1954] 



PLANTS COLLECTED IN NYASALAND 



5^ 



Kota-kota District: Nchisi Mountain, common in more or less swampy forest 

 in gullies, shrub 1.5-2 m. high, pleasantly aromatic, leaves grey beneath, flower- 

 spikes white, fruit watery white when ripe, 1400 m., July 25, 1946, 16937. Nyasa- 

 land, N. Rhodesia, and Belgian Congo (Haut-Katanga). 



Peperomia retusa (L. f.) A. Dietr. Sp. PI. 155. 1831. 

 Piper retusum L. f. Suppl. PI. 91. 1781. 



Peperomia mannii sensu Bak. & Wright in Thiselton-Dyer, Fl. Trop. Afr. 6 1 : 153. 1909, 

 quoad spec, nyas.; non P. mannii Hook. f. ex C.DC. 



North Nyasa District: Nyika Plateau, gregarious on lower trunk of a tree in 

 montane forest, herb 10-15 cm. high, aromatic, leaves pale beneath, not very 

 fleshy, flower-spikes green, 2250 m., Aug. 16, 1946, 17239. Uganda to South 

 Africa. 



I am unable to see any sufficient reason for retaining the Nyasaland speci- 

 mens that were referred by Baker and Wright in the Flora of tropical Africa to P. 

 mannii separate from the S. African P. retusa. Probably, though I have not seen 

 authentic material, P. ulugurensis Engl, is a further synonym; whether the wide 

 view of P. ulugurensis taken by Balle (Bull. Jard. Bot. Brux. 16: 390 et seq. 

 1942) is justified, is another matter. 



The real P. mannii Hook. f. ex C. DC, of the Cameroon Mountain, Fernando 

 Po, and possibly the lowland rain-forest of S. Nigeria, seems to be a distinct 

 species, though no doubt a close ally, differing in the pubescent and more trailing 

 stems, simple flowering shoots, and more regularly elliptical to suborbicular 

 upper leaves. 



Peperomia abyssinica Miq. Lond. Jour. Bot. 4: 419. 1845. 



Kota-kota District: Nchisi Mountain, gregarious on shady rocks in Brachy- 

 stegia woodland, herb 15-25 cm. high, slightly pungent in taste, not aromatic, 

 very fleshy, leaves reflexed on petioles, flower-spikes pale green, 1550 m., July 

 26, 1946, 16962. Eritrea to Uganda; new to Nyasaland. 



The plant described by Balle as P. abyssinica (Bull. Jard. Bot. Brux. 16: 

 396. 1942) seems to be something different. 



Peperomia goetzeana Engl. Bot. Jahrb. 28: 375. 1900; Bak. & Wright in Thiselton- 

 Dyer, Fl. Trop. Afr. 6 1 : 152. 1909. 



North Nyasa District: Nyika Plateau, epiphytic in montane forest, aromatic 

 herb, lea/es thick and fleshy, flower-spikes green, 2350 m., Aug. 17, 1946, 

 17283. Uganda, Kenya, Tanganyika Territory, and Nyasaland. 



I have not seen authentic material of this plant, but I have compared Mr. 

 Brass' specimen with plants from the type-locality of P. goetzeana in Tanganyika 

 Territory which agree with the original description. P. goetzeana is perhaps no 

 more than a variety of P. abyssinica with broader, blunter, and more obovate 

 leaves, but on present evidence I would keep it distinct. 



Peperomia rotundifolia (L.) H.B.K. Nov. Gen. & Sp. 1: 65. 1815; Trel. & Yunck. 

 Piper. N. S. Am. 622. 1950. 

 Piper rotundi folium L. Sp. PI. 30. 1753. 



Peperomia bagroana [errore "bangroana"] C.DC. Jour. Bot. 4: 134. 1866; Balle, Bull. 

 Jard. Bot. Brux. 16: 388. 1942. 



Zomba District: Zomba Plateau, occasional epiphyte creeping on trees over- 

 hanging a stream, herb, leaves thick and fleshy, somewhat lenticular, flower- 

 spikes green, 1400 m., May 28, 1946, 16045. Widely spread in tropical Africa; 

 also reported from Madagascar and the Comoro Islands (fide Balle, op. cit.). 



I cannot distinguish the African plant from the widespread tropical American 

 P. rotundifolia. 



