Clerodendrum melanocrater Gürke (1893: 180)

Meerts, Pierre, 2023, The genus Clerodendrum (Lamiaceae) in the flora of Central Africa (D. R. Congo, Rwanda, Burundi), Phytotaxa 594 (1), pp. 1-42 : 21-22

15. Clerodendrum melanocrater Gürke (1893: 180) ; Baker (1900: 299); De Wildeman (1912b: 180); Thomas (1936: 72); Robyns (1947: 144); Huber (1963: 444); Malaise (1985: 274); Verdcourt (1992: 113); Lebrun & Stork (1997: 512); Bloesch et al. (2009: 626); Lejoly et al. (2010: 295); Pollard (2022: 30).

Type:— D.R. CONGO. Ituri , Kamatembe, forêt primaire, 14 April 1934, de Witte 1538 (neotype designated here: BR0000019276236!, iso-: BR0000019276243!) .

= Clerodendrum seretii De Wildeman (1910b: 256 ; 1920b: 174; 1922: 268). Type:—D.R. CONGO. Injolo, 20 August 1908, Seret 996 (holotype: BR0000008964069!).

Sarmentose shrub or small liana, turning black when bruised and on drying. Stem markedly quadrangular, with angles pale-coloured, occasionally narrowly winged, puberulous, persistent petiole bases curved, ca. 5 mm. Leaf: petiole 1.5–3.7 cm, canaliculate, glabrous; lamina membranose, ovate to elliptic, or obovate-elliptic, 7–13 × 3.5–8.5(–10) cm, rounded to truncate or cuneate at base, apex acuminate, 3–5 veins on either side, reticulum inconspicuous, glabrous on both surfaces (except for upper side of main vein), occasionally sparsely pubescent on upper surface, margin entire. Inflorescence at shoot apex, a pyramidal thyrse, 7–25 × 6–14(–20) cm, rachis with 4–10 nodes, peduncles 7– 35(–50) mm long, decreasing in length upwards, subtended by foliaceous bracts decreasing in size upwards; cymules dichotomous, divided at three nodes, axes thinly ash grey puberulent. Flower: pedicel 2–9 mm, ash-grey puberulent, bracteoles filiform, ca. 1 mm; calyx 2–3.5 mm long, greenish white, turning black after anthesis, tube campanulate, lobes triangular, spreading, 1–1.5 mm long, subglabrous; corolla: tube 4–8 mm, thinly glandular, lobes 2 mm long, puberulous, white to yellowish, turning black; stamens exserted 5–7 mm, anther 1 mm long, blackish. Fruit ca. 8 × 8–9 mm, subtended by cupular calyx 6–8 mm diam.

Distribution in Central Africa:—D.R. Congo, Rwanda, Burundi.

Distribution elsewhere:— Nigeria, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Gabon, Isles of Golf of Guinea, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda.

Habitat:—Rainforest, flooded rainforest with Symphonia , Pycnanthus marchalianus , Mitragyna macrophylla , secondary forest with Musanga ; riparian forest, montane rainforest (Psychotrio-Chrysophylletum gorungosani); 400–2500 m.

Selection of representative specimens:—D.R. CONGO. Kasaï: Lac Léopold II [lac Mai-Ndombe], July 1925, Goossens 5018 (BR!). Bas-Katanga : Kasongo , 1910, Claessens 600 (BR!). Forestier Central : Walikale , Lubutu , 11 January 1915, Bequaert 6565 (BR!); Yalibwa , October 1938, Louis 13240 (BR!); Yangole , à plus ou moins 20 km à l’W de Yangole, 8 August 1939, Louis 15723 (BR!, P, US). Ubangui-Uele: Doruma, riv. Mongoli, 28 September 1934, De Graer 365 (BR!). Lac Albert: Djugu, September 1931, Lebrun 3988 (BR!); Ituri Distr, Lodjo Camp, 27 October 2010, Luke 14724 (BR!, EA, EPU, K). Lacs Edouard et Kivu: Kolomubuni, 26 July 1954, de Witte 10718 (BR!, WAG); Bwito. Station Kikuku. Colline Muriki , 24 June 1954, Deru 326 (BR!); Mont Biega, à l’ouest du Lac Kivu, March 1929, Humbert 7579 ( P); Entre Masisi et Walikale, March 1932, Lebrun 5146 (BR!).— RWANDA. Lacs Edouard et Kivu : Forêt de Nyungwe , environs de Kigogo, 26 May 1971, Bouxin 933 (BR!); Env. De Rangiro , piste vers le Mont Ruhero, 7 February 1980, Bridson 335 (BR!, WAG); Env. Uwinka, 9 March 1959, Troupin 9815 (BR!).— BURUNDI. Lacs Edouard et Kivu : Mabaye (territ. Bubanza), 2 March 1969, Lewalle 3250 (BR!, WAG).

Neotypification of Clerodendrum melanocrater Gürke. The lectotype (Deutsch-Ost Afrika [ TANZANIA]. Bukoba, February 1892, Stuhlmann 3322 (lectotype: B, designated by Thomas (1936)) and the three remaining syntypes (Stuhlmann 2698, 3720, 3891) have been lost. I designate as the neotype a specimen collected in the same region (i.e. the eastern part of the species’ distribution range), which was cited by Thomas (1936) and annotated by him.