95. Renealmia capensis Houtt.,

Nat. Hist. II(8): Aanwyz. Plaat. [2], 335, tab. 47, fig. 1. 1777.

≡ Villarsia capensis (Houtt.) Merr. in J. Arnold Arbor. 19: 360. 1938.

Lectotypus (designated here by Veldkamp & Callmander): SOUTH AFRICA: Cape, Thunberg s.n. (G-PREL [G00074336]!; isolecto-: G-PREL [G00818091, G00818092]!, UPS-THUNB n° 4228 image seen).

= Menyanthes capensis Thunb., Prodr. Pl. Cap.: 34. 1794.

Typus: SOUTH AFRICA: Cape, Thunberg s.n. (holo-: UPS-THUNB n° 4228 image seen; iso-: G-PREL [G00074336, G00818091, G00818092]!).

Notes. – Original material of Renealmia capensis in Houttuyn’s Cape herbarium is designated here as the lectotype. It was very likely collected by Thunberg and also represents a duplicate of the type of the later name Menyanthes capensis Thunb. Two further specimens in the Burman herbarium in G-PREL were annotated by Thunberg as Menyanthes capensis and represent original material of both Houttuyn’s and Thunberg’s names. Menyanthes ovata L. f. (LINNAEUS f., 1782: 133) is also based on the same Thunberg collection at UPS-THUNB, but this name is superfluous, as well as the combination by VENTENAT (1803 - 1808: sub tab. 9): Villarsia ovata (L. f.) Vent. (CALLMANDER et al., 2017).

The generic Renealmia Houtt. was published by Houttuyn in 1777 (Nat. Hist. II(8): 335). Houttuyn noted “A new genus ... which I ... baptise with the name now available”. Up to the beginning of the 19th century botanists often regarded that a name placed in synonymy was then available for another use, a practice that is no longer allowed. The generic name Renealmia had previously been validated by LINNAEUS (1753: 286). Both are nom. rej. [against the nom. cons. of LINNAEUS f. (1782: 7)].