Describing a New Species into a Polyphyletic Genus: Taxonomic Novelty in <I>Ledermanniella</I> s.l. (Podostemaceae) from Cameroon

A synoptic revision of Inversodicraea (Podostemaceae)

“…All species of the family are restricted to rocks in rapids and waterfalls of clear-water rivers, and are therefore rheophytes (torrenticolous). However, this very habitat is being increasingly exploited for hydropower at some risk to the survival of the Podostemaceae they contain (Schenk et al 2015, Cheek et al 2015, Cheek & Ameka 2016. Most of the African species of Podostemaceae are narrow endemics, many being species known from only a single waterfall.…”

“…Most of the African species of Podostemaceae are narrow endemics, many being species known from only a single waterfall. New discoveries of species are still being made frequently (Rial 2002, Cheek 2003, Schenk & Thomas 2004, Beentje 2005, Kita et al 2008, Schenk et al 2015, Cheek et al 2015, Cheek & Ameka 2016, Cheek & Haba 2016a. Important characters in defining African genera in Podostemaceae are the position of the flower in the unruptured spathellum, and the shape and sculpture of the ovary.…”

“…Recently, combined morphological and molecular phylogenetic studies of African Podostemaceae have shown that Ledermanniella (as delimited by Cusset) is paraphyletic, including all other sampled genera of Podostemaceae recognised in Africa (Thiv et al 2009, employing plastid markers matK, trnD-trnT, rpoB-trnC in sampling 9 genera and 17 species of African Podostemaceae, and Schenk et al (2015), employing plastid markers matK, trnL, rpoB-trnC, ndhF, rbcL and matR in sampling 10 genera and 27 species of African Podostemaceae). Molecular phylogenetic sampling of African Podostemaceae has been only c. 30 % complete at species level (Schenk et al 2015). Thiv et al (2009) and Schenk et al (2015), have convincingly shown that Ledermanniella subg.…”

“…Molecular phylogenetic sampling of African Podostemaceae has been only c. 30 % complete at species level (Schenk et al 2015). Thiv et al (2009) and Schenk et al (2015), have convincingly shown that Ledermanniella subg. Phyllosoma C.Cusset forms a well-supported clade of species that are sister to the rest of all other African Podostemaceae sampled, comprising Ledermanniella subg.…”

“…Ledermanniella and, embedded within it, 9 smaller genera: Macropodiella, Winklerella, Djinga, Monandri ella, Dicraeanthus, Leiothylax, Letestuella, and Stonesia. Thiv et al (2009) and Schenk et al (2015) both advocate resurrecting the generic name Inversodicraea Engl., as the oldest generic name for the species of Ledermanniella subg. Phyllosoma and both transfer species formerly included under the last taxon to Inversodicraea.…”