrieved from the World Orchid Iconography (2015-2018) of the Swiss Orchid Foundation at the Herbarium Jany Renz and the Botanical Institute of the University of Basel; from Senckenberg's West African Plants (Brunken et al, 2008); and from Orchidaceae of Central Africa (Droissart et al, 2018). Flowers of spirit specimens, and of dried specimens after being boiled in water and rehydrated in Copenhagen mix, were observed using a Stemi SV11 stereo microscope (Carl Zeiss AG, Oberkochen, Germany).…”

“…Within the largest subfamily, Epidendroideae, and more specifically within the tribe Vandeae, several recent studies have focused on the systematics of subtribe Angraecinae in Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands (see Carlsward et al, 2006;Micheneau et al, 2008;Andriananjamanantsoa et al, 2016), in the Neotropics (Carlsward et al, 2003;Pessoa et al, 2018), and in tropical Africa (Simo- Droissart et al, 2018a). Based on the results of Simo- Droissart et al (2018a), five papers were recently published that together have reassessed the taxonomy of most African angraecoid genera (Descourvières et al, 2018;Farminhão et al, 2018;Simo-Droissart et al, 2018b, 2018cD'haijère et al, 2019), although some groups remain to be treated. Among these, the genus Rangaeris (Schltr.)…”

Accuracy in the identification of orchids of the genus Angraecum by taxonomists and non-taxonomists

“…The genus Angraecum is one of the larger genera of orchids within the family Orchidaceae, comprising 221 species in 19 sections (Simo-Droissart et al 2018). While they have a wide distribution from the Americas through Africa and into the Indian Ocean islands, over 55.0%…”

“…are found on the island of Madagascar (Cribb & Hermans 2010). Their flowers are generally star-shaped, ranging in colour from green, through cream to white, with a spur at the base of the labellum holding the nectary (Simo-Droissart et al 2018). As a result, they are commonly known as comet orchids and are sought-after by collectors.…”

A near comprehensive phylogenetic framework gives new insights toward a natural classification of the African genus Cyrtorchis (Angraecinae, Orchidaceae)

“…In tropical Africa, Simo‐Droissart & al. (2018a), by providing a new molecular phylogenetic framework, have furthered our understanding of the taxonomy of continental African angraecoid orchids, and thus has enabled the taxonomic revision of many genera (Descourvières & al., 2018; Farminhão & al., 2018, 2020; Simo‐Droissart & al., 2018b,c; D'haijère & al., 2019). However, some genera are still in need of a taxonomic revision, as in the case of Cyrtorchis Schltr.…”