Taxonomy of Atlantic Central African orchids 2. A second species of the rare genus Distylodon (Orchidaceae, Angraecinae) collected in Cameroon.
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.
Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Unité Mixte de Recherche AMAP (Botanique et Bioinformatique de l'Architecture des Plantes), Boulevard de la Lironde, TA A-51/PS2, F-34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France ; Missouri Botanical Garden, Africa & Madagascar Department, P. O. Box 299, St. Louis, Missouri 63166-0299, U.S.A. ; Plant Systematic and Ecology Laboratory, Higher Teacher's Training College, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon ; Herbarium et Bibliothèque de Botanique africaine, CP 265, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Boulevard du Triomphe, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium.
Vincent
V
Droissart
Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB, UK.
Phillip J
PJ
Cribb
Plant Systematic and Ecology Laboratory, Higher Teacher's Training College, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Murielle
M
Simo-Droissart
Missouri Botanical Garden, Africa & Madagascar Department, P. O. Box 299, St. Louis, Missouri 63166-0299, U.S.A. ; Herbarium et Bibliothèque de Botanique africaine, CP 265, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Boulevard du Triomphe, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium ; Botanic Garden, Meise, Domein van Bouchout, Nieuwelaan 38, B-1860 Meise, Belgium.
Tariq
T
Stévart
Angraecoid; Cameroon; Campo-Ma’an National Park; IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria; new species