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Eriosema triformum (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae), a new unifoliolate species from Guinea, West Africa

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Summary

Eriosema triformum Burgt (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae), a new species from Guinea in West Africa, is described and illustrated. E. triformum is a pyrophytic herb with unifoliolate leaves, from submontane grassland at 1,250 – 1,600 m altitude. The species exhibits three phases during the year: a dormant phase during which only the underground tuber remains; a flowering and fruiting phase during which the plants are erect and 6 – 16 cm high; and a sterile, leafy phase during which the scrambling stems may grow to 60 cm length. E. triformum is only known from a 16 km long part of the Simandou Range, north and south of Pic de Fon. Most nearby mountain ranges in Guinea were visited to search for E. triformum. In 19 other localities, submontane grassland habitat was found; but E. triformum was not found. The IUCN conservation status is assessed as Endangered. A key to the 10 unifoliolate species of Eriosema from Guinea and surroundings is presented.

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Acknowledgements

The vegetation survey in the course of which the new species Eriosema triformum was discovered, was hosted and funded by Rio Tinto Iron Ore Atlantic Simfer S. A. John Merry, Leon Payne, Rhys Jenkins, Seydou Cissé, Thomas Williams, Jon Gillespie, Luciana Vega and Daniel Eason from the environment team of Rio Tinto, are thanked for supporting botanical research. Chantal Roy and Dominique Auger of SNC Lavalin provided logistical assistance. Permission to do botanical research in Guinea and to export botanical collections was given by Mrs Christine Sagno, Mr Bakary Keita and Mr Ansoumane Doumbouya of the Direction Nationale des Eaux et Forêts; Ministère de l’Environnement et du Développement Durable. The fieldwork was supported by Niakoye Camara of the National Herbarium of Guinea in Conakry; and Saliou Diallo, head of the NGO Guinée Ecologie. Martin Cheek from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, organised and supervised the vegetation survey; Sharon Laws, Tracy Irvine and Gemma Marchant from the same organisation also assisted with organising the vegetation survey. Melanie Thomas translated the diagnosis into Latin.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB, UK

    Xander M. van der Burgt

  2. Rio Tinto Iron Ore Atlantic Simfer S.A, Conakry, Guinea

    Pierre K. Haba

  3. Guinée Ecologie, Conakry, Guinea

    Pépé M. Haba & Alphonse S. Goman

Authors
  1. Xander M. van der Burgt
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  2. Pierre K. Haba
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  3. Pépé M. Haba
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  4. Alphonse S. Goman
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Correspondence to Xander M. van der Burgt.

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van der Burgt, X.M., Haba, P.K., Haba, P.M. et al. Eriosema triformum (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae), a new unifoliolate species from Guinea, West Africa. Kew Bull 67, 263–271 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-012-9357-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-012-9357-5

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