Summary
Seven new names at species rank are proposed in Memecylon sect. Afzeliana Jacq.-Fél., a group of forest shrubs and small trees confined to Guineo-Congolian Africa. The group is centred in Cameroon, where 17 of the 20 species occur. A new flower type, the “star-flower” in Memecylon is revealed, and its taxonomic and ecological importance discussed. Three new, locally endemic species from the South West Province of Cameroon are described, mapped and illustrated: M. kupeanum R. D. Stone, Ghogue & Cheek, M. bakossiense R. D. Stone, Ghogue & Cheek, and M. rheophyticum R. D. Stone, Ghogue & Cheek. Two new names, M. accedens R. D. Stone, Ghogue & Cheek and M. hyleastrum R. D. Stone & Ghogue and one new combination, M. mamfeanum (Jacq.-Fél.) R. D. Stone, Ghogue & Cheek are provided at species level for three taxa originally proposed as varieties of M. afzelii G. Don. The taxon M. arcuatomarginatum var. simulans Jacq.-Fél. is also elevated to species status, as M. simulans (Jacq.-Fél.) R. D. Stone & Ghogue. Conservation assessments are provided for all the newly named taxa. A key is provided to the species of Memecylon sect. Afzeliana.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Drs Benoit Satabié and Gaston Achoundong of the National Herbarium, Cameroon, for facilitating our work in Cameroon. Field work by RDS in March to May 2003 was generously supported by Dr Isabelle Tavares (UC herbarium). MC is grateful to the Earthwatch Institute for sponsoring field work and collecting in the Kupe-Bakossi region over the past several years, and the Darwin Initiative of the British Government for supporting the Red Data plants, Cameroon project within which his contribution to this paper was made. Curators of the following herbaria allowed access to specimens or provided images: CAS, DS, K, M, MO, P, S, SCA, UC, UPS, WAG, YA. Photographs were supplied by Xander van der Burgt (sponsored by the Donations Fund at Kew), line drawings were done by Andrew Brown, diagnoses were translated into Latin by Mark Coode, nomenclatural advice was given by Rosemary Davies, and helpful comments on the manuscript were provided by Daniela Zappi and two anonymous reviewers.
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Stone, R.D., Ghogue, JP. & Cheek, M. Revised treatment of Memecylon sect. Afzeliana (Melastomataceae: Olisbeoideae), including three new species from Cameroon. Kew Bull 63, 227–241 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-008-9033-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-008-9033-y