Amorphophallus angolensis (Schott) N.E.Br.

Amorphophallus angolensis (Schott) N.E.Br. View in CoL

Amorphophallus angolensis (Schott) N.E.Br. (1901) View in CoL 156. — Hydrosme angolensis Welw. ex Schott (1865) View in CoL 35. — Corynophallus angolensis (Welw. ex Schott) Kuntze (1891) View in CoL 741. — Type: F. Welwitch 228_2 (holo LISU [LISU224515]), Angola, Malanje, Pungo Andongo.

Amorphophallus hetterscheidii Ittenb. & Lobin (1997) View in CoL 152. — Type: W.L.A. Hetterscheid H. AM 266 ­T (holo L! [spirit coll.]). Cultivated from Van der Maesen & De Wilde s.n., Gabon, Libréville, Sibang Forest , 20 January 1993, syn. nov.

Discussion — Amorphophallus angolensis was described from northwestern Angola in a lowland habitat of the Pungo Andongo Black Rocks formation near the town of Malanje, whereas the type locality of A. hetterscheidii Ittenb. & Lobin is east of Libréville in northwestern Gabon. The diagnostic features of A. hetterscheidii that differentiate it from A. angolensis (as outlined by Ittenbach & Lobin 1997) are a less sigmoid spadix, stigmas that are not as strongly lobed, and a spathe in which the base and limb are separated by a slightly shallower constriction.After studying several specimens from both regions, it is found that A. hetterscheidii is indistinguishable from A. angolensis when herbarium material is compared. Living collections of individuals from each region displayed minor detectable differences in the degree of stigma lobing and spathe constriction. However, these differences were not significant and are further obscured by the existence of intermediate specimens. Ergo, the recognition of A. hetterscheidii as a distinct species is inadvisable and here synonymized with A. angolensis .