Abstract
A new species of Dorstenia L. (Moraceae), Dorstenia luamensis M.E.Leal, is described from the Luama Wildlife Reserve, west of Lake Tanganyika and north of the town of Kalemie in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This species is endemic to the region and differs from any of the other species by its fernlike lithophytic habit and lack of latex. A description and illustration of this species is presented here. Dorstenia luamensis M.E.Leal inhabits moist and shady vertical rock faces close to small waterfalls in the forest; the species is distributed in small populations within the type locality, and merits the conservation status of endangered (EN).
Highlights
In 2012, a specimen of Dorstenia L. was collected from the Luama Wildlife Reserve in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
In 2012, a specimen of Dorstenia L. was collected from the Luama Wildlife Reserve in eastern DRC
The collected specimens from the Luama Wildlife Reserve were compared to D. benguellensis Welw. following terminology and description format of Berg and Hijman (1999)
Summary
In 2012, a specimen of Dorstenia L. was collected from the Luama Wildlife Reserve in eastern DRC (M.E. Leal 2551) hanging from vertical cliffs and rock faces close to a waterfall on the shear zone of two plateaus. Leal 2551) hanging from vertical cliffs and rock faces close to a waterfall on the shear zone of two plateaus These plants have a typical Dorstenia L. inflorescence but their hanging habit and lack of latex is unusual. The only other hanging Dorstenia species (hemi-epiphyte) is D. astyanactis Aké Assi first described from Ivory Coast (Ake Assi 1967) and later collected in Cameroon (Pollard et al 2003). Its inflorescence only has one appendix whereas the specimens from Luama have between.
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