Table Of ContentBlumea 56, 2011: 149–152
research artIcle
www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nhn/blumea doi:10.3767/000651911X589212
Geophila erythrocarpa (Rubiaceae), a new species from
d.r.congo and Zambia
S. Dessein1, S. Vanthournout1, F. Niyongabo1,2
Key words abstract The species Geophila erythrocarpa (Rubiaceae) is described and illustrated. The new species is restricted
to dry, dense forests of the Katanga province in D.R.Congo and the adjoining Copperbelt province in Zambia. The
Copperbelt
species is similar to and in the herbarium easily confused with G. obvallata from which it most clearly differs in
D.R.Congo
having red instead of blue or black fruits. In flowering state, the two species can be separated by differences in
Geophila
calyx morphology. The new species shares the red-coloured fruits with G. afzelii, but differs from this species in
IUCN
the undivided stipules, the fewer-flowered inflorescences with smaller bracts, and details of the leaf coloration. The
Katanga
new species is further compared with all other Geophila species reported from Zambia and D.R.Congo whereby
Rubiaceae
G. obtusifolia is reduced to synonymy under G. renaris and G. aschersoniana is reduced to synonymy under
Zambia
G. obvallata. An IUCN conservation assessment has been made and the species is provisionally assessed as
Endangered, based on its restricted area of occupancy, the small number of known locations, and the continuing
decline in extent and quality of its habitat.
published on 15 July 2011
IntroductIon three Geophila species are known: G. obvallata, G. repens and
an undescribed species Geophila sp. A (Verdcourt 1989).
Geophila D.Don is a pantropical genus of creeping herbs and is
The second author reviewed the paleotropical species of the
a typical element of the forest floor in tropical regions. Geophila
genus to obtain the degree of Master in Biology and discov-
species often form dense mats, sometimes decorated with white
ered Geophila material in BR that could be matched with the
flowers or red, blue or black coloured fruits. The genus belongs
Fanshawe 6855 specimen from Zambia referred to Geophila
to the tribe Palicoureeae of the Rubiaceae family (Robbrecht
sp. A in Flora Zambesiaca (Verdcourt 1989). The additional
& Manen 2006). Palicoureeae was recently separated from
specimens now allow the formal description of this taxon as
the Psychotrieae and includes eight to ten genera depending
Geophila erythrocarpa Vanthournout & Dessein.
on generic delimitations. This pantropical tribe has it highest
species diversity in the neotropics and is characterized by the
MaterIal and Methods
combination of solitary anatropous ovules that are attached at
the base of the locules, valvate aestivation of the corolla lobes,
Herbarium material of Geophila was consulted at BR, HBG, K,
fleshy drupes, pyrenes with distinct preformed germinations
MO and WAG. Descriptive terminology for simple symmetrical
slits and very reduced, pale seed-coats (Robbrecht & Manen
plane shapes follows Anonymous (1962). Phytogeographical
2006). Geophila and Hymenocoleus Robbr. are the only genera
considerations follow White (1979, 1983).
of the tribe with a predominantly herbaceous habit. Geophila
differs from the African genus Hymenocoleus in the absence To estimate the conservation status of the species, geo-refer-
of a membranous sheath at the inside of the stipules and by enced specimen data were imported into ArcView™ geographic
the pyrenes ribbed at the dorsal side (Robbrecht 1975). An information software to generate the distribution map and to
additional distinguishing character is found in the fruit colour: calculate area of occupancy (AOO) and extent of occurrence
Hymenocoleus fruits are orange while those of Geophila are (EOO) using Cats 1.2 (Moat 2007). The cell area was set to
red or blue to black, but never orange. the largest permissible value (cell width = 3.16 km). The AOO
and EOO figures were used in conjunction with Google Earth
Geophila comprises about 20 species of which one, i.e. G. re-
observations and literature data to produce a conservation
pens (L.) I.M.Johnst., has an apparently natural pantropical
rating based on the IUCN Red List Categories criteria (IUCN
distribution (Piesschaert et al. 1999a, b). Kew’s World Check-
2001).
list of Selected Families reports twelve Geophila species from
Africa and Madagascar (Govaerts et al. 2010), some of them
imperfectly known. For D.R.Congo eight species are listed: descrIptIon of novelty
G. afzelii Hiern, G. aschersoniana Büttner, G. ingens Wernham,
G. lancistipula Hiern, G. obtusifolia K.Krause, G. obvallata Didr., Geophila erythrocarpa Vanthournout & Dessein, sp. nov.
G. renaris De Wild. & T.Durand and G. repens. In Zambia, only — Fig. 1
Affinis Geophilae obvallatae (Schumach. & Thonn.) Didr. sed ab illa differt
1 National Botanic Garden of Belgium, Domein van Bouchout, BE-1860 propter fructus rubros (versus caeruleos), corollarum tubos intra solummodo
Meise, Belgium; ad antherarum altitudinem pilosos (id est glabros super antheris) atque
corresponding author e-mail: [email protected]. calyces truncatos (versus calycum lobos bene effectos in G. obvallata).
2 Laboratoire de Génétique et Écologie Végétale, Université Libre de Bruxel- — Typus: Schmitz 2303 (holo BR), D.R.Congo, Elisabethville [= Lubum-
les, 50 Avenue F. Roosevelt, BE-1050 Bruxelles, Belgium. bashi], 19 April 1949.
© 2011 Nationaal Herbarium Nederland
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150 Blumea – Volume 56 / 2, 2011
Geophila sp. A, Verdcourt (1989). a height of 4–5 cm. Leaves opposite; petiole 1.5–7 cm long,
pubescent all around; blades broadly ovate to circular, 1.5–6.7
Etymology. The epithet ‘erythrocarpa’ refers to the red colour of the
by 1.5–7.5 cm, sparsely pubescent above and underneath,
fruits, which is the most important character to distinguish the species from
G. obvallata. rounded at the apex, cordate at the base; venation not very
prominent with 3–5 secondary veins at each side of mid-vein
Creeping herb with underground stems rooting at the nodes;
and a fine reticulate network of tertiary and quarterly veins.
stems densely pubescent; leafy and flowering shoots reaching
Stipules papery, entire but often splitting with age, transversely
m
c
1
d
m
c
0.5 m
m
2
i
c
m
m
m 5
c
1 h
m
m
2
m
c
b 5
m
e 1 c g f
m
c
1
a
fig. 1 Geophila erythrocarpa Vanthournout & Dessein. a. Habit; b. infructescence; c. detail of involucre seen from above with position of fruit indicated in
stippled line; one bracteole inside involucre; d. detail of leaf base and petiole; e. ovary with persistent calyx; f. opened corolla showing position of anthers and
style; the line on the right indicates the occurrence of trichomes inside the corolla tube; g. detail of style; h. dorsal (left) and ventral (right) view of the pyrenes;
i. transverse section through pyrene (a–d: Schmitz 2303, BR; e, h, i: Malaisse & Goetghebeur 1032, BR; f, g: Kassner 3545, HBG).
S. Dessein et al.: Geophila erythrocarpa from D.R.Congo and Zambia 151
elliptic to triangular, 2–3 by 3–5 mm, glabrous. Flowers 5-mer- et al. 1999a) and are of course of little use for routine deter-
ous, presumably isostylous, 2–3 per inflorescence; peduncle minations.
0.5–5 cm, densely hairy; involucre consisting of two unequal In general appearance, the new species resembles G. obval-
pair of bracts, the outer bracts broader and slightly to strongly lata, a species distributed from Guinea Bissau to Angola, over
bilobed, the inner ones narrowly elliptic and entire; involucral D.R.Congo, Sudan, and C.A.R., to eastern Kenya and Tanzania
bracts free to variously connate to each other at the base, 7–9 and Mozambique. It is a very variable species with three rec-
mm long, hairy outside and inside, beset with colleters at the ognized subspecies with partly overlapping distributions (Verd-
base inside; bracteoles, if present, somewhat spathulate. Calyx court 1989). Geophila erythrocarpa is most similar to G. ob-
tube 1–2 mm, glabrous or with a few hairs near the margin, vallata subsp. ioides (K.Schum.) Verdc. and the distribution of
truncate. Corolla white; tube cylindrical, c. 5 mm long, sparsely the two taxa partially overlaps in Katanga (D.R.Congo) and the
hairy outside, with a band of hairs at and just above the insertion Copperbelt (Zambia). The leaf shape and stipule morphology
point of the anthers inside; throat appearing glabrous viewed of the two taxa is very alike which gives them a very similar
from outside; lobes elliptic, c. 2 mm long, sparsely hairy outside, facies in the dry state. Fruit colour (deep blue in G. obvallata
glabrous inside. Anthers narrowly elliptic, c. 1.4 mm long, at- vs red in G. erythrocarpa), hair pattern on the petiole (in two
tached somewhat below the middle of the corolla tube; filaments rows in G. obvallata vs all-around in G. erythrocarpa), calyx
very short. Ovary 1–1.5 mm; style c. 1.3 mm long, included in morphology (deeply lobed in G. obvallata vs truncate in G. ery-
the corolla tube, positioned below the anthers; stigma shortly throcarpa), shape of the involucral bracts (entire in G. obval-
bilobed. Drupes red, globose, 7–9 mm, sparsely pubescent; lata vs deeply lobed in G. erythrocarpa), and hair pattern of
pyrenes light brown, elliptic, 3.5–5 by 3–4 mm, bony; dorsal the corolla tube (hairy above insertion of anthers up to corolla
surface with 3–4 dorsal ribs, verrucate to rugose in between lobes in G. obvallata vs hairy zone limited to area around in-
the ribs; ventral surface with 2 ventral grooves. sertion point of anthers in G. erythrocarpa) distinguish the two
Distribution — Occurring in the Zambezian Regional Centre species (Table 1).
of Endemism and there restricted to the Katanga Province of
Geophila erythrocarpa also shows similarities with G. afzelii, es-
D.R.Congo and the adjacent Copperbelt Province of Zambia.
pecially in calyx and corolla morphology (Table 1). The pyrenes
Habitat & Ecology — Forest floor of dry dense forest (‘muhulu’)
are also similar, but those of G. erythrocarpa are dorsally clearly
and gallery forest; 1150–1370 m.
verrucate to rugose in between the ribs, while those of G. afzelii
Vernacular name — Kontumba Tumba (dial. Kisanga; Nas-
appear smooth in between the ribs under low magnification. A
sogne 89).
more distinct difference, easily observed in the field, is found
Additional specimens examined. D.R.Congo, Katanga province, Kantu, in the stipules, which are bifid in G. afzelii and entire in G. ery-
Kassner 3545 (HBG); Lubembe River, 2 Feb. 1908, Kassner 2427 (K); Kam- throcarpa. Unfortunately this character is often difficult to deter-
bove, Jadotville [= Likasi], 1130 m, 6 Apr. 1958, Nassogne 89 (BR); Musoshi- mine on dry material. Leaves of G. afzelii often show a red-
Kimpe, env. mi-chemin, 1350 m, 21 May 1985, Malaisse & Goetghebeur 1032 purple coloration of the lower surface of the leaves, visible both
(BR, MO); Lubumbashi, Salésiens 930 (BR); 20 km SE de Mwadingusha, 5
in living and dry plants, a character absent in G. erythrocarpa.
May 1959, Schmitz 6461 (BR). – Zambia, Copperbelt province, Ndola, 3 June Other differences are found in the number of flowers per
1962, Fanshawe 6855 (K, NDO); Chichele forest reserve near Ndola, 1370 m,
involucre (many in G. afzelii, few in G. erythrocarpa) and the
30 Mar. 1972, Kornas 1480 (K); Njiri Forest, Mufulira, 12 Mar. 1964, Muti-
mushi 689 (K). involucral bracts (numerous and usually entire, sometimes
shortly lobed in G. afzelii vs two 2-lobed and two narrowly el-
Conservation status — Based on the limited area of occu-
liptic bracts in G. erythrocarpa). Geophila afzelii is essentially a
pancy the Endangered threshold is met (AOO = 79.88 km2),
Guineo-Congolian species and is absent from the Zambezian
whereas the Vulnerable threshold is met based on the extent
Regional Centre of Endemism.
of occurrence (EOO = 18,005 km2). The ecology of the species
Geophila erythrocarpa is also easily separated from a third
is dry evergreen forest, often named ‘muhulu’ in D.R.Congo
species occurring in the region, G. repens, which is a species
(Bamps 1975). Muhulu is sometimes described as the climax
with inflorescences without involucre.
vegetation of Katanga and other areas of the Zambezian Re-
gional Centre of Endemism with a similar climate (Schmitz 1950,
1962). Muhulu forest is now found in relatively small patches Five other species are reported from D.R.Congo. Geophila
and is easily degraded by human activities such as wood ex- renaris differs in the reniform leaves, the bifid stipules, and
ploitation and fire management. In this context it is noteworthy the 3-lobed bracts, G. ingens in the two rows of hairs on the
that the Njiri forest reserve in Zambia, where G. erythrocarpa petiole, the bifid stipules, the many-flowered inflorescences, the
was apparently very common, has been degazetted and that deeply lobed calyx and the pyrene morphology, and G. lanci-
the land has been allocated to squatters. Based on the small stipula in the two rows of hairs on the petiole, the bifid stipules,
number of locations, the patchy occurrence of dry evergreen the absence of an involucre, the blue flowers and the pyrene
forest in the area, and the continuous decline of the extent and morphology (Table 1). The two other species reported from
quality of habitat, G. erythrocarpa qualifies for Endangered D.R.Congo, i.e. G. obtusifolia K.Krause and G. aschersoniana
under criterion B (EN B2ab(iii)). Büttner should be reduced to synonymy under G. renaris and
G. obvallata respectively.
dIscussIon
Geophila renaris De Wild. & T.Durand.
The delimitation and subsequent identification of Geophila Geophila obtusifolia K.Krause (1911), syn. nov. — Type: Mild-
species is notoriously difficult (Piesschaert et al. 1999a, b), braed 3285 (B, not found; BR, fragm.), Aruwimi (D.R.Congo).
especially when based on herbarium specimens only. There The type specimen in B could not be found, but a fragment
are, however, a number of characters that are fairly stable at of this specimen was found in BR. It clearly shows that it is
species level, i.e. stipule morphology, pubescence pattern on identical to G. renaris, described in 1899.
the petioles, pubescence pattern on the inside of the corolla
tube, fruit colour and pyrene morphology. Pollen also provides Geophila obvallata (Schumach. & Thonn.) Didr.
useful taxonomic data, but pollen studies in Geophila are often
hampered by lack of suitable flowering material (Piesschaert
152 Blumea – Volume 56 / 2, 2011
Geophila aschersoniana Büttner (1889), syn. nov. — Type:
G. repens Hairy all-round or hairs in two rows Entire 1–3(–5) Variable Absent; bracts entire Deeply lobed Glabrous Red Verrucate to rugose; 1–3 ribs Flat with indistinct median keel Pantropical B(TdsniiannDperihüvcae.esetoiRn sttc snlrtae.uiyooCee dcpymsrdor e e aia1netf dosflt4gw e .bp 7otGrIherhts )asa.ce(. c B tio fdm trav,bseo pea,vnsm enrwaoci xalrtihlnG i.abpi f ctolTB.tae hiuoh o. c nahneAbodne, vuc i)dh nacdl,d o voletbl hwonarsedelotecutai twrnvdc ibebgreeineare es,t l sofc natob h r alBuilrBeposanü to wcdintpolttos anrasn ebre un rsooorosd,ef f w atwGntoGhenca. er.r des ae a o bsdpLnobcrurudfaovh ck cabeioeontlarfs llnattseb heeotollaaney-rf
G. renaris Hairy all-round Bifid 4–5 Rounded Present with two pairs of deeply 3-lobed bracts Subtruncate Zone of hairs around insertion point anthers; throat glabrous Red Not rugose; 4 flattened ribs Two ventral grooves Lower Guinea and Congolian subcentreof endemism afavilolecucrkr skscGantnihrootao.einw otwcai olnkoeslniefd nc .odgtghhfge eet Geh trmmwes. oeoaGo nnnbeautionvsaspo acn hn rlPailiyplaaem twt .ta mroMaeu.a lasDtl e rfeirrajek iaBlvelllis oeoM cwwf ekKei etra hrsans nidmfndo aO rtf hnolci revri isitt ehio crtehb aLialrsla ynuec kshrreeevedvfenu ieafdlo wuc rbdo int mrhagaemr ce abet natonh lttea asvan.n arkiWlceireaide-rl
G. obvallata Hairs in 2 rows Entire 4–11 Variable Present with two pairs of entire bracts Deeply lobed Hairs above insertion point of anthers to base of lobes; throat hairy Dark blue Verrucate to rugose; 3 faint ribs Flat or with two faint grooves Widespread in tropical Africa rABanB(s4ecmoa5ihofgn:pa leyeo1srmsg3t r P i71voc..ée) au1.g lsn9T éT.a7 tceax51rou.e9m nxG6si na21loou.1 sl :oSZs 1gaay4yiisrr5 eteIeI–. . dm B1Te5uaes6ltr lime.dctésiinnn Ao odlsmuos giJonyaca roitdaifoi tnsino ibsmn oi pntCaldenoi gimsqèyumnmeei mtsnt eaedettéiro iscfnio gaprnl l adaDnenee tBs lceserhslig papiqtpaiuveyees-
w recognized from D.R.Congo and Zambia. G. ingens G. lancistipula Hairs in 2 rows Hairs in 2 rows Bifid Bifid 9–15 1–3 Acute Rounded Present with several pairs Absent; bracts entire of entire bracts Deeply (often Deeply lobed unequally) lobed Hairs above insertion point Zone of hairs around of anthers to base of lobes; insertion point anthers; throat hairy throat glabrous Blue to blackish Blue Not rugose; 1 rib Not rugose; 3 very sharp ridges Flat Flat with indistinct median keel Lower Guinea and Lower Guinea subcentre Congolian subcentre of endemism and Guineo- of endemism Congolian /Zambezian regional transition zone BDGIKMPUirüe–PrSThcEFKGcooeaCet ia tvraüsrclrWetuItGniuNongSannptshhss asveeieJ eck:.ar el/ trUdiSuG.rbh2hro/enni wtsKe2nan0uanOpsezze.m0gw.ei0rri h esotAs ABvdR01 ,r1 irwaps AlittRon 79ravR,. neIha. F&dfn.,1a I.k R o iUn ,aECo1altlSe 1 da yhBdRsul.CCl,wo8ofeae ecehGi Don8eiNon.rlsh Fnns o bsuR9ermB ke grabDmdrRber.oéigooree muamurresNp ea/ytevdnnrB waouh dingMaeacrdssM.nntic in:lh utls sLc u aiTi2is,3oB,(ctaeichi s .o Rp0s L1on EAnh osé1GAnt/1ebu: ae, t,na8e C. a0ra ati7b .nPtd9sHp uG c.naerd4i Vse9zasdoceWitnuZlec–iee.riaceeurgf s esC7ozrvgenColsnG.sshsno5olodsarosiooemalaatg.ner,,ednr nnn ni.rs adeeSKt - dGg IrdCP Al snnLiwee-o2zblu shAuDt:,awn,u1u i iy tMetnnfRn,soB z. trc cJigMe,diSooeioohk lkuead nKlrmbteaCoslnlnai,bsaesbc - tere endr rEntkwidàrai txtieeed2lesqxo e.eetlmc aae 0prufsdnPEa ih en1ea eRf bnBu.tlJK)s0d: o uud s 1bioEoV(;irorrbt ée9eltenC1igei,naoisr d 9agi4d:ri Bannhne f)9scou:o,Bmievr 3 ia se o IWri1eCdudaI0 .cabAn, 9s nsn hToier o1Grst03oiddenchi.dns:g 7.nM VngeTg1ed 2aI– ot Iie.nhTe9tDheVt.1 r Ie,.se–mweo–Ue 9,3dcU prG0 3 3BDChI3.eQKin 809ceoaxaNiNtnu.. ao,–afev utsaolvSplrri 3Ais ndnn1rchpd4d tf geh.iAeeer0o2liotieac-r-r.f,;.
o Journal of Botany 19: 87–92.
of the Geophila species n G. erythrocarpa Hairy all-round Entire 2–3 Rounded Present with two pairs of bracts; one pair bilobed, the other pair entire Truncate Zone of hairs around insertion point anthers; throat glabrous Red Verrucate to rugose; 3–4 indistinct ribs Two ventral grooves Zambezian regional centre of endemism PRRiootcftbleeoraebbaisn emiabbssn aeerriocfleeeey)dhb).ccr a s(. hhoB tReehNttnu rr ueEoE vtlb rlrapeF,.bid at,otM1ci iioccnsRL9aie n ,7toJd niaso5robue pen.ubi n ns,J rrH o 1a naeJtfy6nharcF Cdm,gh.el io2oitt neo rpp0fE nns bat0BL,oopon 6-oPscettt.aaortrr oaTonmpnluenphFeislquyise lc)tuas e .aa1m ,ennC l9a daa ngoA:n jaoem9andDtrn3te i,bLp oe uw–uSiBnnvs1 cm-ao eg0ruGlldbe0e uldie cna.ttaseiLou,on pasEnBadh na.laeoy idr1ltlfsyaga s9i P i.sluq9( in AsRp(u9eyn euebncaDrb .eht4g NPriwoa5eeyAtc:se r rce i2 eaoeclaa7nnofa es3etdneh-s – s Pacei(tfi3pnsRr ccu0yDduoac0c Nbpftth.fiieoiooAoaenln-)--
characters and distribution G. afzelii Hairy all-round Bifid 9–16 Acute Present with several pairs of entire or shortly lobed bracts Subtruncate Zone of hairs around insertion point anthers; throat glabrous Red Not rugose; 4 sharply delineated ribs Two ventral grooves Guineo-Congolian regional centre of endemism VSSecciGK2b3nhhr7o2ade mm6t–ttcoaawi–io3gnttnzozu35rigq a rA0.Aat sup 4F...Bueh .l11bo .IyCd n991fr aoea6:5o9 fm 20mC8 lZ’P..É9i oa ilLtlPi.taméme aeGrn stispbSn t,e àstem pceo Csié7Bspupicia6 rahhniurc:auuice lxa8alxlhn ue 5d. oMd ltdIul–nyuneau 1pos:sKn 4eH iL ada3d6saateg2e .auuaid:snnn tee2 -ggeKt 2 rarvaCaa1t,é n tv–EoBagdam2 nré( uu9egtRmxas9da usti.) dtim,beot ueFlinéso el ro.Ci,fid dorLoaeiroone aZnngseaadrt.èim loè.sS nrBb ey.eSu ssldclteieaiaetmncinnsata id fitvluieqoc uJslH.ae 5aar ,dIun V1itdn-::
al White F. 1979. The Guineo-Congolian Region and its relationships to other
table 1 Key morphologic Characters Hairiness petiole Stipules # flowers per inflorescence Leaf apex Involucre Calyx Corolla inside Fruit colour Dorsal surface of pyrene under low magnification Ventral surface pyrene Distribution (in terms of phytochoria of White 1979, 1983) Wp5tRhhh5eiety.es tUe oFanc. reh1cso9hcr8 io2a30/..A :BT E1huT–ell3Fe v5Atei6Tng./ eUdtuNa tSJioaOnr dvoiefn Ag befrotiactataion. Aniq dumeeas pnc raoiptfi otAivnferai clm ade.e mN Baoetiurl gtroaiq la uRcece os4mo9u:p ra1c1ne–ys
