New or noteworthy species of Leguminosae in NE tropical Africa

The following new species are described: Chamaecrista dunensis (Somalia), Acacia densispina (Somalia), A. flagellaris (Somalia), Tephrosia karkarensis (Somalia), T. scopulata (Somalia), Indigofera ancistrocarpa (Kenya), I. curvirostrata (Ethiopia), I. hiranensis (Somalia), I. karinensis (Somalia), I. kucharii (Somalia), I. nugalensis (Somalia), I. pellucida (Kenya, Somalia), I. sabulosa (Ethiopia, Somalia), I. sessilis (Somalia), I. ienuirostris (Somalia), Rhynchosia megalocalyx (Somalia), Crotalaria allophylla (Somalia), C. intricata (Somalia), C. warfae (Somalia), and Coronilla somalensis (Somalia). 2n = 22 is reported in Tephrosia karkarensis. Cassia somalensis, Acacia puccioniana, Sophora somalensis , and Crotalaria sennii are reduced to synonyms of respectively Senna hookeriana, Dichrostachys kirkii, Millettia usaramensis and Crotalaria boranica subsp. trichocarpa . Thirty-seven taxa are reported from Somalia for the first time, including Ptycholobium biflorum , known previously only from Southern Africa. Crotalaria pieropoda , known previously only from Socotra, is reported from Somalia and Oman. Neptunia oleracea and Vatovaea pseudolablab are new generic records for respectively Ethiopia and Oman. The fruits of Indigofera boranica are described. Vigna somaliensis and an allied species are discussed. Rhynchosia gansole is lectotypified and its flowers and fruits are described.     

Eight new species and a new record of Indigofera and Microcharis (Leguminosae-Indigofereae) from Somalia

The following new species are described: Indigofera bayensis (south-west Somalia, on sand or gravel in Acacia-Commiphora bushland), I. gypsacea (central and south-west Somalia, on gypsum), I. karkarensis (north-east Somalia, on limestone), I. lamellata (south-west Somalia, on and around granitic outcrops), I. lughensis (south-west Somalia, on gypsum), I. phymatodea (south-west Somalia, on granitic outcrops), I. scopiformis (central Somalia, on sand in Acacia-Commiphora bushland), and Microcharis nematophylla (central Somalia, on sand in Acacia-Commiphora bushland). Indigofera pseudointricata , previously known only from Socotra, is reported also from Somalia.     

Ten new species of Commiphora (Burseraceae) from Somalia

The following new species are described: Commiphora arenaria from bushland on sand in south-central Somalia, C. gardoensis from limestone slopes in the Qardho area in north-eastem Somalia, C. stellatopubescens from bushland on limestone outcrops or stony ground in the Hiiraan Region in south-central Somalia, C. spinulosa from limestone rocks on the escarpment along the Gulf of Aden in northeastern Somalia, C. lobatospathulata from bushland on sand in central and south-central Somalia, C. quercifoliola from bushland on shallow soil over limestone near Eil in north-eastem Somalia, C. chiovendana from bushland in northern and central Somalia, C. multifoliolata from limestone hills and ridges in south-westem Somalia, C. murraywatsonii from limestone outcrops near Hobyo in central Somalia, and C. kucharii from bushland on shallow soils over limestone in central and southern Somalia.     

Section of tropical taxonomy: Seven new species and one new record of Polygala (Polygalaceae) from Somalia

The following new species are described: Polygala gypsophila (northern, central and southern Somalia, on gypsum), P. bariensis (northern Somalia, on limestone), P. hamarensis (coastal dunes near Mogadishu), P. argentea (central Somalia, on limestone near coast), P. gawenensis (central Somalia, on limestone), P. effusa (central Somalia and eastern Ethiopia, on sand), P. citrina (southern Somalia, on granitic outcrops). P. meonantha is reported for the first time from Somalia.     

Notes on Convolvulus, Astripomoea, Ipomoea and Merremia (Convolvulaceae) from the Horn of Africa

The six new species Convolvulus scopulatus, a shrub from gypseous semidesert coastal plains in northern Somalia, Astripomoea procera, a woody climber in Acacia-Commiphora bushland on sand in south-central Somalia, Ipomoea hiranensis, a prostrate or climbing shrublet in Acacia-Commiphora bushland in rocky places on sandstone in south-central Somalia, Ipomoea galhareriana, a woody climber in bushland on sand in central Somalia, Ipomoea pogonantha, a woody climber in bushland usually on red soil over limestone in eastern and southern Ethiopia, southern Somalia and northern Kenya, and Ipomoea corrugata, a herb with trailing stems in bushland on sandy soil in south-central Somalia, are described, and illustrations are provided for most of them. The new combinations Ipomoea ovatolanceolata (= I. adenoides var. ovatolanceolata) and Merremia obtusa (= M. ampelophylla subsp. obtusa) are made, and a new synonymy is provided for M. ampelophylla. Merremia ellenbeckii is neotypified and M. lobata is placed in synonymy.     

Seven new species of Pavonia (Malvaceae) from the Horn of Africa

Pavonia friisii , sp. nov., from south-eastern Ethiopia and south-central and southern Somalia, P. nigrescens , sp. nov., from south-central and southern Somalia, P. matteiana , sp. nov., from south-central Somalia, P. longipilosa , sp. nov., from eastern Ethiopia, P. rotundifolia , sp. nov., from eastern Ethiopia and northern and central Somalia, P. marginata , sp. nov., from central Somalia, and P. paucibracteata , sp. nov., from central Somalia, are described and illustrated.     

Bauhinia leucantha sp. nov. (Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae) and notes on B. ellenbeckii

Bauhinia leucantha sp. nov. is described from central Somalia. The new species is related particularly to B. ellenbeckii in Ethiopia and Somalia, B. teitensis in Kenya, and B. natalensis in eastern South Africa. B. somalensis is reduced to a synonym of B. ellenbeckii and the distribution of this species is shown to extend to northern Somalia.     

New species of Cucumis (Cucurbitaceae) from northeast tropical Africa

The new species Cucumis hastatus (widespread in southern Somalia, in deciduous bushlands), C. pubituberculatus (central Somalia, on open coastal dunes), C. Jeffrey-anus (southwestern Somalia and eastern Ethiopia, on alluvial soils), and C. baladensis (south-central Somalia, on fixed dunes), are described and illustrated. C. figarei is shown to be illegitimate, the correct name for the species apparently being C. pustulatus.     

Four new species of Sida (Malvaceae) from the Horn of Africa

Sida floccosa , sp. nov., from eastern Ethiopia and north-western Somalia, S. ogadensis , sp. nov., from eastern Ethiopia and central Somalia, 5. calliantha , sp. nov., from coastal dunes in southern Somalia, and S. longipedicellata sp. nov., from coastal dunes and sandy plains in central and south-central Somalia, are described and illustrated.     

New species and combinations in Kleinia (Asteraceae) from the Horn of Africa

The new species Kleinia tuberculata , from open deciduous bushland on gypsum hills and gypseous limestone in northern and north-eastern Somalia, K. curvata , from evergreen bushland on limestone in northern Somalia, K. sabulosa , from deciduous bushland on sand in central Somalia, K. ogadensis , from deciduous bushland in eastern Ethiopia, K. gracilis , from dwarf bushland on limestone in north-eastern Somalia, and K. tortuosa , from alkaline plains in northern Somalia, are described, and for some of them illustrations are provided. The new combinations K. nogalensis and K. lunulata are made, and the recently described K. isabellae from eastern Ethiopia is placed in synonymy of K. lunulata.     

Four new species of Commicarpus (Nyctaginaceae) from NE tropical Africa

The new species Commicarpus hiranensis from the inland of central Somalia, C. mistus from Somalia, SE Ethiopia, NE Kenya and S Arabia, C. parviflorus from the coastal and subcoastal parts of central Somalia, and C. ramosissimus from NE Somalia are described and illustrated.     

A new species and new records of Helianthemum (Cistaceae) from the Horn of Africa region

Helianthemum speciosum , sp. nov., from gypsum outcrops in north-eastern Somalia, is described and illustrated. H. stipulatum is recorded for the first time from Somalia and Yemen.     

Three new species of Melhania (Sterculiaceae) from north-eastern tropical Africa

Melhania annua , sp. nov., from coastal or subcoastal dunes in Somalia and Kenya, M. hiranensis , sp. nov., from Acacia-Commiphora bushland on sand in south-central Somalia, and M. quercifolia , sp. nov., from coastal dunes in Somalia, are described and illustrated.     

Three new species of Chascanum (Verbenaceae) and notes on the genus in the Horn of Africa region

The new species Chascanum mixtum, from evergreen bushland and rocky slopes in north-western Somalia, C. elburense. from deciduous bushland mainly on sand in central Somalia, and C. glandulosum, from Acacia-Commiphora bushland on sandy soil in north-western Somalia, are described and illustrated. C. sessilifolium (Vatke) Moldenke is recircumscribed and neotypified with a specimen from the original type locality, and C. obovatum Sebsebe ssp. glaucum Sebsebe is placed in the synonymy of C. gillettli Moldenke.     

Three new species of Heliotmpium (Boraginaceae) from the Horn of Afiica region

Heliotropium subspinosum sp. nov., from the coastal and subcoastal zones of Yemen, Oman and Somalia, is described and illustrated. This is a woody species with small leaves, and particularly the only 1–4–flowered inflorescences, the axes of which become subspinescent, are remarkable in the genus. H. laxum sp. nov., a slender shrublet from central Somalia, is described, and H. personatum sp. nov., a shrublet that is widespread and scattered, particularly on gypseous ground, in eastern Ethiopia, most parts of Somalia and in southern Yemen, is described and illustrated.     

Four new species of Jatropha (Éuphorbiaceae) from Somalia

The following new species, all related to the Somali endemic Jatropha nogalensis in/. sect. Spinosa subsect. Spinosae , are described and illustrated: J. humifusa (coastal dunes of central Somalia), J. inaequispina (north-central Somalia, on limestone), and J. collina and J. spinosissima (both rocky ground in north-eastern Somalia). A hybrid between J. humifusa and the rather distantly related J. pelargoniifolia is reported.     

A new species of Isoglossa (Acanthaceae) from NE tropical Africa

The first species of Isoglossa known from Somalia, I. congesta is described om material from central Somalia and SE Ethiopia. It is related to I. parvifolia Rendle, occurring in E Ethiopia, but differs in the contracted inflorescences and long calyx lobes with long glandular hairs.     

Two new species of Dyschoriste (Acanthaceae) from Somalia

The new species Dyschoriste bayensis, from a granitic inselberg in southern Somalia, and D. miskatensis, from open bushland on limestone in north-eastern Somalia, are described and illustrated.     

A new spiny Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) species from northeast Somalia

A small succulent, spiny Euphorbia is described as a new species, E. patentispina , endemic to Somalia, with a limited distribution in the northeast region of Bari. Its relationship to other species of the same group—those producing subsessile capsules and a single spine from each spine shield—occurring in northern Somalia is discussed.     

Notes on Tetragonia (Aizoaceae-Tetragonioideae) in Somalia

Tetragonia pentandra , previously believed to be an endemic of Socotra, is reported from northern Somalia. T. retusa sp. nov., a very distinctive endemic of central Somalia with features that partly link Tetragonia and Tribulocarpus , is described and illustrated.