Warneckea, Gilg, 1904

Stone, Robert Douglas & Tenza, Ntombiphumile Perceverence, 2017, Warneckea albiflora, a new species of W. subgenus Carnosae (MelastomataceaeOlisbeoideae) from coastal dry forest in northern Mozambique, Phytotaxa 311 (2), pp. 168-174 : 172

Key to the species of Warneckea in Mozambique

1. Outer bark of trunk and older branches pale reddish brown, exfoliating in patches to reveal whitish inner bark; leaves with purplish veinlets forming a fine, reticulate-areolate network on the lower surface; flowers distinctly pedicellate; hypantho-calyx patelliform with calyx lobes short or obsolete; anther connectives with a dorsal oil-gland; embryo with two fleshy but unequal cotyledons ( Warneckea subg. Carnosae )..............................................................................................................................................................2

- Outer bark of trunk and older branches grey, finely longitudinally fissured; venation pattern on lower leaf surface as above or with reticulations not so close; flowers sessile or short-pedicellate; hypantho-calyx obconic to campanulate with calyx lobes generally well-developed and concealing the corolla in bud, the bases of the outer pair of lobes often auriculate-amplexate; anther connective-gland absent; embryo with just one fleshy cotyledon, the second obsolete ( Warneckea sect. Warneckea )................................4

2. Shrub or tree to 10 m high; young branchlets subquadrangular to terete; leaves narrowly to broadly elliptic, mostly 4–6.5 × 1.8–4 cm, bases cuneate, apices ± distinctly acuminate; flowers blue or white, on pedicels 3.5 − 15 mm long...........................................3

- Shrub or small tree 2–3 m high; young branchlets distinctly quadrangular and narrowly 4-winged; leaves ovate to cordiform, 1.5–3 (–4) × 1.2–2.2 (–3) cm, bases broadly cuneate to rounded or strongly cordate, apices shortly and obtusely acuminate; flowers white, on pedicels 1.5–3 mm long................................................................................................................................ W. cordiformis

3. Leaves elliptic, mostly 4–6.5 × 2.3–4 cm (1.5–2× as long as broad), the apex ± broadly obtuse-acuminate (acumen if present mostly 3–8 mm long); flowers pale to deep blue; pedicels 6 − 15 mm long ................................................................. W. sansibarica

- Leaves narrowly elliptic, (3.2–) 4.5–6.5 (–7.3) × 1.8–3 cm (mostly 2–2.6× as long as broad), attenuate-acuminate at apex (acumen mostly 6–12 mm long); flowers white; pedicels 3.5–4 mm long...................................................................................... W. albiflora

4. Internodes 1.0–4.5 (–6.0) cm long; petioles 2–5 mm long; leaf-blades 3–9 × 1.5–6.5 cm; reticulate veinlets of lower leaf surface not close; pedicels ca. 4 mm long......................................................................................................................................................... ........................................... W. sousae (A. Fernandes & R. Fernandes 1972: 67) A.E. van Wyk in Coates Palgrave (2002: 19, 844)

- Internodes mostly 0.5–2.5 cm long; petioles 1–1.5 (–2) mm long; leaf-blades mostly 1.5–3.5 (–5.3) × 0.8–2.5 (–3.6) cm; reticulate veinlets as above or very close; pedicels absent or up to 3 mm long.................................................................................................5

5. Reticulate veinlets of lower leaf surface not close; pedicels in bud concealed by the bracts, becoming 0.5–1 mm long at anthesis and 1–2.2 (–3) mm long after anthesis ...................................................................... W. parvifolia R.D. Stone & Ntetha (2013: 320)

- Reticulate veinlets of lower leaf surface very close; pedicels absent (flowers and fruits sessile) ....................................................... ........................................................................ W. sessilicarpa (A. Fernandes & R. Fernandes 1974: 55) Jacques-Félix (1978: 234)