Abstract
Gymnosporia swazica, a new restricted-range southern African species, is described and illustrated here. Known from only a few localities in Swaziland and bordering parts of South Africa (Mpumalanga and northeastern KwaZulu-Natal), G. swazica grows as an understorey shrub or small tree in forest, often among granite boulders. Diagnostic characters for G. swazica include chartaceous leaves, usually shorter than 25 mm, 3-valved capsules usually 6–7 mm long, which are smooth, green turning yellow, and a white aril partially covering the brownish seed. Its closest relative appears to be G. buxifolia (capsules rugose, mottled white-and-brown), one of the most widespread members of the genus in southern Africa, but it can also be confused with G. maranguensis (capsules red, 2-valved) and G. harveyana (capsules pink to red, 3-valved; aril orange, completely covering the seed).
Highlights
Gymnosporia (Wight & Arnott 1834: 159) Hooker (1862: 359, 365) is an Old World genus, occurring in Africa, nearby Atlantic Ocean Islands, southern Spain, Madagascar and other Indian Ocean Islands, SE Asia, Malesia, Australia and on the Polynesian, Micronesian and Melanesian Islands
Hitherto 26 named species of Gymnosporia were recognized in the Flora of southern Africa region, the latter comprising South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland and Lesotho (Archer & Jordaan 2003, Jordaan 2008)
The new species of Gymnosporia described in the present contribution has come to light since Jordaan’s taxonomic revision (1995) of the spiny members of subfamily Celastroideae (Celastraceae) in southern Africa, and the reinstatement of the genus name Gymnosporia for the group (Jordaan & Van Wyk 1999)
Summary
Gymnosporia (Wight & Arnott 1834: 159) Hooker (1862: 359, 365) is an Old World genus, occurring in Africa, nearby Atlantic Ocean Islands, southern Spain, Madagascar and other Indian Ocean Islands, SE Asia, Malesia, Australia and on the Polynesian, Micronesian and Melanesian Islands. It comprises over one hundred species (Jordaan & Van Wyk 2006). The new species of Gymnosporia described in the present contribution has come to light since Jordaan’s taxonomic revision (1995) of the spiny members of subfamily Celastroideae (Celastraceae) in southern Africa, and the reinstatement of the genus name Gymnosporia for the group (Jordaan & Van Wyk 1999).
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