Afropectinariella M.Simo & Stevart, 2018

Simo-Droissart, Murielle, Sonke, Bonaventure, Droissart, Vincent & Stevart, Tariq, 2018, Afropectinariella (Vandeae, Orchidaceae), a new genus of the Angraecum alliance, PhytoKeys 96, pp. 79-86 : 81

Afropectinariella M.Simo & Stevart gen. nov.

Type.

Afropectinariella doratophylla (Summerh.) M.Simo & Stévart [≡ Angraecum doratophyllum Summerh.].

Etymology.

The name of the genus is based on the geographic distribution of its five species, all of which occur in Africa and the generic name Pectinariella in which they were previously placed.

Diagnosis.

Afropectinariella resembles the related genera Dolabrifolia and Pectinariella in having a sessile ovary, i.e. without a pedicel and with a very short peduncle that is hardly developed, but differs from Dolabrifolia by its elongate leaves that are never compressed laterally (vs. imbricate and laterally compressed) and from Pectinariella by its transversely oval lip that is wider than long (vs. the lip longer that wide) and its occurrence in continental Africa and Gulf of Guinea islands (vs. Madagascar and adjacent islands).

Description.

Epiphytic herbs. Stem erect to pendent, branched and loosely leafy. Leaves fleshy, alternate and elongate, subulate or linear to oblong-ovate, apex acute to apiculate, petiole twisted. Inflorescences suberect and subsessile, in general 1-flowered, sometimes 2-flowered, borne along the stem or opposite a leaf, sheath brown. Flowers small, nearly sessile in the axils of the leaves, white and often scented. Floral bract one, amplexicaul, broadly ovate. Sepals and petals elliptic to obovate, apex subacute. Lip entire, ovate-triangular, ecallose, apex acute to apiculate. Spur ellipsoid or subcylindric, straight or slightly curved, sometimes hooked, with a wide mouth at the base of the lip, apex acute, often blunt or swollen in the apical half. Peduncle short, hardly developed. Pollinia 2, pyriform, often sessile on one or two viscidia, without a distinct stipe or shortly stipitate, rarely with a well-developed stipe.

Afropectinariella includes five species from continental Africa and the Gulf of Guinea Islands, one of which is endemic to São Tomé and Príncipe Islands. Four of these five species were placed in Angraecum sect. Pectinaria sensu Garay (1973) and, more recently, in Pectinariella , as originally circumscribed by Szlachetko et al. (2013). A detailed taxonomic treatment of these five species is presented in Simo-Droissart et al. (2014).