Dracaena wakaensis Damen & Quiroz, 2018

23. Dracaena wakaensis Damen & Quiroz View in CoL , sp. nov. — Fig. 4; Plate 8; Map 22

Dracaena wakaensis is very similar to Dracaena phanerophlebia Baker and D. phrynioides . The inflorescence is less densely capitate,while the seeds in D. wakaensis are regularly ellipsoid and not lobed as those of D. phanerophlebia , nor horned as in D. phrynioides . When sterile, it differs from both in its shorter stem and smaller leaves. It resembles Dracaena praetermissa Bos from West Africa and has the same raceme shape, but the fruits of the latter are horned, and the peduncle is scabrid. — Type: Quiroz-Villarreal et al. 1782 (holo WAG (WAG.1924698); iso LBV), Gabon, Ngounié Prov., Département de Tsamba-Magotsi, District d’Ikobey, Tranquille, S1°03.33' E11°04.15', alt. 751 m, 11 Oct. 2012.

Etymology. The type was collected by Ms DK (Diana) Quiroz-Villarreal, at the edge of Parc National de Waka.

Fig. 4 Dracaena wakaensis Damen & Quiroz. a.Habit; b. old inflorescence;c.flower;d. infructescence (a–b: Quiroz-Villarreal 1782; c: Louis, AM 2749 ). — Draw- ing by Kinga Berdysz.

Plate 8 Dracaena wakaensis Damen & Quiroz , showing leaf variegation; Damen 610. — Photo: THJ Damen.

Subshrub of up to c. 70 cm high, single-stemmed; stem usually unbranched, prostrate, to c. 5 cm high. Leaves up to 4, in a rosette; pseudopetiole erect, slender, up to 52 cm long, terete, dark green, margin involute, abruptly extended into a short c. 1 cm long dark green to violet sheathing base, clasping the stem for more than its circumference; lamina ovate to broadly ovate, to 23 by 11 cm, coriaceous, plicate, above glossy and uni- formly dark green, below paler green, both surfaces variegated with transversely orientated greenish yellow to white round to oval dots, midrib inconspicuous, with up to c. 8 parallel nerves impressed above and prominent below, remaining nerves and venation inconspicuous, but conspicuous in herbarium specimens, base rounded, leaf tip declinate,broadly cuspidate,mucro c. 4 mm long. Inflorescence terminal, erect; peduncle smooth, c. 7 cm long; raceme c. 3 cm long; bracts up to 6, early cadu- cous, broadly triangular to cymbiform, 10 by 8 mm, with aristate tip of up to 6 mm long, scarious, distally decreasing in size, sheathing at the base of the inflorescence to amplexicaul at its apex. Flower: pedicel up to 5.5 mm long, articulated near the apex; old dried flower 20 mm long, colour unknown, tube 6 mm long; filaments and anthers not seen; ovary ovoid, up to 4 by 2 mm, style not seen. Fruits depressed globose, up to 15 by 20 mm, shallowly 1–3-lobed, bright orange-red. Seeds ellipsoid, c. 7.5 by 5 mm, with a smooth testa.

Distribution — Endemic to Gabon, only known from the Ngounié province.

Ecology — Growing in old secondary forest and on relatively dry forested slope near waterfall; at 700–950 m altitude. Oc- casionally forming a population covering several square meters.

Map 22 Distribution of Dracaena wakaensis Damen & Quiroz.

Flowering period unknown, but old inflorescence in September; fruiting in February.

Uses — Numerous bunches planted at 1 by 1 m by village women ‘pour faire faro’ (fide Hallé & Cours Darne 5982); the most important plant of Boo women initiation rites (fide Quiroz-Villarreal et al. 1782).

Vernacular name — Endo (Babongo) (fide Quiroz-Villarreal et al. 1782).

Other specimens examined. GABON, Ngounié, piste de Massima à Moum- ba, env. d’Etéké, c. S1°24' E11°35', alt. 700–800 m, 17 May 1963, Hallé , N 5982 ( P); route Mimongo-Mbigou à 5 km du village Ibaga vers Mbigou, vers montagne Ngangilè, S1°40' E11°48', alt. 950 m, 13 Feb. 1988, Louis, AM 2749 ( LBV, WAG); missionary station at Mouyanama, c. 15 km on the road Mimongo - Mbigou (60 km along the road from Mbigou), waterfall at c. 45 min. walking distance above the mission compound, c. S1°39' E11°46', alt. 700 m, 9 Feb. 1983, Wilde ( WALK-B), JJFE GoogleMaps de 481 ( WAG); culta in ‘green- house’ WAG (leg. Quiroz-Villarreal, DK, 1782, 11 Oct. 2012, département de Tsamba-Magotsi, district d’Ikobey, Tranquille, S1°03.33' E11°04.15', alt. 751 m), Nov. 2012, Damen, THJ 610 ( WAG) GoogleMaps .