Abstract
Two new species of Indigofera L. (Leguminosae) are described from the Sneeuberg Centre of Floristic Endemism on the southern Great Escarpment, Eastern and Western Cape Provinces, South Africa. Both species are localised high-altitude endemics. Indigofera magnifica Schrire & V.R. Clark is confined to the summit plateau of the Toorberg–Koudeveldberg–Meelberg west of Graaff-Reinet, and complements other western Sneeuberg endemics such as Erica passerinoides (Bolus) E.G.H. Oliv. and Faurea recondita Rourke & V.R. Clark. Indigofera asantasanensis Schrire & V.R. Clark is confined to a small area east of Graaff-Reinet, and complements several other eastern Sneeuberg endemics such as Euryops exsudans B. Nord & V.R. Clark and Euryops proteoides B. Nord. & V.R. Clark. Based on morphology, both new species belong to the Cape Clade of Indigofera, supporting a biogeographical link between the Cape Floristic Region and the Sneeuberg, as well as with the rest of the eastern Great Escarpment.
Highlights
The genus Indigofera L. (Leguminosae) is a large genus comprising some 750 taxa worldwide, with the majority occurring in Africa and Madagascar (Schrire et al 2009)
In South Africa, Indigofera is represented in all biomes, but is well represented in the Cape Floristic Region and the eastern Great Escarpment
The discovery of two new Indigofera species from the Sneeuberg Centre of Floristic Endemism (Clark et al 2009) supports the view that continued field exploration is essential for biodiversity and biogeographical research in South Africa (Robertson and Barker 2006)
Summary
The genus Indigofera L. (Leguminosae) is a large genus comprising some 750 taxa worldwide, with the majority (ca. 550) occurring in Africa and Madagascar (Schrire et al 2009). The discovery of two new Indigofera species from the Sneeuberg Centre of Floristic Endemism (Clark et al 2009) supports the view that continued field exploration is essential for biodiversity and biogeographical research in South Africa (Robertson and Barker 2006).
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