Abstract
Solanum umalilaense Manoko sp. nov. (Solanaceae) is described from the Umalila area, in the southern highlands of Tanzania. Its novelty is supported with both morphological and AFLP data. Phenetic and phylogenetic analyses place Solanum umalilaense as a unique and well-supported taxon among tetraploid species of Solanum sect. Solanum from Africa. It can be distinguished from other African species by its extremely developed branching, each branch producing many multi-flowered inflorescences, flowers with short calyx lobes and its persistent, small, light yellowish brown fruits.
Highlights
Solanum L. section Solanum is a pantropical group of about 55 species, most of which are found in the New World, and about 10 in Africa; the group forms part of the Morelloid clade of Bohs (2005)
While studying accessions of Solanum section Solanum from Africa at the Radboud University Nijmegen, it became apparent that plants grown from seeds of accession A24750133 collected from the Umalila area in the southern highlands of Tanzania were strikingly different from other African accessions
Solanum umalilaense differs from all other species that have been described or studied so far from Africa
Summary
Solanum L. section Solanum is a pantropical group of about 55 species, most of which are found in the New World, and about 10 in Africa; the group forms part of the Morelloid clade of Bohs (2005). In Africa, section Solanum species form one of the largest groups of leafy vegetables. The most thorough account of the African species of the section Solanum, with good morphological descriptions and keys, was published by Edmonds and Chweya (1997).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
