A New Species of Achyrospermum Blume (Labiatae) from Malawi

Abstract

Summary. Achyrospermum squamosum, an erect perennial herb only collected on Chiradzulu mountain, Malawi, is described. Like many species of Achyrospermum, it grows under shrubs or trees at high altitudes. Its relationships with other species in the genus are discussed. paper), from southern tropical Africa (Angola, southern Zaire, Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi) and three (A. carvalhoi Giirke, A. radicans Giirke and A. cryptanthum Baker) in eastern and southern Africa. The other species occur in the Philippines, Java, India and the Mascarene Islands. The genus is shade-loving and grows in places such as evergreen thickets, often near or along streambanks. It has been recorded mainly from high altitudes (1000-2500 m). Baker (1900) revised the tropical African species of Achyrospermum and recognized eight species. Perkins (1921) transferred Elshotzia schimperi to Achyrospermum as A. schimperi (Hochst ex Briq.) Perkins and reduced some species recognized by Baker to the synonymy of A. schimperi. The most comprehensive revision was carried out by Bruce (1936) who recognized 17 species as native to tropical Africa. An eighteenth species (A. tisserantii Letouzey) was later described (Letouzey, 1967). Only three species (A. cryptanthum, A. laterale Baker, & A. carvalhoi) were recorded from Malawi by Bruce (1936). During the last decade what appears to be a new taxon has been collected from Chiradzulu Mountain, southern region, Malawi and has been known as Achyrospermum sp. aff. aethiopicum in the Kew Herbarium. This is here described as new.