Sabicea Aubl. and Stipularia Beauv. (Rubiaceae-Mussaendeae) in Tropical Africa

Abstract

Hitherto the small African genus Stipularia Beauv. has been recognised as distinct from Sabicea Aubl. on account of its large involucral cups. The type of the genus Stipularia is S. africana Beauv. and possesses large stipules which presumably suggested the generic name to Palisot de Beauvois. Subconsciously, therefore, I expect many botanists think that all species of the genus must also possess large stipules. However, of the species so far described most have quite small stipules, as in Stipularia elliptica Schweinf. ex Hiern, and incidentally several species of Sabicea have stipules as large as, or larger than, Stipularia africana.