Tragia benthamii Baker

1. Tragia benthamii Baker View in CoL ( Baker 1910: 128)

Fig. 1 A View Figure 1

Type

EQUATORIAL GUINEA – Bioko Norte • Port Clarence ; 1843; Vogel T. 26; lectotype ( designated here): K [ K 000425676 ] image; isolectotype: K [ K 000425677 ] image .

Syntypes

ANGOLA – Luanda • s. loc.; s. d.; Gossweiler 427; LISU [ LISU 60223 , LISU 60224 ] . – Cuanza Norte • Golungo Alto; Welwitsch 381; COI [ COI 00111766 ] image, G [ G 00325734 ] image. – Unknown province • s. loc.; s. d.; Monteiro s. n.; K [ K 005273042 ] image .

CAMEROON • s. loc.; s. d.; Mann 1255; not found • s. loc.; s. d.; Zenker & Staudt 516; B †, BR [ BR 0000016243125 ] image, COI [ COI 00111767 ] image .

GHANA – Ashanti Region • s. loc.; 1895; Cummins s. n.; not found . – Unknown region • s. loc.; 1843; Vogel 53; K [ K 000425674 , K 000425675 ] images .

MALAWI – Central Region • Namasi [Nyamazi?]; s. d.; Cameron s. n.; not found .

NIGERIA – Ogun State • Abeokuta ; Millen 80; not found .

UGANDA • s. loc.; s. d.; Dawe 5; not found .

Description

Straggling or twining and scandent herb or shrub of unknown height; young branches puberulous with appressed hairs and stinging hairs up to 1.4 mm long; mature branches glabrescent. Stipules triangular, 3–4 × 0.8–1.2 mm, acute, glabrous, ciliate with erect hairs up to 0.5 mm long. Petioles (1.8 –) 2–5 cm long, densely pubescent with appressed hairs and stinging hairs up to 1.4 mm long; distally and proximally pulvinate. Leaf blade ovate, (4 –) 4.5–8.4 × (2.2 –) 2.8–5.8 cm, cordate at base, acuminate at apex, with acumen up to 0.8 cm, dentate-serrate, upper surface hispid with stinging hairs up to 1.5 mm long, with appressed hairs mainly on veins, lower surface indumentum similar to that found on the upper surface but less dense, basal veins 7, secondary veins 4–5 pairs. Inflorescences bisexual, up to 5.5 cm long; peduncle up to 3.5 cm, pubescent with curved, appressed hairs. Male segment 0.6–3.5 cm long; bracts elliptic, ca 1.5 × 0.4 mm, glabrous; bracteoles linear-lanceolate, 0.4 × 0.1 mm, glabrous. Female segment with 2 flowers; bracts triangular, entire, acute, 2 × 0.8 mm, glabrous; bracteoles linear-lanceolate, 1.1 × 0.2 mm, glabrous. Male flower pedicel up to 1.1 mm long, sparsely hairy, with few scattered minute appressed hairs; buds ca 0.4 mm diameter; calyx lobes 0.8 mm long, sparsely hairy externally, with few scattered minute, appressed hairs; stamens 3; filament up to 0.2 mm long; anthers 0.2 × 0.2 mm. Female flower subsessile; pedicel up to 0.3 mm long, pubescent with curved, minute, appressed hairs; calyx with 6 lobes, largely laciniate to the base (7 segments), 1–3.5 mm long, pubescent externally, with minute stinging hairs; ovary 0.4 × 0.8 mm, densely hispid with stinging hairs; styles 1.2–3 mm, connate 2 / 3 of the length, glabrous. Fruits subsessile, with peduncle up to 0.3 mm long, 3 × 5 mm, hispid, with stinging hairs up to 1.5 mm long; calyx lobes deeply laciniate, ca 6.5 mm long, 4–6 segments on each side, without laminula, slightly hardened in the central part, hispid, with stinging hairs up to 1.5 mm long; columella up to 2 mm long. Seeds 3 mm in diameter, yellowish mottled with black.

Distribution

Widely distributed in tropical Africa: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon (Fig. 1 A View Figure 1 ), Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea (Fig. 1 A View Figure 1 ), Ethiopia, Gabon (Fig. 1 A View Figure 1 ), Ghana, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe ( Keay 1958; Radcliffe-Smith 1987, 1996; Cable and Cheek 1998; Cheek et al. 2000, 2004; Akoègninou et al. 2006; Govaerts et al. 2000; Sosef et al. 2006; Figueiredo and Smith 2008; Barberá et al. 2013; Pickering and Darbyshire 2015).

Habitat and ecology

It grows on the edges of savanna or secondary forest and in open areas (in plantations) at 40–2060 m elevation.

Additional material examined

CAMEROON – Adamawa Region • Gallery forest near falls in Tello River, about 47 km E of Ngaoundéré, on moist places in shade ; [ 7°13’46”N, 13°56’30”E]; 1200 m; 27 Nov. 1964; de Wilde 4314; BR [ BR 0000016243118 ] image GoogleMaps . – Centre Region • Pentes de la colline Mbere près Matsari, SSO de Yoko ; [ 5°32’01”N, 12°19’17”E]; 28 Oct. 1977; Biholong 327; BR [ BR 0000016248694 ] image GoogleMaps • Afanetabini, 20 km E d’Obala ; [ 4°09’31”N, 11°32’11”E]; 6 Nov. 1969; Letouzey 9514; BR [ BR 0000016243101 ] image GoogleMaps . – East Region • Bertoua, 25 km along road to Nanga-Eboko, roadside, edge of native plantation ; [ 4°33’48”N, 13°23’51”E]; 5 Nov. 1960; Breteler 610; BR [ BR 0000016243088 ] image, WAG [ WAG.1338747 ] image GoogleMaps . – Litoral Region • Lake Manenguba, crater of Female Lake ; 5°00’N, 9°50’E; 1975 m; 5 Feb. 1995; Cheek 7273; K [ K 000026606 ] image GoogleMaps • West of Kodmin up to 3 km along road to Loh Mt. ; 5°00’N, 9°47’E; 1450 m; 13 Nov. 1998; Cheek 9605; K [ K 000026605 ] image GoogleMaps . – North-West Region • Turkod ; 5°48.96’N, 10°05.68’E; 15 Nov. 2000; Biye 125; K [ K 000746230 ] image GoogleMaps • Lus ; [ 6°40’59.9”N, 10°58’00”E]; 650 m; s. d.; Baeke 151; BR [ BR 0000015822154 ] image GoogleMaps • Afua swamp to Afua junction ; 6°09’N, 10°22’E; 7 Dec. 1998; 1800 m; Cheek 9859; K [ K 000338913 ] image GoogleMaps • Bamenda, Bu, Ketse’e, near the waterfall ; 6°16’N, 10°06’E; 625 m; 14 Nov. 2000; Ghogue 1112; K [ K 001480101 ] image GoogleMaps • Kumbo (= Banso ); [ 6°12’N, 10°04’E]; 14 Feb. 1958; Hepper 1979; K [ K 000181250 ] image GoogleMaps • Bamenda Highlands ; [ 6°30’00”N, 10°39’59”E]; 1950 m; 11 Dec. 1998; Maisels 214; K [ K 000875928 ] image GoogleMaps • Upkim Traditional Forest ; [ 6°12’48”N, 10°42’35”E]; 2060 m; 4 Nov. 1996; Munyenyembe 870; K [ K 000338909 ] image GoogleMaps • Bui, Blak-Oku ; 6°15’N, 10°26’E; 6 Nov. 1996; Onana 500; K [ K 000338910 ] image GoogleMaps • Boyo, Aboh village ; 6°15’N, 10°26’E; 1600–1700 m; 24 Nov. 1996; Onana 606; K [ K 000338911 ] image GoogleMaps • Boyo, Aboh, Ijim Mountain Forest ; 6°06’42”N, 10°15’15”E; 21 Nov. 1996; Pollard 78; K [ K 000338912 ] image GoogleMaps . – South Region • 16 km on the road from Ebolowa to Minkok, shortcut on the road to M’Balmayo , old cacao plantation along the road; [ 2°57’35”N, 11°18’11”E]; 2 Sep. 1975; de Wilde 8436; BR [ BR 0000016243071 ] image GoogleMaps . – South-West Region • Bakossi Mts. Kodmin, 0.5 km on road to Ndip ; 4°60’N, 9°42’E; 1500 m; 18 Jan. 1998; Cheek 8889; K [ K 000026604 ] image GoogleMaps • Kodmin, west of Kodmin up to 3 km along road to Loh Mt. ; 5°00’N, 9°47’E; 1450 m; 13 Nov. 1998; Cheek 9605; BR [ BR 0000025342147 V] image, K [ K 000026605 ] image, KUPE n. v., YA n. v GoogleMaps . • Lake Edip ; 4°57’N, 9°39’E; 21 Nov. 1998; Etuge 4494; K [ K 000026607 ] image GoogleMaps • Buea district ; [ 4°9’00”N, 9°13’60”E]; Jan. 1929; Maitland 238; K [ K 000181249 ] image GoogleMaps • Buea ; [ 4°09’00”N, 9°13’60”E]; 9 Nov. 1927; Migeod 104; K [ K 000181248 ] image GoogleMaps .

EQUATORIAL GUINEA – Bioko Norte • Malabo-Bahia de Venus ; [ 3°45’22”N, 8°46’28”E]; 18 Oct. 1989; Carvalho 4142; MA [ MA-700067 ] GoogleMaps . – Litoral • Bata-Mongo-Zona Florestal de Alosa, estrada kms 57–58 entre Mongo e Serração de Alosa ; [ 1°25’60”N, 9°46’60”E]; 10 Nov. 1993; Carvalho 5420; MA [ MA-598450 ], MO [ MO-3644753 ] GoogleMaps .

GABON – Estuaire • 49 km ESE of Libreville, along Komo River, Ngaba ; 0°10.44’N, 9°48.65’E; 40 m; 3 Mar. 2013; Wieringa 7048; WAG [ WAG.1338991 ] image GoogleMaps . – Ogooué-Ivindo • Route Makokou-Mékambo, km 7 ; 0°36’N, 12°55’E; 500 m; 2 Mar. 1979; Florence 1690; P [ P 04839708 ] GoogleMaps • Lope National Park ; 0°06’25”S, 11°41’16”E; 100 m; 19 Apr. 2006; Leal 1137; MO [ MO-3644754 ], WAG GoogleMaps • Mékambo-Mazingo Road ; 1°10.9’N, 14°07.2’E; 525 m; 23 Jan. 2018; Texier 1963; BRLU, LBV, MO, P, WAG GoogleMaps . – Unknown province • s. loc.; 4 Jan. 1885; Thollon 143; P [ P 04839706 ] .

Notes

We have selected the specimen Vogel 26 ( K 000425676 ) as the lectotype of Tragia benthamii because it includes all the morphological details for a proper identification, besides being the best-preserved preparation.

After a careful revision of the West African material and considering the comments made by Radcliffe-Smith (1987), we think that T. benthamii should be treated as a species restricted to West, Central, and South-central tropical Africa, from Ivory Coast to Nigeria, and from the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Angola and Zambia. The study of the material from East and Southern Africa is still pending to confirm or refute its presence in those regions. Accordingly, we have confirmed that the material previously identified as T. benthamii from Ethiopia belongs to T. mitis Hochst. ex A. Rich. , while Kenyan material belongs to T. keniensis Rendle (included as a synonym of T. benthamii by Govaerts et al. 2000).

Tragia benthamii and T. brevipes Pax , occurring in Cameroon and from the Democratic Republic of the Congo eastwards ( Radcliffe-Smith 1987, 1996), have morphological similarities but can be well differentiated. Tragia benthamii may be recognised by its puberulous branches with appressed simple hairs and stinging hairs up to 1.4 mm long (vs branches densely or sparsely pubescent and sparingly armed with stinging hairs), leaves sparsely hispid with stinging hairs and with appressed hairs mainly on veins on both surfaces (vs leaves sparsely pubescent above, and densely pubescent, almost velvety, beneath and sparingly armed with stinging hairs on both surfaces especially on nerves), stipules 3–4 mm long, glabrous, ciliate with erect hairs (vs stipules 2–3 mm long, densely pubescent externally), and calyx lobes ca 6.5 mm long in fruit, hispid with stinging hairs, and without laminula (vs calyx lobes up to 1.2 cm long in fruit, externally densely pubescent with not stinging and stinging hairs, with laminula narrowly lanceolate or subulate).