Heteromorpha Cham. & Schltdl. (1826: 385)

Winter, Pieter J. D., Tilney, Patricia M. & Wyk, Ben-Erik Van, 2017, Clarification of the concept of Aframmi (Heteromorpheae, Apiaceae) and a new monotypic genus, Normantha, Phytotaxa 298 (1), pp. 71-76 : 73

Heteromorpha Cham. & Schltdl. (1826: 385)

Aframmi C. Norman (1933: 236) , synon. nov. Type species: Aframmi angolense (C.Norman) C.Norman [≡ Carum angolense C.Norman ].

Heteromorpha gossweileri (C.Norman) C. Norman (1933: 236) . Basionym: Annesorhiza gossweileri C. Norman (1922: 118) . Type: Angola, Cubango, Menongue, Gossweiler 3405 (lectotype BM!, designated by Winter & Van Wyk 1996: 252; isolectotypes COI, K!, LISC). This species is illustrated in Van Wyk et al. (2013: 217)

Carum angolense C. Norman (1922: 118) ; H. Wolff in Engl. (1927: 371), synon. nov. Aframmi angolense (C.Norman) Norman (1933: 236) . Type: Angola, Huambo, Caconda , Gossweiler 4346 (holotype, BM!; isotype K!) .

Bupleurum angolense C. Norman (1933: 234) . Heteromorpha angolensis (C.Norman) C. Norman (1934: 206) . Type: Angola, Planalto de Malange, Kela, Gossweiler 9594 (lectotype BM!, designated by Winter & Van Wyk 1996: 253; isolectotypes K!, LISC).

The second species, A. longiradiatum , is known only from the type collection from the Kasanga River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo ( DRC). Unfortunately, Cannon (1978) confused this species with another, superficially similar plant from the border region between Zambia and Tanzania, east of Lake Tanganyika. Both these plants have long, slender rays and pedicels which may account for Cannon’s assertion that they were conspecific. Upon closer examination, it is evident that A. longiradiatum has sheathing leaf bases and linear ultimate leaf segments, while the Zambia-Tanzania plant has non-sheathing leaf bases and filiform ultimate leaf segments ( Fig. 1 ).

The sheathing leaf bases and narrowly triangular involucral bracts of A. longiradiatum superficially resemble those of Diplolophium zambesianum Hiern (1877: 18) . Closer investigation, however, shows the presence of calyx teeth, as well as a virtually glabrous ovary, thus eliminating the possibility that it could be a species of Diplolophium Turcz. (1847: 173) . Cannon (1978), apparently for convenience alone, applied a broad concept of Physotrichia longiradiatum H.Wolff to accommodate the second element where it occurs in the border region of Tanzania and Zambia. We find no reason at this stage to deviate from Wolff’s (1912) original placement of this species in Physotrichia because the fruits are not hairy, as is typical for Diplolophium .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Holotype of Normantha filiformis (Richards 5198, K) showing the divided, non-sheathing leaves with filiform segments and the slender peduncles and rays.