Taxonomy of Atlantic Central African orchids 2. A second species of the rare genus Distylodon (Orchidaceae, Angraecinae) collected in Cameroon
Author(s) -
Vincent Droissart,
Phillip Cribb,
Murielle Simo-Droissart,
Tariq Stévart
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
phytokeys
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.511
H-Index - 16
eISSN - 1314-2011
pISSN - 1314-2003
DOI - 10.3897/phytokeys.36.7225
Subject(s) - herbarium , iucn red list , orchidaceae , national park , critically endangered , pedicel , taxonomy (biology) , geography , endangered species , biology , genus , ecology , zoology , habitat
While conducting field inventories in South Cameroon, we collected two specimens of a new species that we considered to belong to the genus Angraecopsis. Afterwards, a careful examination of specimens housed at main herbaria, along with the nomenclatural types, allows us to place it in Distylodon, a monotypic genus previously known from East Africa. Distylodon sonkeanum Droissart, Stévart & P.J.Cribb, sp. nov. was collected in the lowland coastal forest of Atlantic Central Africa. It is known from a single locality in the surroundings of the Campo-Ma'an National Park. The species differs from D. comptum, by its several-flowered inflorescences, longer leaves and spur, and shorter pedicel and ovary. The species appears to be rare and is assessed as Critically Endangered [CR B2ab(iii)] according to IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. New field investigations are required to attempt to find it in the low-elevation parts of the Campo-Ma'an National Park in Cameroon.
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