Euphorbia mbuinzauensis, a new succulent species in Kenya from the Synadenium group in Euphorbia sect. Monadenium (Euphorbiaceae)

By

Wei, Neng
Mutie, Fredrick
Mwachala, Geoffrey
Grace, Olwen
Hu, Guangwan
Wang, Qingfeng.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2021

Original Publication

PhytoKeys

Volume

183

Pages

21--35

Subjects

East Africa , Endangered , molecular phylogeny , succulents , Synadenium , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers [2010]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.183.70285

 

Abstract

Euphorbia mbuinzauensis, a succulent new species of theSynadeniumgroup in Euphorbiaceae from Makueni County, Kenya, is described and illustrated. Morphologically, it is most similar toE. pseudomollis, but differs mainly by its shrubby habit (up to 4 m), abaxial leaves surfaces with densely stellate hairs, 2–4-forked cymes, smaller bracts (ca. 2.5 × 3.0 mm), smaller cyathia (6 mm wide), crimson glands without narrow smooth margin, smaller fruits (ca. 8 × 7 mm) and ovoid seeds (ca. 1.8 × 2.2 mm). Furthermore, we performed a molecular phylogenetic analysis of theSynadeniumgroup in Euphorbia sect. Monadenium, based on complete nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) datasets. This phylogenetic inference also supports it to be a distinct species. The new species is assessed as Endangered using the IUCN criteria.