Abstract
SummaryWe revise and update the records of strict and near-endemic species of Mt Kupe, Cameroon respectively from 31 strict endemics in 2004, to 25 today, and with near-endemic species 30, unchanged in number but with turnover. The changes result from new collections, discoveries and taxonomic changes in the last 16 years. While 15 of the provisionally named putative endemic species have now been formally published, a further 18 have not. The majority of the 30 near-endemic species (18) are shared with the adjacent Bakossi Mts, far exceeding the numbers shared with the more distant Mt Etinde-Mt Cameroon, Rumpi Hills and Ebo forest areas (sharing three near-endemic species each with Mt Kupe). We test the hypothesis that a further one of the provisionally named putative Mt Kupe species, Vepris sp. 1 from submontane forest near the summit, is indeed new to science. We compare it morphologically with the two other bicarpellate high altitude Cameroon Highland tree species V. montisbambutensis Onana and V. bali Cheek, concluding that it is a new undescribed species here named as Vepris zapfackii. The new species is illustrated and its conservation status assessed as Critically Endangered using the 2012 IUCN standard, due to habitat clearance from agricultural pressures at its sole location which is unprotected. Vepris zapfackii and V. bali appear unique in African trifoliolate species of the genus in having opposite leaves. Vepris zapfackii differs in having hairy petiolules and midribs and petiolules with the blade decurrent distally, narrowing towards a winged-canaliculate base (vs glabrous and petiolule long, terete), and sparsely golden hairy pistillodes and a glabrous calyx (vs densely black hairy pistillodes, and sepals hairy).
Highlights
As part of the project to designate Important Plant Areas (IPAs) in Cameroon, we are striving to name, assess the conservation status and include in IPAs (Darbyshire et al 2017) rare and threatened plant species in the threatened natural habitat of Cameroon.Several of these species were previously designated as new to science but not formally published in a series of checklists ranging over much of the Cross-Sanaga interval (Cheek et al 2001)
In this paper we test the hypothesis that the Mt Kupe cloud-forest tree species formerly designated as “Vepris sp. 1” (Cheek et al 2004), is a new species to science, and we describe, characterise, and name it as Vepris zapfackii Cheek & Onana
In the key to the Vepris species of Cameroon in Onana & Chevillotte (2015), Vepris sp. 1 (Vepris zapfackii) keys to V. montisbambutensis Onana because of its non-winged petiole, lack of pulvini on the petiolules, three, thinly coriaceous leaflets which are less than 20 × 6 cm, and which have brochidodromous venation, the lower surface marked by black points and because of the ellipsoid fruits
Summary
As part of the project to designate Important Plant Areas (IPAs) in Cameroon ( known as Tropical Important Plant Areas or TIPAs, https:// www.kew.org/science/our-science/projects/tropicalimportant-plant-areas-cameroon), we are striving to name, assess the conservation status and include in IPAs (Darbyshire et al 2017) rare and threatened plant species in the threatened natural habitat of Cameroon. Several of these species were previously designated as new to science but not formally published in a series of checklists (see below) ranging over much of the Cross-Sanaga interval (Cheek et al 2001). The species is discussed in the context of revised and updated data on the endemic and near-endemic plant species of Mt Kupe, a known centre of plant diversity (see Discussion below)
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