Marijordaania (Celastraceae: Cassinoideae), a new monotypic genus from South Africa Author van Wyk, Abraham E. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0437-3272 H. G. W. J. Schweickerdt Herbarium, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa braamvanwyk@gmail.com Author Boon, Richard G. C. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3109-3687 National Herbarium, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, South Africa text Plant Ecology and Evolution 2024 2024-02-28 157 1 100 112 http://dx.doi.org/10.5091/plecevo.116544 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.5091/plecevo.116544 2032-3921-1-100 88DC4442CDDC5655850545F8BD9B165D Marijordaania A.E.van Wyk & R.G.C.Boon gen. nov. Type species. Marijordaania filiformis (Davison) A.E.van Wyk & R.G.C.Boon. Diagnosis. A member of Celastraceae , subfamily Cassinoideae (sensu Simmons et al. 2023 ), belonging to a clade of African members of the family (sensu McKenna et al. 2011 ), but taxonomically isolated without obvious close relatives. Often confused with Maytenus cordata , but distinguished from this and other unarmed African species still placed in Maytenus by the following combination of characters: shrub or small tree, without elastic threads (gutta-percha; trans-1,4-polyisoprene); stems distinctly angular when young; inflorescences cymose, 1- or 2(3)-flowered; flowers 5-merous, with pedicel slender, pendant, usually 35-40 mm long, articulated ca 0.5 mm from the base; floral disc present, fleshy, distinctly divided into 5 discoid subunits (lobes), the latter raised and alternating with the petals; stamens 5, each inserted in the centre of a discoid subunit; filaments very short (ca 1 mm); anthers dorsifixed; ovary 5-locular, almost entirely included in and adnate to the disc, with 2 erect collateral ovules in each locule; style ca 0.5 mm long, stigma capitate; fruit a loculicidally dehiscing capsule; seeds lacking postchalazal vascular bundles, with the basal portion enveloped for ca two-thirds or more its length with a fleshy, white aril, the latter mostly smooth-surfaced, but sparsely puberulent towards the base. Description. As for the species. Etymology. The generic name commemorates Dr Marie Jordaan ( nee Prins) [1948-], in recognition of her considerable contributions towards the taxonomy of the southern African flora in general, and the Celastraceae in particular.