Phyllanthus glaucophyllus var. alpestris, (Beille) Verwijs

Verwijs, J. I. M., Bouman, R. W. & Welzen, P. C. van, 2019, A taxonomic revision of Phyllanthus subgenus Macraea (Phyllanthaceae), Blumea 64 (3), pp. 231-252 : 240-241

b. var. alpestris (Beille) Verwijs , comb. & stat. nov.

Phyllanthus alpestris Beille (1908) 56; N.E.Br., Hutch.& Prain (1912) 712; Hutch. & Dalziel (1928) 291; Jean F. Brunel (1987) 299; Essou (2006) 575. — Type: AJB Chevalier 12907 (holo P), Guinea, Fouta Djallon.

Phyllanthus leonensis Hutch. (1917) 232; Hutch. & Dalziel (1928) 291. — Type: NW Thomas 580 (holo K), Sierra Leone, Sendugu .

Phyllanthus monticola Hutch. & Dalziel (1928) 291. — Syntypes: GF Scott­Elliot 5819 ( K), Sierra Leone, near Regent; GF Scott­Elliot 3962 ( K); CE Lane­Poole 424 ( K) .

Shrubs, 15‒100 cm high; branches minutely ridged, minutely pubescent or glabrous, brown; internodes 6‒12 mm long. Stipules 1‒2 by 0.3‒1 mm, base cordate. Leaves: petiole 1‒1.5 mm long; blade 12‒19 by 7.5‒13.5 mm, rarely much smaller on the distal branches, 1.4‒1.6 times longer than wide, discolorous, upper surface medium to dark green, underneath much paler, base subcordate, margin not thickened, revolute, apex rounded, obtuse or acute; midrib flat above, prominent underneath, lateral veins c. 5 per side, flat above, flat or prominent underneath. Staminate flowers 2‒5 together, 1.5‒2.5 mm diam; pedicel 2‒4 mm long; sepals 6, elliptic, c. 1.2 by 1 mm, green or yellow, sometimes with a white margin; disc glands bell-shaped, c. 0.2 mm diam, 0.2‒0.3 mm high; stamens c. 1 mm long, thecae 0.2‒0.3 mm long. Pistillate pedicel c. 6 mm long; sepals green or yellow, sometimes with white margin, apex obtuse, in two whorls, outer ones elliptic, c. 1.5 by 0.5 mm, inner ones ovate, c. 1.5 by 1 mm; disc 1.5‒2 mm diam; ovary c. 1.5 mm diam, c. 1 mm high; stigmas bifid for 3/4 of the length. Fruits 6‒8 mm diam, green; pedicel 6‒9 mm long; columella c. 1.5 mm long. Seeds c. 2.5 by 2 mm, verrucate, light brown, verrucae circular, randomly placed or in indistinct longitudinal lines.

Distribution — Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast. One specimen was found in Bénin, and one in Ethiopia, the latter is most likely introduced.

Habitat & Ecology — In grasslands, savannahs, on mountains and slopes, often in rocky areas. Altitude: 100‒2000 m. Flowering and fruiting all year round.