Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A second species in the little known African genus Blighiopsis (Sapindaceae)

  • Published:
Kew Bulletin Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The central African genus Blighiopsis (Sapindaceae) has until now contained a single species, which occurs in forest in Congo (Kinshasa). Analysis of the characters that distinguish between Blighiopsis and Haplocoelum indicates that the recently described H. gabonicum from forest in Gabon and Congo (Brazzaville) is a second species of Blighiopsis. The new combination Blighiopsis gabonica is published, a lectotype is chosen, and a revised distribution map is provided. A distinctive feature of this plant is the presence of two vestigial, filiform leaflets on the petiole. Reports of polyphyly in Haplocoelum based on molecular data require verification.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Map 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Acevedo-Rodríguez, P., van Welzen, P. C., Adema, F., & van der Ham, R. W. J. M. (2011). Sapindaceae. In: K. Kubitzki (ed.), The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants, vol. 10, pp. 357 – 407. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.

    Google Scholar 

  • African Plant(s) Database (version 3.3.2) [online]. Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques de la Ville de Genève and South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. Available at http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/ [accessed 15 June 2012].

  • Breteler, F. J. (dated 2011, published 2012). Novitates Gabonenses 72. Haplocoelum gabonicum (Sapindaceae), a new species from Gabon and adjacent Congo. Kew Bull. 66: 447 – 451.

  • Buerki, S., Forest, F., Acevedo-Rodrígez, P., Callmander, M. W., Nylander, J. A. A., Harrington, M., Sanmartín, I., Küpfer, P. & Alvarez, N. (2009). Plastid and nuclear DNA markers reveal intricate relationships at subfamilial and tribal levels in the soapberry family (Sapindaceae). Molec. Phylogen. Evol. 51: 238 – 258.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • ____, Lowry, P. P., Phillipson, P. B. & Callmander, M. W. (2010). Molecular phylogenetic and morphological evidence supports recognition of Gereaua, a new endemic genus of Sapindaceae from Madagascar. Syst. Bot. 35: 172 – 180.

  • Bullock, A. A. (1931). XLVII. The genus Haplocoelum. Bull. Misc. Info. Kew 1931: 353 – 357.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davies, F. G. (1997). A new genus Haplocoelopsis (Sapindaceae) from East and Central Africa. Kew Bull. 52: 231 – 234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ____ & Verdcourt, B. (1998). Sapindaceae. Flora of Tropical East Africa. A. A. Balkema, Rotterdam.

  • Exell, A. W. (1966). Sapindaceae. Flora Zambesiaca vol. 2: 494 – 543. Crown Agents, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fouilloy, R. & Hallé, N. (1973). Sapindacées. Flore du Gabon 23: 1 – 202. Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrington, M. G., Edwards, K. J., Johnson, S. A., Chase, M. W. & Gadek, P. A. (2005). Phylogenetic inference in Sapindaceae sensu lato using plastid matK and rbcL DNA sequences. Syst. Bot. 30: 366 – 382.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hauman, L. (1958). Quelques Sapindacées du Congo Belge. Bull. Jard. Bot. État 28: 93 – 109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ____ (1960). Sapindaceae. Flore du Congo Belge et du Ruanda-Urundi 9: 279 – 384. Publications de l’Institut National pour l’Etude Agronomique du Congo Belge (I.N.E.A.C.), Bruxelles.

  • IUCN (2001). IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1. IUCN Species Survival Commission, IUCN, Gland & Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jstor Plant Science [online]. http://plants.jstor.org [accessed 20 July 2012].

  • McNeill, J., Barrie, F. R., Burdet, H. M., Demoulin, V., Hawksworth, D. L., Marhold, K., Nicolson, D. H., Prado, J., Silva, P. C., Skog, J. E., Wiersema, J. H. & Turland, N. J. (2006). International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Vienna Code). Regnum Veg. 146: 1 – 568. A.R.G. Gantner Verlag KG. Also published on the Internet: http://ibot.sav.sk/icbn/main.htm [accessed 20 July 2012].

  • Radlkofer, L. (1931 – 1934). Sapindaceae. In: A. Engler (ed.), Das Pflanzenreich IV, 165 (Heft 98a – h): 1 – 1539. Verlag von Wilhelm Engelmann, Leipzig.

  • Van der Veken, P. (1960). Blighiopsis, genre nouveau de Sapindacées du Congo. Bull. Jard. Bot. État 30: 413 – 419.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to Martin Cheek for employing me to help identify collections from Congo (Brazzaville) and for his interest in this study, and to K for the use of herbarium and library facilities. I also thank Ben Pollard for the photograph of Blighiopsis gabonica, Felix Merklinger for a translation from German, Xander van der Burgt for help with localities and databasing, George Gosline for the distribution map, two reviewers for suggesting significant improvements to an earlier version of the manuscript, Margaret Tebbs for the line drawing, and Frans Breteler for graciously accepting my findings.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. c/o Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AB, UK

    Helen C. F. Hopkins

Authors
  1. Helen C. F. Hopkins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Helen C. F. Hopkins.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hopkins, H.C.F. A second species in the little known African genus Blighiopsis (Sapindaceae). Kew Bull 68, 345–353 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-013-9441-5

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-013-9441-5

Key words

Search

Navigation