Sabdariffa mechowii (Garcke) Mwachala & R.L.Barrett, 2025

Sabdariffa mechowii (Garcke) Mwachala & R.L.Barrett View in CoL , comb. nov.

( Fig. 21 c, d View Fig .)

Hibiscus mechowii Garcke in O. Hoffm., Linnaea View in CoL 43: 121 (1881). Type citation: ‘ Pungo Andongo. Jan. – Apr. ’ Type: Angola: Cuanza Norte, s. dat., F.W.A. von Mechow 105 (holo: B, presumed destroyed; drawing at BM 013832979 ). Neotype (here designated): Angola: Melange Province, Pungo Andongo , Apr. 1857, F.M.J.Welwitsch 5262 ( BM 013723928 ; isoneo: K).

Hibiscus lancibracteatus De Wild. & T.Durand in T.Durand & E.A.J. De Wildeman, Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot . Belgique 38(1): 25 (1899). Type citation: ‘Reg.III: env. de Coquilhatville, 1895 (Alfr. Dewevre).’ Type: Democratic Republic of The Congo : Halte dans une ile située a michamin entre Loukolela et N’Gombi, Mbandaka [Coquilhatville], 17 Nov. 1896, A . Dewèvre 752 (syn: BR 0000008952103 ; BR 0000008952424 , drawing at BM 013832978 ) .

Descriptions and illustrations

Garcke (1881, p. 121); Durand and de Wildeman (1899, pp. 25–27); de Wildeman and Durand (1901, p. 1, t. 84); Exell (1961, p. 443); Hauman (1963, pp. 113–114); Merxmüller (1969, p. 82:15, 20); Edmonds (1991, p. 19); Wilson (1999, p. 61, fig. 2g); Krapovickas and Fryxell (2004, pp. 48–50, fig. 7); Leistner (2008, p. 115); Mwachala (2009, pp. 44–45).

Typification

We here designate a neotype for Hibiscus mechowii as we have been unable to locate any type material and presume this to be destroyed. We have selected a specimen from the same location as the original type to ensure consistency of the species concept. There may be additional duplicates that we have not yet located (see Figueiredo 2008).

Distribution

Native to Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of The Congo, Guinea, Mali, Namibia, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia.

Introduced and naturalised in Venezuela.