The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A.Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations

Abstract

The genus Vepris Comm. ex A.Juss. (Rutaceae) includes around 85 species occurring mostly in Africa and Madagascar, among which three West and Central African species, differing from others in the area by their simple or unifoliolate leaves, are the object of the present paper. Glycosmis? africana Hook.f., described from the island of São Tomé, is transferred to the genus Vepris, as V. africana (Hook.f.) O.Lachenaud & Onana, comb. nov. This species, which also occurs in Gabon, Angola and the Republic of Congo, was previously known under the illegitimate name V. gossweileri (I.Verd.) Mziray [non V. gossweileri I.Verd.]. It is here illustrated for the first time, and a complete description is presented; it is notable for having androdioecious flowers, rather than dioecious as usual in the genus. Another new combination, Vepris laurifolia (Hutch. & Dalziel) O.Lachenaud, comb. nov. – based on Garcinia laurifolia Hutch. & Dalziel – is published for a West African species, so far known under the younger synonym V. felicis Breteler. This species is newly recorded from Sierra Leone, and an updated description is presented. These two species are compared to the similar V. welwitschii (Hiern) Exell, which is endemic to Angola and still relatively little-known. The conservation status of all three species is assessed, respectively as Near-threatened (V. africana, comb. nov.), Vulnerable (V. laurifolia (Hutch. & Dalziel) O.Lachenaud, comb. nov.) and Endangered (V. welwitschii).