Occultia (Scilloideae, Asparagaceae), a new genus from Malawi and Mozambique Author Stedje, Brita 0000-0003-3892-6784 Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, PO Box 1172, N- 0316 Oslo, Norway & brita. stedje @ nhm. uio. no; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0003 - 3892 - 6784 brita.stedje@nhm.uio.no Author Rulkens, Antonius J. H. 0000-0003-0910-0000 Akerstraat 161, 6466 HG Kerkrade, The Netherlands & ton. rulkens @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0003 - 0910 - 0000 ton.rulkens@gmail.com Author Hankey, Andrew J. 0000-0002-2144-3092 Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden, PO Box 2194, Wilro Park, Roodepoort, South Africa & A. Hankey @ sanbi. org. za; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 2144 - 3092 ankey@sanbi.org.za text Phytotaxa 2022 2022-12-08 575 2 166 172 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.575.2.6 journal article 10.11646/phytotaxa.575.2.6 ed685dd2-5ac2-4df1-8de8-56ba9465fadf 1179-3163 7413245 2. Occultia fragrans Rulkens & Stedje sp. nov. Figs. 2 , 3D–F Similar to O. ledebourioides in general appearance of the flowers, but it differs in flowers being white and green, and fragrant. The leaves are usually solitary, ovate, spotted dark green and lying flat at the ground. Type: — MOZAMBIQUE . Cabo Delgado Province : Ancuabe district , Mopane woodland at base of Mount Yokolo , 13.2098° S 40.1094° E , 223 m of elevation, collected in nature on 14 December 2015 , Rulkens 110, the herbarium specimen prepared from the living cultivated plant on 7 January 2016 ( LMA !, holotype ) . Bulbous herb up to 14 cm high; bulb ovoid to subglobose with thick white scales, up to 3 cm high. Leaves 1 (rarely 2 or 3) with a distinct, usually subterranean, pseudopetiole to 2.5 cm long; lamina ovate, to 8 cm long and 6 cm wide, flat on the ground, glabrous, pale green with darker green irregularly shaped spots adaxially, often dark purple abaxially. Inflorescence relatively lax with up to about 40 flowers; pedicels patent to suberect, about 2 mm long in flower. Perianth cylindrical, white, green towards the base at the outer side, about 4 mm long; united into a tube for 1/3 to half its length, free parts spreading. Stamens adnate to tepals and arising in two levels from the top of perianth tube, filaments very short. Ovary sessile, subglobose c. 1 mm long; style c. 1 mm long; stigma capitate. Flowers fragrant at late afternoon and night. Capsule and seeds not seen. Ecology:— Underground of small patches of mophane woodland, or on gneiss inselbergs, soil mainly dark and humus-rich; between 200–900 m of elevation. Conservation note:— Data Deficient, probably overlooked. Distribution:— Northwestern and central Mozambique . Examined specimens: — MOZAMBIQUE . Niassa Province : Mandimba ; 06 November 1941 , Hornby 3476 ( K !) . Zambezia Province : Mocuba District , Mopane woodland on Mount Pozo , 16.4848° S 37.2925° E , 470 m of elevation, collected 5 May 2015 , flowered 25 October 2018 in garden at Xai-Xai, Mozambique, Rulkens 50 ( LMA !) . Niassa Province : Near Lake Nyassa , 1902, Johnson 525 ( K !) .