KEW BULLETIN VOL. 66: 589Y599 (2011) A synopsis of Pseudovigna (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae) including a new species, P. sulaensis, from Sierra Leone Ruth Clark1, Xander van der Burgt1, Hannah Banks2, Abdulai M. B. Feika3 & Gwilym Lewis1 Summary. Pseudovigna sulaensis R. Clark & Burgt (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae), a new species from Sierra Leone, is described and illustrated. It is a herb from submontane grassland, with annual twining stems to several metres long, sprouting from a perennial woody rootstock. The erect inflorescences have violet flowers. The new species is only known from the Sula Mountains in northern Sierra Leone; it was found there at 10 localities, of which nine are on summits of hills. The pollen of the new species is analysed. Descriptions, illustrations and distribution maps of the other two species in the genus Pseudovigna, P. argentea (Willd.) Verdc. and P. puerarioides Ern are provided. A key to the three species of Pseudovigna is given. Notes on generic characterisation, partly through molecular analysis, are also provided. The IUCN conservation status of P. sulaensis is assessed as Vulnerable; of the other two species as Least Concern. Key Words. Fabaceae, Faboideae, Pseudovigna argentea, Pseudovigna puerarioides, taxonomy. Introduction During the first field trip of a series of vegetation surveys in the southern Sula Mountains in northern Sierra Leone, a plant from the legume subfamily Papilionoideae was found growing abundantly in grassland on the 800 m high summit of a hill. The plant was collected in flower and in fruit. After a search of phaseoloid genera known to occur in the tropics, it was concluded that the plant represents a new species in the genus Pseudovigna. The new species was thoroughly studied during four more field trips to the Sula Mountains. Pseudovigna is a small genus of three species of trailing or climbing perennial herbs, occurring in Africa. The genus was first described by Harms in 1915 as Dolichos sect. Pseudovigna. The section was raised to generic rank by Verdcourt (1970), who made the new combination Pseudovigna argentea (Willd.) Verdc. based on Dolichos argenteus Willd. (1802). A second species, P. puerarioides, was described by Ern (1980). Pseudovigna is placed in tribe Phaseoleae, subtribe Glycininae, based on molecular data (Schrire, in Lewis et al. 2005). Pseudovigna appears to be closely allied to the genus Sinodolichos, a genus of two species, known from China, Myanmar, Thailand, and Borneo (Sarawak). Despite the different geographical ranges, Pseudovigna and Sinodolichos are morphologically rather similar, both having the same trichomes on the fruit and other parts, the reticulate seed testa, a penicillate stigma, and fusion of the two upper calyx lobes. Sinodolichos differs from Pseudovigna in the shape of the stigma, which is capitate in Pseudovigna, and funnel-shaped in Sinodolichos; the style, which is flattened in the lower half in Pseudovigna, and uniformly cylindrical in Sinodolichos; and the structure of the pollen: in Sinodolichos the pollen is compressed, triporate, triangular in equatorial section (Verdcourt 1970), whereas the pollen grains of Pseudovigna are isopolar, spheroidal to oblate in shape, tricolporate, with psilate aperture membranes. Analysis of the pollen of this new species supports its inclusion in the genus Pseudovigna. A molecular analysis of the new species supports the conclusions reached by study of the morphology. A parsimony phylogenetic analysis based on nucleotide sequences from the matK plastid region, which included the new taxon and several members of subtribe Glycineae (sensu Schrire in Lewis et al. 2005), recovered a strongly supported (100% bootstrap) Pseudovigna clade in which P. sulaensis was placed (also with 100% bootstrap support) as sister to two accessions of P. argentea (Lavin et al., unpublished data). The analysis also provided evidence for separating P. sulaensis as a distinct species: a comparison of the three Pseudovigna accessions in the aligned Accepted for publication December 2011. 1 Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB, UK. e-mail: r.clark@kew.org 2 Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB, UK. 3 National Herbarium of Sierra Leone, Njala University, Njala, Sierra Leone. © The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2012 590 matK matrix indicates that the two accessions of P. argentea have several molecular characters in common KEW BULLETIN VOL. 66(4) that are not shared by P. sulaensis, namely 17 nucleotide substitutions and 2 indels. Key to the species of Pseudovigna 1a. Leaflets lobed; inflorescence 2 – 6 (– 12) cm, (2 –) 3 – 6 (– 8)-flowered; known from Ghana, Togo, Benin, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. P. argentea 1b. Leaflets not lobed; inflorescence 5 – 38 cm, 10 – 30-flowered; known from West Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2a. Leaflet apex acute; leaflets 8 – 14.5 × 6.5 – 11.7 cm; 10 – 18 (– 23)-flowered; fruit slightly constricted between the seeds, 3 – 4-seeded; known from Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. P. puerarioides 2b. Leaflet apex rounded; leaflets 3 – 10 × 2.5 – 9 cm; 12 – 30-flowered; fruit linear, not constricted between the seeds, 5 – 7-seeded; known only from Sierra Leone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1. P. sulaensis Taxonomy 1. Pseudovigna sulaensis R. Clark & Burgt sp. nov. a P. puerarioidi foliolis ad apicem rotundatis (nec acutis), foliolis 3 – 10 × 2.5 – 9 cm (nec 8 – 14.5 × 6.5 – 11.7 cm), fructu 4 mm (nec 8 – 10 mm) lato atque inter semina non constricto, atque semina 5 – 7 (nec 3 – 4 tantum) continenti differt. Typus: Sierra Leone, Tonkolili Distr., Sula Mts, summit of hill E of Waia, 7 Aug. 2010, van der Burgt 1485 (holotypus K; isotypi B, BR, EA, FBC, G, LISC, MA, MO, P, PRE, S, SL, WAG, US). http://www.ipni.org/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77116928-1 Herb, stems annual, twining, not climbing, to several metres long, branched; sprouting from perennial woody rootstock of c. 3.5 cm thick with several side roots to 2 cm thick. Indumentum of erect, long, white to pale brown trichomes present on most parts of the plant (henceforth to be referred to simply as ‘trichomes’). Stems longitudinally ridged, moderately to densely covered with trichomes. Internodes 7 – 16.5 cm. Stipules persistent, ovate, acute, striate, 3.5 – 8 × 3 – 6 mm, outer surface moderately covered with trichomes, inner surface glabrous. Stipels persistent, filiform, striate, 3 – 4 × 0.5 mm, outer surface moderately covered with trichomes, inner surface glabrous. Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate, petioles 2 – 12 cm, rhachis 1 – 4 cm, both longitudinally ridged, petiolules 1 – 4 mm, all moderately to densely covered with trichomes. Leaflets mid-green above, paler, greyish green below; terminal leaflet ovate to rhomboid, lateral leaflets elliptic to ovate to rhomboid, asymmetric; terminal leaflet 4 – 10 × 3 – 9 cm, laterals 3 – 9 × 2.5 – 7 cm; all leaflets 3 – 5-veined from the base, secondary veins reticulate, veins raised on both surfaces, more prominent below; upper surface sparsely covered with trichomes, lower surface moderately covered with trichomes; when young very densely covered with cream coloured trichomes along primary and secondary veins and pale green trichomes on the lamina. Inflorescences axillary pseudoracemes, 5 – 38 cm long including the peduncle of 2.5 – 27.5 cm, fertile © The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2012 part 2 – 8 cm, upper part erect; 12 – 30 flowers, densely congested, in pairs or threes on fleshy nodes (the nodes often with several projections where a flower has failed to develop, or has fallen off), axis sparsely to moderately covered with trichomes, pedicels c. 1 mm. Bracts persistent, inserted in pairs at the base of the pedicel, lanceolate, inrolled, striate, 3 – 4 × 1 mm, outer surface densely covered with trichomes, inner surface glabrous. Bracteoles persistent, inserted in pairs at the base of the calyx, 2 – 3 × 0.5 mm, lanceolate, not striate, outer surface sparsely covered with trichomes, inner surface glabrous. Flowers violet; standard petal light violet with darker violet centre and darker violet veins; wing and keel petals violet, all petals glabrous; calyx dark green to blackish, tube 3 – 4 mm deep, lobes narrowly triangular, 3 – 4 mm long, the upper 2 lobes fused along c. 2=3 of their length; outer surface moderately covered with trichomes, inner surface of lobes moderately covered with short, fine, translucent white trichomes, inner surface of tube glabrous. Standard petal obovate, blade c. 12 × 9 mm, claw 1.5 – 2 mm, apex of claw slightly inrolled. Wing petals 11 – 12 × 3 – 4 mm, including claw 2 – 3 mm, blade with slight pocket, and with fine lamellate sculpturing on outer surface, from the claw to about halfway along the length. Keel petals fused along part of their length, blade 8 – 10 × 3 – 4 mm, claw 4 – 5 mm, blade with slight pocket (larger than on wing). Stamens diadelphous, 9 + 1, filaments 12 – 13 mm, glabrous, anthers c. 0.5 mm long; ovary with 7 ovules, c. 5 mm long, densely hairy, style flattened in basal half, apical half cylindrical, style c. 8 mm long; stigma capitate, penicillate. Infructescence fertile part to 12 cm long. Fruit 3 – 4 × 0.4 cm, not constricted between the seeds, moderately to densely covered with short and long, white to brown trichomes. Seeds 5 – 7 per fruit; c. 4 × 2.5 × 2 mm, dull black, oblong-cylindrical, surface reticulate (foveolate). Seedlings with first leaf unifoliolate, leaflet c. 1 cm diam., petiole 3 mm; consecutive leaves gradually becoming larger, unifoliolate up to at least the 5th leaflet, to 5 × 4.4 cm, petiole to 3 cm. Figs 1, 2 & 3; Map 1. A SYNOPSIS OF PSEUDOVIGNA (LEGUMINOSAE: PAPILIONOIDEAE) 591 Fig. 1. Pseudovigna sulaensis. A habit; B stipule (adaxial surface); C leaf upper surface; D leaf lower surface; E flower (side view and bracteoles); F calyx opened out (abaxial surface); G standard petal; H wing petals; J keel petals; K staminal sheath; L gynoecium; M stigma detail; N infructescence; P fruit with hair detail; Q seeds (front and side, with hilum); R seed surface detail. A – M from Kanu 9; N – R from R. Clark et al. 205. DRAWN BY JULIET WILLIAMSON. DISTRIBUTION. Africa: Sierra Leone, Tonkolili Distr. and SPECIMENS EXAMINED. SIERRA LEONE. Tonkolili Distr., Koinadugu Distr., Sula Mts. The new species has been found on 10 hill summits in the Sula Mts. southern Sula Mts, Numbara Hill, 9°1'37"N, 11°40'9"W, 800 m, fr., 27 Nov. 2009, Clark, Darbyshire, Feika & James © The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2012 592 KEW BULLETIN VOL. 66(4) Fig. 2. Pseudovigna sulaensis. A habitat; B plant sprouting from underground rootstock at the start of the rainy season; C inflorescence (van der Burgt 1485); D flowering plant (Kanu et al. 9); E fruiting plant (Clark et al. 205); F seedlings (van der Burgt et al. 1478). PHOTOGRAPHS BY XANDER VAN DER BURGT. © The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2012 A SYNOPSIS OF PSEUDOVIGNA (LEGUMINOSAE: PAPILIONOIDEAE) 593 Fig. 3. Pseudovigna sulaensis pollen. A slightly oblique polar view of pollen showing reticulate mesocolpial areas with finely reticulate aperture margins and polar area; B oblique equatorial view of pollen showing endoaperture bulge; C polar view of pollen showing coarser reticulum in mesocolpial areas and finer reticulum with smaller lumina around polar area and aperture margins; D pollen within an opened anther. Scale bars A, B, C=10 μm, D=100 μm. Map 1. Distribution of Pseudovigna sulaensis (squares) and P. puerarioides (circles). © The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2012 594 205 (BR, FBC, K, MO, P, SL, US, WAG); Sula Mts, Sakonke hill, 9°3'57"N, 11°39'19"W, 850 m, fr., 1 Dec. 2009, Darbyshire, Robinson, Feika & James 582 (FBC, K, SL); southern Sula Mts, Numbara hill, 9°1'39"N, 11° 40'9"W, 790 m, seeds, 10 Dec. 2010, Feika, van der Burgt & James 130 (FBC, K, SL); southern Sula Mts, Marampon hill, 8°59'45"N, 11°40'59"W, 650 m, fr., 29 Nov. 2009, Feika, Darbyshire, Clark & James 54 (FBC, K, SL); southern Sula Mts, Numbara hill, 9°1'35"N, 11° 40'8"W, 790 m, fl. & fr., 12 Sept. 2009, Kanu, Feika, Koroma & van der Burgt 9 (FBC, K, SL); Sula Mts, Dawubama hill, 9°6'21"N, 11°36'38"W, 820 m, fl., 7 Aug. 2010, Kanu & Sesay 112 (B, BR, EA, FBC, K, MO, P, PRE, SL, WAG, US); southern Sula Mts, Numbara hill, 9°1'50"N, 11°39'59"W, 770 m, sterile, 25 July 2010, van der Burgt, Kanu & Sesay 1466 (B, BR, EA, FBC, K, MO, P, PRE, S, SL, WAG, US); Sula Mts, summit of hill E of Waia, 9°7'58"N, 11°37'46"W, 950 m, fl., 7 Aug. 2010, van der Burgt 1485 (holotype K; isotypes B, BR, EA, FBC, G, LISC, MA, MO, P, PRE, S, SL, WAG, US); Koinadugu Distr., northern Sula Mts, hill W of Lake Sonfon, 9°15'38"N, 11°33'33"W, 760 m, seedlings, 30 July 2010, van der Burgt, Kanu & Sesay 1478 (BR, FBC, K, MO, P, SL, US, WAG). HABITAT. Grassland and wooded grassland on rocky soils, usually on or near summits of hills; alt. 570 – 950 m. Rainfall c. 2500 – 3000 mm/year. CONSERVATION STATUS. Pseudovigna sulaensis has been found at 10 localities, which are all situated in the Sula Mts. Of these 10 localities, nine are on summits of hills, including the highest summit of the Sula Mts at 950 m altitude. When standing on the summits of these hills, at least 10 other hills can be seen with P. sulaensis habitat at their summits. It is therefore very likely that P. sulaensis occurs in 20 or more sites in the Sula Mts. The P. sulaensis populations on some of these sites are threatened. A mining company is planning to mine iron ore in the Sula Mts. Two of the 10 sites are planned to be mined in the near future. One of the sites in the northern Sula Mts is used for cattle grazing, which damages the above-ground parts of the plants due to trampling, although the cattle have not been observed to eat the plants. Of the 10 known sites, seven are at present safe, without any human influence visible and no mining planned in the near future. The extent of occurrence of the species is c. 350 km2. In view of this, the conservation status of P. sulaensis is here assessed as Vulnerable VU B1ab(iii) (IUCN 2001). However, should more hills with P. sulaensis be used for iron ore extraction, the conservation status of the species may change to Endangered. The mining company that is planning the mining activities is assisting with measures to protect the species, such as seed banking and transplanting threatened populations by seed. The species should also be searched for on other hill summits in the Sula Mts and beyond. © The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2012 KEW BULLETIN VOL. 66(4) POLLEN ANALYSIS. Due to only a small amount of material being available for Pseudovigna sulaensis pollen studies, an anther taken from herbarium material was mounted directly onto a stub using double sided sticky tape, and then opened and the pollen teased out onto the stub using fine needles. This preparation was then sputter coated with platinum, and examined using an Hitachi S4700 cold field emission scanning electron microscope at 2kv. Palynological terminology follows Punt et al. (1994). Pollen (Fig. 3) is isopolar, spheroidal to oblate in shape, about 25 μm in diameter, tricolporate, with psilate aperture membranes. Ornamentation is reticulate in mesocolpial areas, finely reticulate (with smaller lumina) around the poles and aperture margins. The endoaperture areas bulge outwards. 2. Pseudovigna puerarioides Ern (1980: 10). Type: Togo, Ern, H. 2776 (holotype B; isotypes B, K, TOGO). Herb, perennial, twining, 2 – 3 m. Indumentum of erect, short and long, white to pale brown trichomes present on most parts of the plant (henceforth to be referred to simply as ‘trichomes’). Stems moderately to densely covered with trichomes. Internodes 8 – 18 cm. Stipules elliptic, acute, striate, c. 4 × 1.5 mm, moderately covered with trichomes; stipels filiform, 2 – 3 mm. Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate; petioles 3.5 – 14 cm, rhachis 1.2 – 3 cm, both longitudinally ridged, petiolules 5 – 8 mm, all sparsely to moderately covered with trichomes, becoming dense on petiolules. Leaflets mid-green above, slightly paler below, rhombic, laterals strongly asymmetrical, terminal 9.5 – 14.5 × 7.5 – 11.7 cm, laterals 8 – 12.5 × 6.5 – 9.5 cm; upper surface sparsely covered with appressed trichomes, lower surface moderately covered with long, slender, appressed, white trichomes; veins pale, raised on both surfaces, more prominent below. Inflorescences axillary pseudoracemes, 13 – 23 cm, including peduncle 2.5 – 7 cm, 10 – 18 (– 23)-flowered; flowers on fleshy nodes, the axis moderately covered with trichomes; flowers subsessile, pedicels 1 – 2 mm in fruit. Bracts persistent, elliptic, acute, striate, 5 – 9 × 1.5 – 4 mm, moderately covered with trichomes. Bracteoles in pairs at base of calyx, lanceolate, striate, 5 × 1 mm, moderately covered with trichomes. Flowers white, pink, blue or pale mauve, all petals glabrous; calyx tube c. 4 mm, lobes c. 5 mm, the two upper lobes fused to c. 2=3 of their length, outer surface moderately to densely covered with trichomes, inner tube glabrous, inner lobes sparsely covered with short, fine, translucent trichomes. Standard ovate, blade c. 10 × 10 mm, claw 3 mm. Wing petals c. 10 × 4 mm, claw 3 – 4 mm, spur 1.5 – 2 mm. Keel petals fused along part of their length, blade with slight pocket, blade c. 7 × 4 mm, claw 5 mm. Stamens diadelphous, 9 + 1; filaments 12 – A SYNOPSIS OF PSEUDOVIGNA (LEGUMINOSAE: PAPILIONOIDEAE) 13 mm, glabrous, anthers 1 mm; ovary 4 – 5 mm, style 7 mm, moderately to densely hairy; stigma capitate, penicillate. Fruit 3.5 – 4 × 0.8 – 1 cm, slightly constricted between seeds, sparsely to densely covered with short and long, white to dark brown trichomes. Seeds 3 – 4 per fruit, 5 – 6 × 4 – 5 × 2.5 – 3 mm, ovate to oblong, surface reticulate (foveolate). Fig. 4; Map 1. DISTRIBUTION. Africa: Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria. SPECIMENS EXAMINED. BENIN (data from Akoègninou et al. 2006). Ouassa, Zogbodomey, Eq. Bot. 1203b (BENIN); Houinta, Porto Novo, 1985, Essou 1651 d (BENIN). GHANA. Vane, 13 Nov. 1953, J. K. Morton 9373 (K). NIGERIA. Omu-Aran, on Ilorin-Kabba motor road, 16 Nov. 1968, Latilo, M. G. 62274 (K). TOGO. Region des Plateaux, Badou, 7°35'N, 0°35'E, 25 Oct. 1977, H. Ern 2199 (B, K, MO); loc. cit., 25 Oct. 1977, H. Ern 2204 (B, K, P); Aledjo-Kadara, 800 m, 28 Dec. 1977, H. Ern 2776 (holotype B; isotype B, K, TOGO); Tomegbe, Badou, 31 Dec. 1977, H. Ern 2817 (B, WAG); 10 km nordl. Atakpame, 28 Feb. 1978, H. Ern 3228 (B, K). HABITAT. Dry stream bed; cultivated land; damp and shady place; alt. up to 800 m. CONSERVATION STATUS. Pseudovigna puerarioides is known from c. seven localities. Additional research in herbaria not yet visited by the authors is likely to result in a higher number of localities. The extent of occurrence is c. 100,000 km2. The species has been collected in cultivated land, and is therefore able to persist in secondary habitats. Therefore, the conservation status is here assessed as Least Concern (LC) (IUCN 2001). 3. Pseudovigna argentea (Willd.) Verdc. (Verdcourt 1970: 390). Type: Habitat in Guinea, (Ghana probably), Isert s.n. (Willdenow 13411). Dolichos argenteus Willd. (Willdenow 1802: 1047); Baker f. (1929: 452); Hepper (1958: 571). Glycine dentata Vahl ex Schumach. (Schumacher 1827: 348). Type: as for species. Vigna benthamii Vatke (1878: 262). Type: Zanzibar, 1873, J. M. Hildebrandt 957 (holotype B; isotypes BM, K). Herb, perennial, twining. Indumentum of erect, short and long, white to pale brown trichomes present on most parts of the plant (henceforth to be referred to simply as ‘trichomes’). Stems longitudinally ridged, moderately to densely covered with trichomes. Internodes 4 – 18 cm. Stipules persistent, elliptic, acute, striate, 6 – 7 × 2 – 4 mm, outer surface sparsely to moderately covered with trichomes, inner surface glabrous. Stipels persistent, filiform, striate, 5 – 6 × 0.5 – 1 mm, outer surface sparsely covered with cream coloured trichomes, inner surface glabrous. Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate, petioles 2.5 – 18.5 cm, rhachis 0.5 – 4 cm, both longitudinally ridged, petiolules 2 – 595 4 mm, all sparsely to moderately covered with trichomes. Leaflets mid green above, paler, greyish green below, rhombic, lobed, terminals 3 – 10 × 4 – 11.3 cm, laterals 3 – 10.5 × 3 – 10 cm, 3 – 5 nerved from base, veins raised on both surfaces, more prominent below; upper surface sparsely covered with long, regular, appressed, white to pale brown trichomes; lower surface moderately to densely covered with long, slender, appressed, white trichomes. Inflorescences axilliary pseudoracemes, 2 – 6 (– 12) cm, including peduncle 2.5 – 3 cm, (2 –) 3 – 6 (– 8)flowered, flowers on fleshy nodes, the axis sparsely to moderately covered with trichomes, pedicels 4 – 5 mm. Bracts persistent, elliptic, acute, striate, outer surface moderately covered with long, white to pale brown trichomes, inner surface glabrous; primary bract c. 4 × 3 mm, 3-lobed; flower bract 4 × 1.5 mm. Bracteoles 5 – 6 × 2 mm, persistent, inserted in pairs at base of calyx, lanceolate, striate, outer surface moderately covered with trichomes, inner surface glabrous. Flowers pale pink to mauve, or white, petals glabrous; calyx tube 4 mm long, lobes narrowly triangular, c. 7 mm long, the two upper lobes fused to c. 2=3 of their length, outer surface moderately covered with trichomes, surface of inner tube glabrous, surface of inner lobes sparsely covered with short, fine, translucent trichomes. Standard ovate, blade 9 – 12 × 9 – 11 mm, claw c. 3 mm long. Wing petals with lamellate sculpturing, 8 – 11 × 4 – 5 mm, claw 4 mm, spur 1 mm. Keel petals fused along part of their length, blade with slight pocket, 10 – 11 × 3 – 4 mm, claw c. 4 mm. Stamens diadelphous, 9 + 1, filaments 12 – 13 mm, glabrous, anthers 1 mm long, ovary 2 mm, moderately to densely covered with dark brown hairs, style 8 mm, flattened, wider along the lower half of its length, stigma capitate, penicillate. Fruit 1.5 – 3.9 × 0.7 – 0.9 cm, somewhat constricted between seeds, densely covered with long, pale to dark brown trichomes. Seeds 2 – 3 per fruit, 5 – 7 × 4 – 5 × 2.5 – 3 mm, dull black, oblong-cylindrical, surface reticulate (foveolate). Roots nodulating. Fig 5; Map 2. DISTRIBUTION. Africa: Ghana, Togo, Benin, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique. Ghana is included here because, although Isert’s specimen is cited as collected in Guinea, this is probably modern-day Ghana since it was referred to as Danish Guinea in Isert’s time and Isert’s African collections were only made in Ghana and Benin (Hepper & Neate 1971). SPECIMENS EXAMINED. BENIN. Porto Novo, 30 Aug. 1964, E. J. Adjanohoun 16 (K); c. 10 km on Cotonou-Lome road, 15 Sept. 1987, C. W. Agyakwa 2476 (K); Cotonou, 26 June 1900, G. Debeaux 193 (K). GHANA. Isert s.n. (Willdenow 13411), Habitat in Guinea, (B, K photo). KENYA. c. 25 miles S of Mombasa, Gazi, Msambweni, 7 May 1983, I. K. Ferguson 4003 (K); loc. cit., 15 May 1983, I. K. Ferguson 4025 (K); loc. cit., 17 May 1983, I. K. © The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2012 596 KEW BULLETIN VOL. 66(4) Fig. 4. Pseudovigna puerarioides. A habit; B flower; C bracteole; D calyx opened out, inside; E gynoecium; F stigma; G fruits; H seeds. A – F from Ern 2199; G, H from Ern 2776. Reproduced from Willdenowia (Ern 1980: 153), with permission from the editors. © The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2012 A SYNOPSIS OF PSEUDOVIGNA (LEGUMINOSAE: PAPILIONOIDEAE) 597 Fig. 5. Pseudovigna argentea. A habit; B flower; C calyx opened out; D standard; E wing; F keel; G stamens and gynoecium; H stamens spread out; J gynoecium; K stigma; L fruits; M seed. A – K from Faulkner 889; L, M from Peter 45006. Reproduced from the Flora of Tropical East Africa (Gillett et al. 1971: 597) with permission from the editors. © The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2012 598 KEW BULLETIN VOL. 66(4) Map 2. Distribution of Pseudovigna argentea. Ferguson 4035 (K); Arabuko, 1907, R. M. Graham B514, (K); Coast Province, Jadini, 15 June 1956, P. H. Irwin 257 (K); Sakoke, 26 June 1945, G. M. Jeffery K241 (K); N of Muhaka Forest, 4°19.50'S, 39°31.50'E, 2 July 2003, R. Pasquet 1065 (K); Msambweni, 5 Aug. 1982, S. A. Robertson 3336 (K); Mombasa to Takaunga, 1902, A. Whyte s.n. (K). MOZAMBIQUE. Niassa, Mossuril, entre Lumbo & Niaguema, 5 May 1948, Pedro & Pedrogão 3138 (K); Zambezia, Quelimane, 25 April 1962, H. Wild. & G. Pedro 5888 (K). TANZANIA. Dar es Salaam, 5 miles up Bagamoyo Rd, 22 June 1968, M. Batty 150 (K); 17 July 1863, Bowles s.n. (K); Mafia Island, Utende, Kalendoni, 1 Dec. 1992, CFRP 3298 (K); Tanga Distr., Kange estate, 50 m, 12 Oct. 1951, H. G. Faulkner 854 (K); loc. cit., 18 Feb. 1952, H. G. Faulkner 889 (K); Sawa, distr. Tanga, 11 July 1957, H. G. Faulkner 2015 (K); Zanzibar, Massazine, 30 m, 15 Jan. 1960, H. G. Faulkner 2457 (K); loc. cit., 6 June 1960, H. G. Faulkner 2589 (K); Amboni, 21 May 1932, Geilinger 145 (K); Dar es Salaam near harbour, 15 m, 13 Sept. 1969, B. J. Harris 3296 (K); Zanzibar, 1873, J. M. Hildebrandt 957 (isotype of Vigna benthamii Vatke: K); Usambara, Amboni, June 1893, C. Holst 2695 (K); 1909, J. Last s.n. (K); Mlingano, F. Leutenegger 6 (K); Lindi Distr., c. 20 km SW of Lindi on Masasi Rd., Ngongo Farm, 20 m, 11 Nov. 1988, B. A. Mackinder 28 (K); Dar es Salaam, Usaromo, 7 Sept. 1926, A. Peter 45006 (K); Tanga Distr., Tanga to Amboni, 23 Sept. 1918, A. Peter 48198 (K); Tanga Distr., Amboni to Moa, 25 June 1918, A. Peter 48295 (K); Usaramo, Bela + Bagamoyo, 16 Dec. 1915, A. Peter 48928 (K); Tanga District, near Tanga, 8 Oct. 1915, A. Peter 49026 (K); Dar es Salaam, 17 Nov. 1945, H. J. v. Rensburg 150 (K); Mafia Island, Ngombeni, 11 July 1932, Schlieben 2559 (K); Kisosora, Tanga township, 20 June 1954, S. R. Semsei 2672 (K); Tanga, Mkindu, Buyuni, 2 km from Mabukweni village along Tanga-Hororo road, 4°50'52"S, 39°7'53"E, 70 m, 2 April 2008, Suleiman et al. TTSA/MSB185 (K); Makorora, Mkwaja, Pangani, Tanga Province, 21 June 1956, R. Tanner 2941 (K); Zanzibar, 7 May 1929, Taylor 33 (K). © The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2012 TOGO. Agbata, SW shore of Lac Togo, 15 km E Lomé, 5 Nov. 1977, H. Ern 2380 (K); Lac Togo, 29 Jan. 1978, H. Ern 2956 (K); E of Lomé, 23 Nov. 1972, W. Julich, H. Scholz 345 (K); E of Lomé, 23 Nov. 1972, W. Julich, H. Scholz 347 (K). HABITAT. Coastal grassland and farmland; alt. 0 – 50 m. CONSERVATION STATUS. Pseudovigna argentea is a common species, occurring in both West and East Africa; and is known from many collections. The species has been collected in farmland and is therefore able to persist in secondary habitats. In view of this, the conservation status is here assessed as Least Concern (LC) (IUCN 2001). Acknowledgements The vegetation survey in the course of which the new species Pseudovigna sulaensis was discovered, was hosted and funded by African Minerals Limited, Freetown. Andy Huckbody, head of the environment team of African Minerals, is thanked for supporting botanical research. Emily Robinson and Craig Watt of SRK Consulting (UK) Limited, and Karl Schwarz and Oscar Zarzo Fuertes of WorleyParsons Europe Limited are thanked for their help. Permission to carry out botanical research in Sierra Leone was given by Mrs Kate M. B. Garnett, assistant director of the forestry division at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security. The fieldwork was assisted by James Matthews, lecturer at the Biological Sciences Department at the Njala University in Sierra Leone (head, Dr A. J. Sundufu) and by Kabbie M. T. Kanu and Julius Sesay of the Fourah Bay College Herbarium (head, Dr Abdul B. Karim). We would like to thank Dr Matt Lavin and Dr Martin Wojciechowski for including the new species in their molecular analyses of Papilionoid legumes. We are grateful to Justin Moat for assistance with production of the distribution maps, Juliet Williamson for the excellent illustration of the new species and to Melanie Thomas for translation of the species diagnosis into Latin. A SYNOPSIS OF PSEUDOVIGNA (LEGUMINOSAE: PAPILIONOIDEAE) References Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W. J. & van der Maesen, L. J. G. (eds) (2006). Flore analytique du Bénin. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden. Baker, E. G. (1929). The Leguminosae of tropical Africa. Unitas press, Ostend. Ern, H. (1980). Pseudovigna puerarioides, eine neue Leguminose aus West-Afrika. Willdenowia 10: 151 – 155. Gillett, J. B., Polhill, R. M. & Verdcourt, B. (1971). Leguminosae (Part 4), subfamily Papilionoideae (2). In: E. Milne-Redhead & R. M. Polhill, (eds), Flora of Tropical East Africa: 596 – 598. 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Studies in the Leguminosae — Papilionoideae for the ‘Flora of Tropical East Africa’: III. Kew Bull. 24: 379 – 399. Willdenow, C. (1802). Species Plantarum, ed. 4, 3 (2): 1047. Impensis G. C. Nauk, Berolini. © The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2012