Updates and new reports for the flora of southern and central Somalia (with notes on Dicoma popeana and Ipomoea corrugata)

Abstract

Based on the collections held at FT Herbarium new and noteworthy records of vascular plants are provided for the flora of southern and central Somalia. Six taxa – Rhinacanthus dichotomus var. dichotomus, Glinus oppositifolius, Panicum pooides, Urochloa comata, Corchorus capsularis, Cayratia ibuensis – are recorded as new for the flora of Somalia. For three taxa – Digitaria brunoana, Justicia carnosa, Dicoma popeana – previously known only from the type locality, new localities are presented. For two taxa – Stictocardia incomta, Vangueria gillettii – previously known in Somalia only from single collections, additional records are included. New distributional records are reported for 20 species (Trianthema portulacastrum, Neuracanthus polyacanthus, Marsedenia rubicunda, Tacazzea apiculata, Nidorella aegyptiaca, Pluchea sarcophylla, Vernonia popeana, Vernonia galamensis subsp. galamensis var. petitiana,Bourreria lyciacea, Commiphora staphyleifolia, Evolvulus alsinoides, Jacquemontia ovalifolia, Jacquemontia tamnifolia, Euphorbia migiurtinorum, Leucas jamesii, Caucanthus edulis, Hibiscus panduriformis, Paullinia pinnata, Melhania rotundata, Triumfetta trigona). Notes on the morphology of Dicoma popeana and Ipomoea corrugata are also included.