Vera-Duthiea, Speta, 2016

Martínez-Azorín, Mario, Crespo, Manuel B., Alonso-Vargas, María Á., Dold, Anthony P., Crouch, Neil R., Pfosser, Martin, Mucina, Ladislav, Pinter, Michael & Wetschnig, Wolfgang, 2019, New combinations in the tribe Urgineeae (Asparagaceae subfam. Scilloideae) with comments on contrasting taxonomic treatments, Phytotaxa 397 (4), pp. 291-299 : 296

Combinations in Vera-duthiea

Based on morphology, biogeography and phylogenetic data, Martínez-Azorín et al. (2018c) showed that Vera-duthiea is a distinct African genus, recently identified from southern Africa following the description of V. zebrina Martínez-Azorín et al. (2018c: 285) . Manning & Goldblatt (2018) described Drimia vespertina Manning & Goldblatt (2018: 65) for plants occurring in Kaokoland in northwestern Namibia, but which match Vera-duthiea in morphology. We accordingly provide below the necessary new combination.

Urginea amboensis Baker (1903: 665) and Albuca reflexa K.Krause & Dinter in Krause (1914: 445) were also described from northern Namibia and are similar to V. vespertina , but type material and the protologues of these taxa are insufficient to allow a credible taxonomic assessment. Further studies are required in the field and in herbaria to elucidate the relationships among these taxa.

Manning & Goldblatt (2009, 2018) accepted Drimia indica ( Roxburgh 1832: 147) Jessop (1977: 272) as occurring in southern Africa and included U. zambesiaca Baker (1873b: 223) , U. amboensis and Albuca reflexa as synonyms. Our phylogenetic studies (Fig. 3 in Martínez-Azorín et al. 2018b) reveal that samples from southwestern Asia belong to Indurgia Speta (2001: 169) and those superficially similar plants from Africa, to which the name D. indica has been misapplied, are included for the most part in Vera-duthiea . Moreover, the concept of Drimia indica by Manning & Goldblatt (2018) is overly broad as it also includes the collections Pooley 661 (NU!) and Moll 4309 (PRE!) from northeastern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. These collections represent two different genera: the former corresponds to Zingela pooleyorum Crouch et al. (2018: 36) while the latter is known as Vera-duthiea zebrina ( Martínez-Azorín et al. 2018c: 285) . Both taxa are quite distinct morphologically and ecologically as well as from the molecular-phylogenetic point of view (M. Martínez-Azorín and collaborators, in preparation). Crouch et al. (2018) discussed the history of their treatment in herbaria and literature.

Here we transfer to Vera-duthiea five species described from west-central Africa and southern Africa and which fit the morphology and biogeography of this genus, to facilitate future taxonomic work.

Vera-duthiea amboensis (Baker) Mart. -Azorín, M.B.Crespo, M.Pinter & Wetschnig comb. nov. ≡ Urginea amboensis Baker (1903: 665) , basionym. Type: ― NAMIBIA: Ondangua (1715): ‘Ondonga’, (–DD), Rautanen 773 (holotype, Z000102325).

Vera-duthiea reflexa (K.Krause & Dinter) Mart. -Azorín, M.B.Crespo, M.Pinter & Wetschnig comb. nov. ≡ Albuca reflexa K.Krause & Dinter in Krause (1914: 445), basionym. Type: ― NAMIBIA: Tsumeb (1917): ‘Nord-Hereroland, bei Tsumeb’, (–BA), Dinter 2694 (lectotype designated by Manning & Goldblatt (2018), or perhaps holotype: SAM0073723! [2 cross referenced sheets] Art. 8.2 Ex. 4 of the ICN).

Vera-duthiea salmonea (Berhaut) Mart. - Azorín, M.B. Crespo, M. Pinter & Wetschnig comb. nov. ≡ Urginea salmonea Berhaut (1967: 428) , basionym. Type (lectotype, designated here): ― SENEGAL: Mbao, 15 June 1954, Berhaut 1682 ( P00349754 !; isolectotype, P00349756 !; syntypes: P00349752 !, P00349753 !, P00349755 !).

Although Berhaut (1967) indicated the existence of the type collection U. salmonea at P under the number 1682, which would represent the holotype, two sheets belonging to Berhaut 1682 currently exist at P with different P barcode numbers, and therefore we select here a lectotype.

Vera-duthiea sebirii (Berhaut) Mart. -Azorín, M.B.Crespo, M.Pinter & Wetschnig comb. nov. ≡ Urginea sebirii Berhaut (1954: 7) , basionym. Type (lectotype, perhaps holotype, designated here): ― SENEGAL: in “savane boisée” Ngasobil, June-July 1951, Berhaut 461 (P00349746!).

Vera-duthiea vespertina (J.C.Manning & Goldblatt) Mart. -Azorín, M.B.Crespo, M.Pinter & Wetschnig comb. nov. ≡ Drimia vespertina Manning & Goldblatt (2018: 65) , basionym. Type: ― NAMIBIA: Sesfontein (1913): Khowarib Gorge, (–BD), only the flowered material ex hort on 29 April 1991, P. Bruyns 4066 (holotype, NBG).