A new species of Lindernia (Linderniaceae) from Tanzania
Author
Fischer, Eberhard
0000-0001-7455-9833
Institut für Integrierte Naturwissenschaften-Biologie, Universität Koblenz, Universitätsstrasse 1, 56070 Koblenz, Germany efischer @ uni-koblenz. de; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0001 - 7455 - 9833
efischer@uni-koblenz.de
Author
Vollesen, Kaj B.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW 9 3 AE, United Kingdom
Author
Darbyshire, Iain
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW 9 3 AE, United Kingdom
text
Phytotaxa
2023
2023-01-17
579
2
132
138
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.579.2.7
journal article
227430
10.11646/phytotaxa.579.2.7
d23ae4eb-57a4-40e4-847c-6a931b218819
1179-3163
7543157
Lindernia sallyae
Eb.Fisch., Vollesen & I.Darbysh.
sp. nov
.
(
Fig. 1
)
Type
:—
TANZANIA
. T4
Mpanda District
,
3 km
S of Uzondo Camp
,
5°31’S
30°32’E
,
1600 m
,
11 March 2009
,
S.Bidgood
,
G.Leliyo
&
K.Vollesen
8092
(
holotype
K!, isotypes DAR!,
NHT
!)
.
Lindernia sallyae
differs from
Lindernia linearifolia
and
L. monroi
in the lack of basal rosulate leaves, the calyx with short tube of
1–2 mm
and the acute lobes of
1 mm
length, the yellow corolla with purple marks and veins, the larger lower lip of the corolla of 8 ×
5–6 mm
, the longer abaxial stamens of
5–6 mm
with acute anthers, and the glabrous adaxial stamens of
2–3 mm
length.
Erect or ascending perennial herbs
9–12 cm
tall, rooting in lower part of the slightly quadrangular stem, that is c.
1 mm
in diameter. Leaves opposite, well spaced by internodes of
10–12 mm
, glabrous, subulate-terete and subsucculent, 10–15 ×
0.8–1 mm
, apex obtuse, tinged with purple. Inflorescences frondose, with leaf-like bracts, flowers axillary and solitary, each node of bracts with just one fertile bract bearing a flower; flowers ebracteolate; pedicels
5−16 mm
long or rarely shorter in flower. Calyx green with purple lobes or purple extending to near the base, tube
1−2 mm
long, 5-lobed with acute lobes
1 mm
long, purple, with minute hairs at margin. Corolla yellow with purple marks and veins, bilabiate; tube held erect, cylindrical,
2−3 mm
long, c.
1.5 mm
in diameter; upper lip hooded, triangular-attenuate from broad base,
3 mm
wide at base, narrowed near apex, slightly emarginated, lateral margins with minute hairs; lower lip with three rounded lobes
8 mm
long and
5–6 mm
wide, with irregular subcrenulate margin, palate minutely puberulous centrally and extending into throat. Stamens four, adaxial stamens attached at base of upper lip, filaments
2−3 mm
long, glabrous, convergent, the divergent anther thecae forming a cross-shape, thecae
1.5−1.8 mm
long, acute at apex; abaxial stamens attached on palate of lower lip, geniculate with a swollen yellow-puberulous boss (knee-like appendage)
1.5 mm
long, and a recurved filament up to
5−6 mm
long when flattened, apex with acute anthers up to
1.5 mm
long. Pistil glabrous; ovary oblong,
1.5–2 mm
long; style slender,
6.5 mm
long; stigma of two broad membranous lobes, ±
1.5 mm
in diameter. Mature fruit unknown. Seeds not alveolated, immature, with shallow longitudinal ribs.
Distribution:—
Tanzania
(
Flora of Tropical East Africa
region T4), only known from the
type
locality.
Etymology:—Named after Sally Bidgood (
13 April 1948
–
18 March 2018
) who collected the
type
specimen and who worked for many years on
Scrophulariaceae
and related families at Kew (see
Polhill & Polhill 2015
;
Friis 2018
).
Habitat and Ecology:—Large areas of short seasonally inundated
Loudetia
grassland on shallow sandy-peaty soil over sandstone rocks at
1600 m
a.s.l. The species is probably poikilohydric.
Conservation status:—
Lindernia sallyae
has at present only been observed at the
type
locality. Here, it was found in seasonally inundated grassland over shallow rocks and only visible in the rainy season, and there is no observation of an actual threat at this locality. The Uzondo Plateau is bissected by the main north-south road in Western
Tanzania
, between Uvinza and Mpanda, but this route is not busy at present and the locality remains fairly remote. Additionally, this region is clearly under-collected. Thus the species could easily be overlooked and may well occur at other sites in the Mpanda area and beyond. In the light of the limited distribution, population and threat data on this species, it is provisionally assessed as DD (Data Deficient), according to the
IUCN (2022)
categories and criteria.