Notes on Peucedanum (Umbelliferae) and Allied Genera in Central and East Africa

Abstract

Summary. The plant hitherto known as Peucedanum heracleoides Bak. is transferred to Physotrichia as P. muriculata (Welw. ex Hiern) Droop & Townsend. Erythroselinum and Lefebvrea are maintained as a genera distinct from Peucedanum and L. droopii sp. nov. is described from Tanzania. Peucedanum aberdarense Wolff is reduced to var. bipinnatum of P. friesiorum Wolff and P. canaliculatum Verdcourt to subsp. australe of P. harmsianum Wolff. The identity of P. winkleri Engl. is discussed. Five new tropical African Peucedanum species are described. The following are intended chiefly as precursory notes for the account of the Umbelliferae for the 'Flora of Tropical East Africa'. During the course of this I have profited greatly from discussion with Mr Stephen Droop, formerly of the Conservation Unit of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. He had commenced a Ph.D. thesis for the University of Reading on Peucedanum and its allies at the same time as my work on the Umbelliferae for F.T.E.A. began, although I was at that time unaware of the fact. We have not totally agreed in every respect, so that the decisions taken in the current paper must be taken as my responsibility; but Mr Droop has discussed the work freely with me and I am grateful for his valuable help. His own taking up of full-time employment has halted work on his thesis, while my own impending retirement has necessitated acceleration towards completion of my F.T.E.A. account; hence our cooperation has been less full than it might otherwise have been.