456 



MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN 



[Vol. 8, No. 5 



Galium chloroionanthum K Schum. Bot. Jahrb. 30: 417. 1901. 



Mlanje District: Mlanje Mountain; Luchenya Plateau, common in forest re- 

 growths, scrambling to a height of 1 m., flowers green, 1850 m., July 1, 1946, 

 16574. Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Uganda, Tanganyika Territory, Belgian Congo, 

 and now new to Nyasaland. 



Galium stenophyllum Bak. Kew Bull. 1895: 68. 1895. 



Dedza District: Dedza, in moist depressions in Brachystegia woodland, per- 

 ennial herb, branches numerous, subprostrate, young shoots flowering after the 

 burning of the grass, flowers white, 1500 m., Sept. 13, 1946, 17633. 



This is the true G. stenophyllum Baker, with which the following species has 

 been consistently confused. G. stenophyllum is found in SW. Tanganyika Terri- 

 tory and the adjacent part of N. Rhodesia, and is now recorded from Nyasaland 

 for the first time. Although Baker in describing his species referred to it a Nya- 

 saland specimen (Buchanan 770), I do not consider this to be the same species 

 as the rest of the specimens he mentioned, but the following species, Go bussei. 



Galium stenophyllum may be separated from the following species by its more 

 flaccid appearance, by the leaves which are obtuse to acute at apex but lack the 

 distinct and long°attenuate acumen of the following species, by the widely spaced 

 partial inflorescences, the inflorescences themselves, however, being compact, 

 by the short, not filiform pedicels which become deflexed and arcuate after flow 

 ering, and by the large cocci of the fruit. I suspect that G. stenophyllum has 

 white flowers while the following species has greenish-yellow to pale yellow 

 flowers, but the evidence is rather conflicting at the moment. 



Galium bussei K. Schum. & Ko Krause, Bot. Jahrb. 39: 571 (1907) var. glabrum 

 Brenan, var nov. (vide infra). 

 Zomba District: Zomba Plateau, in tall grass under shade of trees in Brachy 

 stegia woodland, perennial herb 60-70 cm. high, flowers not seen, fruits slightly 

 fleshy, 1430 m., May 30, 1946, 16080, Kota-kota District: Nchisi Mountain, one 

 specimen in Brachystegia woodland, perennial herb 20 cm.. high, flowers cream° 

 coloured, fruits immature, 1400 m., Aug. 5, 1946, 17135*. For distribution see 

 below. 



G. bussei has been very generally misidentified with G. stenophyllum; for the 

 distinction see under the latter species. Baker, indeed, with his original descrip- 

 tion of G. stenophyllum, cited a Nyasaland specimen, Buchanan 770 (Herb. Kew.), 

 which I consider referable to G. bussei, thus not conspecific with Baker's other 

 cited specimens. I am grateful to Mr. P. J. Greenway, Botanist, East African 

 Agriculture and Forestry Research Organisation, who kindly had two sheets of 

 Busse 941, isotypes of G. bussei, sent to me on loan. 



Untfer G„ bussei the following four varieties may be recognised: 



Galium bussei var. bussei. 



Inflorescentiae satis densae et multiflorae; pedicelli breves, post anthesin 

 horizontales vel saepe deflexi; caules et folia plus minusve pubescentia. 



The var. bussei is known from Tanganyika Territory (Ward U 24, Davies D 

 357, St. Clair Thompson 502,. Mr. & Mrs. Hornby 452, Burtt 1246, Busse 941 from 

 Mgaka Valley, the type of the species), Nyasaland (Buchanan 770, Whyte s.n.: 

 Kondowe to Karonga, Mrs. Faulkner, Kew No. 202), and S. Rhodesia (Eyles 723). 



Galium bussei var. glabrum Brenan, var. nov. 



Caules et folia glabra, aliter ut in var. bussei. 



The var. glabrum is known from Tanganyika Territory (Burtt 2728 [TYPUS vari- 

 etatis in Herb. Kew. :Ufiume Mountain, E. aspect, alt. 1680-1830 m.; Jan. 1, 

 1930; common pale yellow flowered tufts], Haarer 1827, Lynes, Dabaga 16, Lynes 



