Psoralea diturnerae and P. vanberkelae (Psoraleeae, Fabaceae): two new species restricted to the Core Cape Region of South Africa.

Bello, Abubakar; Stirton, Charles H.; Chimphango, Samson B. M.; Muasya, A. Muthama

Two new species of Psoralea L. are described: Psoralea diturnerae A. Bello, C.H. Stirt. & Muasya, sp. nov. and P. vanberkelae C.H. Stirt., A. Bello & Muasya, sp. nov. Psoralea diturnerae is endemic to the Out-eniqua mountains (Camferskloof) and is characterised by a mass of numerous basal shoots out of which emerge 2--3 woody stems up to 2 m tall, 3-foliolate needle-like leaflets at the base of the seasonally growing shoot reducing to one towards the apex and bearing numerous 1--3-flowered axillary inflorescences along its length; each mauve to purple and white flower subtended by a trifid cupulum. Psoralea vanberkelae is characterised by its spreading mounding habit, short tightly packed fleshy leaves, with large impressed papillae, densely glandular short broadly triangular stipules, pale to intense mauve to deep blue flowers, standard with a dark purple central blotch above a M-shaped white patch situated above claw, and khaki seeds with purple flecks.

SOUTH Africa; PSORALEA; PLANT species; ENDEMIC plants; PLANT classification; INFLORESCENCES

PhytoKeys, 2015, Issue 44, p97

1314-2011

Academic Journal

10.3897/phytokeys.44.8999