Astropanax stolzii (Harms) Lowry, G.M. Plunkett, Gostel & Frodin, 2017

Lowry Ii, Porter P., Plunkett, Gregory M., Gostel, Morgan R. & Frodin, David G., 2017, A synopsis of the Afro-Malagasy species previously included in Schefflera (Araliaceae): resurrection of the genera Astropanax and Neocussonia, Candollea 72 (2), pp. 265-282 : 273

A12. Astropanax stolzii (Harms) Lowry, G.M. Plunkett, Gostel & Frodin , comb. nov. ( Fig. 1E ).

÷ Schefflera stolzii Harms in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 53: 358. 1915.

Lectotypus (first step designated by BAMPS, 1974b: 135; second step designated here): TANZANIA. Mbeya Region: Rungwe Mts., [Nyassa Hochland], Kyimbila, 1600-1800 m, VII.1913, fl. & y.fr., Stolz 2044 ([ K00350552 ]!; isolecto-: BM [ BM00645576 ] image seen, BR [ BR00886173 ]!, C [ C10000295 ] image seen, G [ G00341680 ] image seen, JE [ JE00000305 ] image seen, K [ K00350553 ]!, L [ L0008579 ] image seen, M [ M0104942 ] image seen, MO [MO-1608570]!, P [ P00697822 ]!, S [S-G-5496, S08-3328 ] images seen, STU [ STU000492 ] image seen, W!, WAG [ WAG 0 0 0 0 2 4 2] i m a g e s e e n, Z [ Z - 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 5 6, Z-000001557] images seen) .

Habitat and distribution. – Astropanax stolzii is restricted to southeastern Tanzania and extreme northern Malawi ( BAMPS, 1974b; APD, 2017; TROPICOS, 2017), where it grows in humid forest at 1,600 to 2,360 m elevation.

Notes. – The holotype of Schefflera stolzii Harms was presumably at B and would thus have been destroyed. BAMPS (1974b) designated the material at K as the lectotype, an unfortunate choice because the two specimens deposited there are rather fragmentary and are not accompanied by original labels, unlike several isotypes deposited in other herbaria in Europe that have original labels with the name of the new species written in Harms’ hand. We have further lectotypified by selecting the specimen from Kew with young, detached fruits in a fragment packet as the lectotype (the other specimen is sterile, bearing only two leaves) .

Figures

Fig. 1. – Photographs of Astropanax Seem. A. Astropanax monophyllus (Baker) Lowry, G.M. Plunkett, Gostel & Frodin; B. Astropanax myrianthus (Baker) Lowry, G.M. Plunkett, Gostel & Frodin; C. Astropanax barteri Seem.; D. Astropanax mannii (Hook.f.) Seem.; E. Astropanax stolzii (Harms) Lowry, G.M. Plunkett, Gostel & Frodin; F. Astropanax volkensii (Harms) Lowry, G.M. Plunkett, Gostel & Frodin.