Abstract
Blepharis eilensis (Acanthaceae) is described as new to science. Blepharis eilensis belongs to subg. Acanthodium sect. Acanthodium. It is endemic to north-eastern Somalia, in the Nogal (Nugaal) region and is presently known only from the type collection. The species is compared with similar species from NE Africa (B. forgiarinii, B. diplodonta) and preliminary information on the ecology, distribution and conservation status of this new species is provided.
References
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<p>Mottram, R. (2018) The life and work of a botanical explorer: John Jacob Lavranos (1926–2018). <em>The Cactician</em> 12: i–ii, 1–57.</p>
<p>Obermeyer, A.A. (1937) The South African species of <em>Blepharis</em>. <em>Annals of the Transvaal Museum</em> 19: 105–139.</p>
<p>Olmstead, R. (2012 onwards) <em>A Synoptical Classification of the Lamiales</em>. Version 2.0. Available from: https://depts.washington.edu/phylo/classifications/Lamiales.html (Accessed 3 February 2022)</p>
<p>Plowes, D.C.H. (1993) A new account of <em>Echidnopsis</em> Hook.f. (Asclepiadaceae: Stapelieae). <em>Haseltonia</em> 1: 65–85.</p>
<p>POWO (2021) Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Available from: http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/ (Accessed 9 January 2022)</p>
<p>Rowley, G.D. (1974) Nomina Nova. <em>Repertorium Plantarum Succulentarum </em>23: 6–12.</p>
<p>Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 14, July 2017. Available from: http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/APweb/ (Accessed 3 February 2022)</p>
<p>Thulin, M. (2006)<em> Flora of Somalia 3</em>. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 626 pp.</p>
<p>Thulin, M. & Vollesen, K. (2015) <em>Blepharis gypsophila</em> (Acanthaceae), a new species from Ethiopia. <em>Kew Bulletin</em> 70 (2) 26: 1–3. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-015-9578-5</p>
<p>Ullah, S. & Gadain, H. (2016) <em>National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) of Somalia</em>. FAO-Somalia, 164 pp.</p>
<p>Vierhapper, F. (1906) Neue Pflanzen aus Sokotra, Abdal Kuri und Semhah. <em>Oesterreichische Botanische Zeitschrift</em> 56: 298–305. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01672394</p>
<p>Vollesen, K. (2000) <em>Blepharis</em> <em>(Acanthaceae) a taxonomic revision</em>. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 342 pp.</p>
<p>Vollesen, K. (2002) Three new species of <em>Blepharis</em> (Acanthaceae). <em>Kew Bulletin</em> 57 (2): 451–457. https://doi.org/10.2307/4111124</p>
<p>White, F. (1983) <em>The Vegetation of Africa</em>. UNESCO, Paris, 356 pp.</p>
<p>Anderson, T. (1867) An Enumeration of the Indian Species of Acanthaceae. <em>The Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Botany </em>9: 425–526. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8339.1867.tb01308.x</p>
<p>Baldesi, G. & Kilian, N. (2021) A new gypsicolous species of <em>Launea</em> (Asteraceae, Cichorieae) from north Somalia. <em>Phytotaxa</em> 501 (1): 195–200. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.501.1.11</p>
<p>Balfour, I.B. (1884) Diagnoses plantarum novarum Phanerogamarum Socotrensium. <em>Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh</em> 12: 76–98</p>
<p>Eaton, A. (1836) <em>Botanical dictionary</em>. 4th Ed. O. Steel, Albany, 125 pp.</p>
<p>Delile, A.R. (1813) <em>Description de l’Égypte</em>. <em>Histoire Naturelle</em>. <em>II (2)</em>. Imprimerie Imperiale, Paris, 320 pp.</p>
<p>Dumortier, B.-C. (1829) <em>Analyse des Familles de Plantes, avec l’indication des principaux genres qui s’y rattachent</em>. J. Casterman aîné, Tournay, 104 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.443</p>
<p>Fiori, A. (1915) Missione scientifica Stefanini-Paoli nella Somalia meridionale (1913)—Plantae Somalenses novae. <em>Bullettino della Società Botanica Italiana </em>1915: 49–59.</p>
<p>IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee (2019) G<em>uidelines for using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria</em>. Version 13. Available from: [http://www.iucnredlist.org/documents/RedListGuidelines.pdf]</p>
<p>de Jussieu, A.L. (1789) <em>Genera plantarum secundum ordinares naturales disposta</em>. Herissant et Theophilum Barrois, Paris, 499 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.284</p>
<p>Lavranos, J.J. (1971) Notes on the succulent flora of Northeast Africa and Southern Arabia. Part II. New species of Stapelieae from the Somali Republic. <em>Cactus and Succulent Journal</em> 43 (2): 60–67.</p>
<p>Lavranos, J.J. (1972) Notes on the succulent flora of north-east Africa and southern Arabia. <em>Cactus and Suculent Journal</em> 44: 257–261.</p>
<p>Lavranos, J.J. (1973) Three new Aloes from Somalia. <em>Cactus and Succulent Journal</em> 45: 114–119.</p>
<p>Lavranos, J.J. (1974) Notes on the succulent flora of north-east Africa and southern Arabia. Part II (continued). <em>Cactus and Succulent Journal</em> 46 (4): 181–185.</p>
<p>Leach, L.C. (1986) The identity of <em>Huernia</em> <em>concinna</em> and two new species from the Somali Republic. <em>Excelsa</em> 12: 93–98.</p>
<p>Lebrun, J.-P., Stork, A.L. & Wüest, J. (1991) Un <em>Blepharis</em> (Acanthaceae) nouveau de Somalie. <em>Bulletin du Museìum National d’Histoire Naturelle Section B, Adansonia, botanique, phytochimie </em>13 (1–2): 51–55.</p>
<p>Lindau, G. (1986) Contribuzioni alla conoscenza della flora dell’Africa orientale. V. Acanthaceae somalenses a DD. L. Bricchetti-Robecchi et Dr. Riva in Harrar et in Somalia lectae. <em>Annuario del Reale Istituto Botanico di Roma</em> 6: 67–83.</p>
<p>Lindau, G. (1894) Acanthaceae Africanae II. <em>Botanische</em> <em>Jaharbücher fur Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie </em>20 (1–2): 1–76.</p>
<p>Manzitto-Tripp, E.A., Darbyshire, I., Daniel, T.F., Kiel, C.A. & McDade, L.A. (2021) Revised classification of Acanthaceae and worldwide dichotomous keys. <em>Taxon</em> 71 (1): 103–153. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.12600</p>
<p>Mottram, R. (2017) The plant gatherings and other vouchers of John J. Lavranos: An interpreted checklist from 1954 to 2016 by John Lavranos & Roy Mottram. Part 2: List in alphabetic order. <em>The Cactician</em> 11: i–xiii, 1–883.</p>
<p>Mottram, R. (2018) The life and work of a botanical explorer: John Jacob Lavranos (1926–2018). <em>The Cactician</em> 12: i–ii, 1–57.</p>
<p>Obermeyer, A.A. (1937) The South African species of <em>Blepharis</em>. <em>Annals of the Transvaal Museum</em> 19: 105–139.</p>
<p>Olmstead, R. (2012 onwards) <em>A Synoptical Classification of the Lamiales</em>. Version 2.0. Available from: https://depts.washington.edu/phylo/classifications/Lamiales.html (Accessed 3 February 2022)</p>
<p>Plowes, D.C.H. (1993) A new account of <em>Echidnopsis</em> Hook.f. (Asclepiadaceae: Stapelieae). <em>Haseltonia</em> 1: 65–85.</p>
<p>POWO (2021) Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Available from: http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/ (Accessed 9 January 2022)</p>
<p>Rowley, G.D. (1974) Nomina Nova. <em>Repertorium Plantarum Succulentarum </em>23: 6–12.</p>
<p>Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 14, July 2017. Available from: http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/APweb/ (Accessed 3 February 2022)</p>
<p>Thulin, M. (2006)<em> Flora of Somalia 3</em>. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 626 pp.</p>
<p>Thulin, M. & Vollesen, K. (2015) <em>Blepharis gypsophila</em> (Acanthaceae), a new species from Ethiopia. <em>Kew Bulletin</em> 70 (2) 26: 1–3. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-015-9578-5</p>
<p>Ullah, S. & Gadain, H. (2016) <em>National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) of Somalia</em>. FAO-Somalia, 164 pp.</p>
<p>Vierhapper, F. (1906) Neue Pflanzen aus Sokotra, Abdal Kuri und Semhah. <em>Oesterreichische Botanische Zeitschrift</em> 56: 298–305. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01672394</p>
<p>Vollesen, K. (2000) <em>Blepharis</em> <em>(Acanthaceae) a taxonomic revision</em>. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 342 pp.</p>
<p>Vollesen, K. (2002) Three new species of <em>Blepharis</em> (Acanthaceae). <em>Kew Bulletin</em> 57 (2): 451–457. https://doi.org/10.2307/4111124</p>
<p>White, F. (1983) <em>The Vegetation of Africa</em>. UNESCO, Paris, 356 pp.</p>