Abstract
The new species Streptocarpus lilliputana (Gesneriaceae), collected on the Pondoland coast, South Africa, is described. Although its alliances are not obvious in terms of corolla morphology and rosulate habit, it approaches S. gardenii and its allies. The pollen and stigma of S. lilliputana differ markedly from the stenopalynous grains and bilobed stigmas of the other South African rosulate species. Streptocarpus lilliputana is exceedingly rare and is a further endemic from the Pondoland centre.
Highlights
Evolution within Streptocarpus Lindl. seems to have been driven by geographic isolation and pollinator specialization, and the type subgenus is virtually devoid of fertility barriers (Hilliard & Burtt, 1971; Weigend & Edwards, 1994a)
Cool dry cycles are associated with forest shrinkage and fragmentation; these provide the impetus for allopatric speciation
The isolated patches of forest occurring along the Pondoland coast constitute refugia and form focal points for allopatric speciation of forest taxa
Summary
Evolution within Streptocarpus Lindl. seems to have been driven by geographic isolation and pollinator specialization, and the type subgenus is virtually devoid of fertility barriers (Hilliard & Burtt, 1971; Weigend & Edwards, 1994a). The steep river gorges provide a barrier for fire and appear to have been an ideal habitat for the evolution of endemic species and local ecotypes (Van Wyk, 1990; Matolweni et al, 2000; Van Wyk & Smith, 2001). An overview of Streptocarpus reveals a number of South African east coast endemics that are threatened to varying degrees: S. modestus L.L. Britten, S. trabeculatus Hilliard, S. formosus (Hilliard & B.L. Burtt) T.J. Edwards, S. porphyrostachys Hilliard and S. kentaniensis L.L. Britten & Story.
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