Sabdariffa verrucosa (Guill. & Perr.) Mwachala & R.L.Barrett, 2025

Sabdariffa verrucosa (Guill. & Perr.) Mwachala & R.L.Barrett View in CoL , comb. nov.

( Fig. 31 a, b View Fig .)

Hibiscus verrucosus Guill. & Perr. in D.A.Guillemin et al., Fl. Seneg. Tent. 1: 57 (1831); Abelmoschus verrucosus (Guill. & Perr.) Walp., Repert. Bot. View in CoL Syst . 1: 308 (1842); Hibiscus cannabinus var. verrucosus (Guill. & Perr.) Garcke View in CoL , Linnaea 43: 56 (1880). Type citation: ‘Crescit in sabulosis humidis insule fluminis Senegal dictae Sorr, prope Saint-Louis. Floret mensibus Septembre, Octobre et Novembre.’ Type: Senegambie [ Senegal]: Ile de Sorr, Oct. 1825, F.M.R. Leprieur s.n. (lecto, here designated: P 06721189).

Descriptions and illustrations

Guillemin et al. (1831, p. 57); Wilson (1999, p. 68, fig. 2c, in part, as H. asper ).

Typification

No authentic material of Hibiscus verrucosus has previously been identified. Mwachala (2009, p. 41) cited a collection by A.Petit at P as a possible holotype but this may not be original material. There may be original material of H. verrucosus in the Gay Herbarium, collected in Senegal prior to the description of H. verrucosus and used in preparation of the Flora Senegambiae Tentamen (see Gillett 1962) but collection details on specimens examined to date in the Gay Herbarium do not match the protologue. A sheet at BM may be original material: Senegal, Feb. 1825 , Perrottet 55 (BM 013730377) but this requires confirmation. Searching of digitised collections at P, however, has identified material matching the protologue location and month of collection, and bearing the name Hibiscus verrucosus . Leprieur is also mentioned as a collector in the preface to Guillemin et al. (1831). This specimen (P 06721189) is here designated as lectotype of H. verrucosus as we consider the possibility for any other potential original material to be unequivocally linked to the protologue unlikely, and we consider the fixation of the application of this name with a lectotype to be highly desirable.

Notes

Hochreutiner (1900) and many other authors have treated S. verrucosa as a synonym of S. cannabina but usually without knowledge of the type material of S. verrucosa . Wilson (1999) suggested that this may well be an earlier name for S. aspera . Location of original material allows these competing ideas to be critically assessed.

Collections from Richard Toll, Senegal (J.G. Adams 11112; P 02143634) and Auwie, Senegal (J.Trochain 1067; P 06721038) appear to be a good match for the lectotype of S. verrucosa , bearing entire leaves. Another collection from Richard Toll, of significance for understanding variation in this species, has very deeply divided leaves, therefore the entire leaves on the lectotype may reflect young or rapid growth. Specimens from Guinea and Mali with a combination of entire and 3-lobed leaves also fit with our concept of S. verrucosa (e.g. J.G.Adams 11699; P 02143597).

Wilson’s (1999, p. 68) concept of S. aspera includes our concepts of both S. cordofana and S. verrucosa , and our concept of S. aspera . Although the delimitation of taxa in this complex will require further study by local workers, we here distinguish two groups of species based on whether the epicalyx lobes are ±flat (when dried, somewhat fleshy-thickened when fresh) with stiff hispid hairs only ( S. aspera ) or have distinct marginal ribs and prominent aculei ( S. cordofana and S. verrucosa ). We recognise S. cordofana from East Africa as a related but disjunct taxon relative to our West African concept of S. verrucosa , both of which have previously been confused with S. aspera .

Sabdariffa verrucosa is closely allied to S. cordofana in having epicalyx lobes with distinct marginal ribs but S. verrucosa has leaves variously entire, shallowly lobed or deeply lobed as the plants mature ( v. climax leaves consistently 3–5-lobed for at least half the length), large ( v. small ) scattered aculei on the stems, and the epicalyx and calyx with a few stiff hairs and long, very prominent aculeli on margins and ribs ( v. epicalyx and calyx glabrous except for large, prominent aculei on the margins).

Distribution

Senegal, Guinea and Mali, and probably extending south to Ghana and east to Niger but a comprehensive review of specimens will be required to determine the distribution.