A third species of Polyspatha, an endemic African genus of Commelinaceae

By

Faden, Robert B.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2011

Original Publication

PhytoKeys

Volume

3

Pages

9-20

Subjects

Cameroon, Dahomey gap, seed morphology, Uganda, Iv

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers [2010]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.3.1181

 

Abstract

Polyspatha oligospatha Faden, the third species in a small African endemic genus of Commelinaceae, is described.  It is widespread but has been overlooked because of its small stature and resemblance to small plants of P. paniculata.  It differs from both P. paniculata and P. hirsuta, the two other species, by its leaf pubescence, fewer, more widely spaced and usually patent spathes, deeply ridged seeds with numerous knobby, transversely interrupted ridges, and morning anthesis.  It occurs throughout the Congolian forests from Cameroon to Uganda, but it is also disjunct in Ivory Coast, across the Dahomey gap.