Three new species of Commelina (Commelinaceae) from south-central Africa.

Résumé fourni par la source

Three new species Commelina L. (Commelinaceae) are described from south-central Africa. Commelina sphaerorrhizoma Faden & Layton (D.R.Congo, Zambia, Angola) is distin guished by its moniliform rhizome composed of spherical segments, glaucous leaves that are glabrous above and often have cordate-amplexicaul bases, blue flowers and very large, hairy seeds. Its rhizome is similar only to those of the yellow-flowered Commelina crassicaulis C.B.Clarke and C. welwitschii C.B.Clarke, but its one-seeded capsule locules suggest a different, as yet obscure relationship. Commelina orchidophylla Faden & Lay ton (D.R.Congo) is distinguished by its tuber ous roots, orchid-like pair of large basal leaves that are white-tomentose beneath and oppressed to the ground, and free-margined spathes. It may be related to other geophytes or hemicryptophytes with free-margined spathes such as Commelina hockii De Wild., C. scaposa C.B.Clarke and C. psuedoscaposa De Wild., but differs from all of them by its large, distinctively pubescent basal leaves. Commelina rosulata Faden & Lay ton (D.R.Congo) is distinguished by its basal rosette of large, glabrous leaves and clustered, sub glabrous spathes with fused margins. It may be most close ly related to Commelina transversifolia De Wild., C. grossa C.B.Clarke and C. grandis Brenan, and may be separated from them by its large, broad basal leaves. Commelina praecox T. CE. Fr. is a new synonym ofC. scaposa C.B.Clarke and C. bianoensis De Wild, is a new synonym of Commelina neurophylla C.B.Clarke.

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