Clerodendrum poggei Gürke (1893: 171)

Meerts, Pierre, 2023, The genus Clerodendrum (Lamiaceae) in the flora of Central Africa (D. R. Congo, Rwanda, Burundi), Phytotaxa 594 (1), pp. 1-42 : 22-23

16. Clerodendrum poggei Gürke (1893: 171) ; Durand & Schinz (1896: 223); Baker (1900: 309); Durand & Durand (1909: 440); De Wildeman (1912b: 280); Verdcourt (1992: 100); Lebrun & Stork (1997: 512); Pollard (2022: 31).

Type:— D.R. CONGO. Yangambi , réserve d’Isalowe, sous-bois de forêt primitive ombrophile, 20 October 1937, Louis 6394 (neotype designated here: BR0000013255565!, iso-: BR0000020441388!) .

= Clerodendrum angolense Gürke (1900 [May]: 291) (nomen novum for Clerodendrum speciosum Gürke (1893) nom. illeg., non Bull (1869: 44)); De Wildeman (1910a: 401; 1910b: 255; 1912a: 467; 1912b: 91; 1920b: 163; 1922: 256); Moldenke (1985b); Lejoly et al. (2010: 294). Type:— ANGOLA. Pungo Andongo, January-April 1879, Mechow 121 (lectotype selected by Thomas: S07-4845, S-G-10139).

= Clerodendrum orbiculare Baker (1900 [June]: 307). Type :— ANGOLA. Pungo Andongo , prope Quilanga, April 1857, Welwitsch 5688 (holotype: K000192941, iso-: BM000798642 ).

= Siphonanthus sanguineus Hiern (1900 [August]: 839). Type :— ANGOLA. Pungo Andongo , Cazella, January 1857, Welwitsch 5705 (syntype: BM000798643 , LISC056939 (not seen), LISU223638 ); Quilange, April 1857, Welwitsch 5688 (syntype: BM000798642 , LISU223636 , LISU223637 , LISU223639 ).

= Clerodendrum capitatum var. butayei De Wildeman (1903: 117) ; Durand & Durand (1909: 438). Type:—D.R. CONGO. Bas-Congo, 1902, Butaye s. n. (holotype: BR0000008978554!).

Shrub 1–3 m, sparingly ramified. Stem hollow, up to 16 mm diam., inhabited by ants, papillate, often with persistent petiole bases ca. 10 mm long. Leaf: petiole 1–30 cm, papillate, 2.5–5 mm thick, hollow; lamina broadly ovate to almost rounded, 18–48 × 21–45 cm, cordate at base, acute to shortly acuminate at apex, 5–7 veins on either side, the lowermost 2 from the base (lamina seemingly palminerved), subglabrous or sparsely pilose on upper side, papillate or shortly hispid on veins underneath, reticulum somewhat impressed, prominent underneath, margin entire to repand. Inflorescence: a congested thyrse, ovoid to subcylindric, 5–20 × 2.5–6 cm (corolla excluded), subtended by 1–3 reduced leaves (7–20 cm long), subsessile; peduncle thick (up to 10 mm diam.), hollow, papillate; rachis with branches 2–10 mm long, bearing 2–5 flowers. Flower: pedicel 4–7 mm, shortly pubescent; bracts narrowly obovate-elliptic, pubescent, petiolate, sometimes with larger bracts subtending the branches, broadly ovate ca. 3 × 2 cm; calyx: 15–25(– 29) mm long, tube narrowly obconic-campanulate, ca. 3 mm long, limb fused at base over a length of 1–6 mm, lobes ovate-elliptic to elliptic, 12–16 × (3–) 5–7 mm, acuminate, reticulum prominent or not, pubescent on outer surface especially near margin, reddish, purplish or violaceous tinged; corolla: tube 130–190 mm, with red-brown glandular hairs, lobes dirty white, 15–18 mm long, shortly pubescent; stamens ca. 30 mm, anther ca. 3 mm long. Fruit: ca. 10 × 10 mm, black, smooth.

Distribution in Central Africa:—D.R. Congo.

Distribution elsewhere:— Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Gabon, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda.

Habitat:—Rainforest, secondary forest, riparian forest; a shade-loving species; 300–1200 m.

Selection of representative specimens:—D.R. CONGO. Mayombe: Temvo, 8 February 1919, Vermoesen 1783 (BR!, US); Temvo, 26 February 1919, Vermoesen 1694 (BR!, US). Kasaï: Muetshi, 70 Km WNW de Lusambo, December 1981, Casier 214 (BR!); Ibali, 3 November 1903, E. &M. Laurent s. n. (BR!). Bas-Katanga: Kasongo, 1910, Claessens 649 (BR!), Kamina, 20 April 1956, Schmitz 5269 (BR!). Forestier Central: Penghe, 4 April 1914, Bequaert 2288 (BR!); Yangambi, reserve d’Isalowe, 19 January 1940, Germain 103 (BR!); Yangambi, reserve d’Isalowe, 20 October 1937, Louis 6394 (BR!, US). Ubangui-Uele: Rivière Mongoli, 27 October 1937, De Graer 954 (BR!); Route Dungu-Bafuka, 14 November 1906, Seret 698 (BR!). Lac Albert: Kurukwata (Aba), 16 September 1957, Gérard 3714 (BR!). Lacs Edouard et Kivu: Parc National Albert [Virunga], Mt. Hoyo, 30 July 1955, Vanschuytbroeck in de Witte 12628 (BR!); Territ. Masisi, Yehe, Bukombo, 11 February 1958, Guttzwiller 3431 (BR!, P). Haut-Katanga: Dilolo, June 1908, Sapin s. n. (BR!).

Note:—Previous records of C. poggei in Burundi (e.g. Lewalle 1972: 60) are errors for C. frutectorum S.Moore ; see observations under the latter species.

Neotypification of Clerodendrum poggei Gürke. G ü rke cited three syntypes from D.R. Congo (Stuhlmann 2702, 2710, Pogge 1116), but Verdcourt (1992) cited only Pogge 1116 as the “ holotype ”, in error. All of these specimens have disappeared. I select a specimen from D.R. Congo which is consistent with the protologue (Louis 6394 (BR!)).

Remaining syntypes of Clerodendrum angolense :— ANGOLA. Pungo Andongo , 29 March 1875, Soyaux 230 (syntype: K000192942, isosyn-: LE00016566).