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.     

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.     

Two new species of Jatropha (Euphorbiaceae) from Somalia

The new species Jatropha miskatensis , from limestone slopes of the Cal Miskaat Range in north-eastern Somalia, and J. marmorata , from bushland on shallow soil over limestone just south of the Nugaal valley in north-eastern Somalia, are described. An illustration is provided for J. miskatensis.     

Two new Neogaillonia species (Rubiaceae, tribe Paederieae) from Somalia

Two new species of Neogaillonia, N. somaliensis and N. calcicola , both endemic to NE Somalia, are described. Palynological data are given for both species. Relationships to other taxa of Neogaillonia and the "Gaillonia complex" are discussed.     

Expansion of Crabbea (Acanthaceae) and the description of two new species from Somalia

Crabbea is expanded to include the monotypic Golaea and Acanthostelma , both endemic in northern Somalia. The new combinations C. migiurtina (= Golaea migiurtina ) and C. thymifolia (= Acanthostelma thymifolium ) are made and the names are lectotypified. The new species C. pinnatifida and C. albolutea , both endemic in Somalia, are described and illustrated.     

Synopsis of Satanocrater (Acanthaceae)

Four species are recognized in the tropical African genus Satanocrater: S. fellatensis (= S. berhautii) in Sudan, Ethiopia and Guinea, S. ruspolii in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya, S. somalensis (= S. coccineus) in Ethiopia and Somalia, and S. paradoxus in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya. Three lectotypes and one neotype are selected. A key to the species and an illustration of S. ruspolii are provided.     

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.     

A new species of Scutellaria (Lamiaceae) from Somalia

The new species Scutellaria somalensis, from limestone slopes in north-eastem Somalia, is described and illustrated.     

A new species of Wellstedia (Boraginaceae) from Somalia

The new species Wellstedia robusta , from mountain ridges and slopes south-west of Qandala in north-eastern Somalia, is described and illustrated.     

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.     

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.     

Pentzia (Asteraceae-Anthemideae) in the Horn of Africa region

The two new species Pentzia somalensis , from areas of gypseous soil in northern Somalia, and P. arabica from the limestone plateau of Hadramaut in southern Yemen, are described and illustrated. P. somalensis is the only member of Anthemideae known from Somalia, and the occurrence of Pentzia on both sides of the Gulf of Aden in the Horn of Africa region represents a major extension of the distribution of the genus that is otherwise restricted to southern Africa except for two species in Morocco, Algeria and Tchad.     

Justicia galeata and J. kuchari, two new species of Justicia (Acanthaceae) from tropical Africa

Jusricia galeara from SE Kenya and J. kuchari from central Somalia are described. The affinities of the new species are discussed and illustrations are provided.     

Two new species of Justicia sect. Ansellia (Acanthaceae) from E and NE tropical Africa

The new species Justicia ornatopila from Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, and J. lorata from Kenya are described and illustrated. Information on pollen morphology is also provided     

Two new species of Polygala (Polygalaceae) from Somalia

The new species Polygala praetermissa , a dwarf perennial herb growing in stony places on limestone, and P. dasanensis , a shrublet apparently confined to gypsum, are described. Both species occur in the Cal Miskaat Range in north-eastern Somalia, but P. praetermissa has a wider distribution in northern Somalia.     

Species of the genus Thrips from India (Thysanoptera)

Abstract. The species of Thrips Linnaeus from the Indian region are revised, and a key is provided to the thirty-three valid species, including eight new species and one new subspecies, Eight species customarily included in Taenio-thrips Amyot & Serville are here included in Thrips and six species are newly placed in synonymy: Thrips hawaiiensis (Morgan) (= Thrips exilicornis Hood from Africa); Thrips palmi Karny (= leucadophilus Priesner from Sudan); Thrips brunneus Anan. & Jaga. ( =speratus zur Strassen from South West Africa); Thrips tabaci Lind.(= kallarensis (Anan.) from India); Thrips sumatrensis Priesner (= lucaenae Moulton from Guam); Thrips simplex (Morison) (= Taeniothrips quinani Moulton from South Africa). Isoneurothrips Bagnall is regarded as a synonym of Thrips , and Isothrips is treated as a synonym rather than as a sub-genus. Two nominal species, beharensis (Ram. & Marg.) and rostratus (Ram. & Marg.) are considered unrecognizable at present.     

Notes on the Caryophyllaceae of Ethiopia and Somalia

Four new species from Somalia are described: Herniaria bicolor, Lochia parvibracta, Polycarpaea guardafuensis and P. clavifolia. Two new combinations are made: Minuartia ellenbeckii and Silene gillettii.     

The genus Iphiona (Compositae-Inuleae)

The genus Iphiona Cass. emend. A. Anderb. (Compositae-Inuleae-Inulinae) is revised and considerably amended. The former genera Grantia Boiss. (= Perralde-riopsis Rauschert) and Hirschia Baker are included as well as the major part of Iphiona Cass. s.str. and the species Inula grantioides Boiss., and Pulicaria phillipsiae S. Moore. Five new combinations are made: I. anthemidifolia (Baker) A. Anderb., I. arachnoidea (Boiss.) A. Anderb., I. grantioides (Boiss.) A. Anderb., I. phillipsiae (S. Moore) A. Anderb., and I. senecionoides (Baker) A. Anderb. The new species I. teretifolia A. Anderb. is described. A discussion of the phylogeny of the group and a cladogram, involving reticulation, of the Iphiona species are presented. The 11 species are distributed in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Peoples Democratic Republic Yemen, Oman, Iran and Pakistan.