Two New Species of the African Genus Discoclaoxylon (Claoxylinae: Euphorbiaceae) from Central Africa

Patricia Barberá; Olivier Lachenaud; Alejandro Quintanar

doi:10.3417/2023800

Patricia Barberá Missouri Botanical Garden
Olivier Lachenaud Meise Botanic Garden
Alejandro Quintanar Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid CSIC

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3417/2023800

Keywords: Acalypheae, Central Africa, Discoclaoxylon, Euphorbiaceae, Gabon, Korup National Park, Ngounié, taxonomy

Abstract

We describe here two new species of the African tropical genus Discoclaoxylon (Müll. Arg.) Pax & K. Hoffm. (Euphorbiaceae), D. ikabangae O. Lachenaud and D. korupense Barberá & Quintanar. The former species is endemic to Gabon and is preliminarily assessed as “Endangered,” while the latter is endemic to Cameroon and is preliminarily assessed as “Vulnerable.” Both species differ from the rest of the genus by their fruits, which are less strongly didymous and have the carpels connate for their whole length; D. ikabangae is further remarkable for its long stylar segments and D. korupense for its tall habit and leaves with subentire margins. A taxonomic treatment of these two new species, including their detailed descriptions, two illustrations, and information about their habitat, distributions, and preliminary IUCN conservation status are provided. In addition, we compare them with D. hexandrum (Müll. Arg.) Pax & K. Hoffm., the only known species of Discoclaoxylon inhabiting Central Africa so far, along with a table in which we include useful characters to distinguish these three species, and an identification key containing all the species of the genus.