Novitates Gabonenses 21. A New Species of Baphia (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae) from Gabon

Abstract

From Gabon, Central Africa, a new species of Baphia is described that is distinct in having a cymose arrangement of its flowers. The African genus Baphia, with ca. 46 species in total, is well represented in Gabon by some 18 species (Soladoye, 1985). This number is likely to increase with further exploration, mainly by the collection of species previously known only from the neighboring countries. Recent collections from the Lambarene area revealed a new, distinct species. Baphia cymosa Breteler, sp. nov. TYPE: Gabon. Lambarene, along Ogoou6 River, 24 Nov. 1986 (fl), van der Maesen 5306 (holotype, WAG; isotypes, BR, K, LBV, MO, P). Figure 1. Baphiae laurifoliae Baillon affinis, sed inflorescentiis cymosis, bracteolis minoribus et alis et petalis carinae sine marsupio differt. Treelet 3-4 m tall. Branches rather soon longitudinally fissured, bark peeling off in thin, long, narrow flakes. Branchlets densely brown-tomentose. Stipules not observed, very early caducous, leaving a rimlike scar. Leaves: petiole with pulvini, 5-10 mm long, grooved above, subappressedshort-brown-hairy; blade elliptic, 7-12 x 2-4 cm, (2.5-)3-4 times as long as wide, cuneate at base, obtusely acuminate at apex, the acumen 0.5-1 (-1.5) cm long, glabrous above, sparsely subappressed-short-hairy beneath, more densely so on midrib, glabrescent, lateral nerves thin, 5-7 pairs, not or only slightly prominent, the midrib plane to impressed above, prominent beneath. Flowers mostly arra ged in 2-several-flowered, once to repeatedly branched, brown-tomentose cymes, sometimes single; peduncle up to 2 cm long; bracts and bracteoles broadly ovate, concave, ca. 1.5 x 1.5 mm, mostly early caducous; flower buds somewhat sickleshaped; pedicel up to ca. 2 cm long; calyx up to ca. 15 mm long, appressed-brown-short-hairy outside, glabrous inside, spathaceous, splitting down one side; corolla white, glabrous; standard + sessile, broadly obovate, ca. 15 x 13 mm, + flat, but with the margin in upper part curved inwards, with a 22.5-mm-long split apically; wings folded ? lengthwise, 17 x 8 mm when unfolded, very shortly clawed, top obtuse, notched or not; keel petals 13 x 5-7 mm, united in the middle, shortly clawed, + flat; stamens 10-13.5 mm long, shortly coherent at base, glabrous, anthers 2.5-3 mm long, + basi ixed; pistil ca. 15 mm long, gently curved, style + glabrou , ovary appressed-short-hairy, 6-ovuled. Fruits unknown. Distribution. Only known from the type locality in Gabon. Habitat. Tr pical rainforest. Baphia cymosa is distinct because of a unique character, i.e., the arrangement of the flowers in cymes and not in fascicles, racemes, or pseudoracemes, the nor al situation in Baphia. In the key in Soladoye's (1985) revision, B. cymosa will key out near B. laurifolia Baillon when pulvini not contiguous is selected at couplet 22. This might seem to be the wrong choice because B. cymosa has pulvini; however, according to Sola oye's descrip i n, so, possibly, does B. laurifolia. NOVON 4: 83-85. 1994. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.120 on Mon, 05 Sep 2016 05:55:35 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms