Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 755 No. 2: 8 May 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-05-08
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.755.2.8
Page range: 245-252
Abstract views: 0
PDF downloaded: 0

Trimelopter pterocarpum (Hyacinthaceae subfam. Ornithogaloideae), a new species from South Africa

Depto. de Ciencias Ambientales y Recursos Naturales (dCARN); Universidad de Alicante; P. O. Box 99; E-03080 Alicante; Spain; Selmar Schonland Herbarium; Department of Botany; Rhodes University; Makhanda; 6140; South Africa
Selmar Schonland Herbarium; Department of Botany; Rhodes University; Makhanda; 6140; South Africa
Depto. de Ciencias Ambientales y Recursos Naturales (dCARN); Universidad de Alicante; P. O. Box 99; E-03080 Alicante; Spain
Biodiversity Research; Assessment & Monitoring; South African National Biodiversity Institute; P.O. Box 52099; Berea Road 4007; South Africa
Asparagaceae Gamka-Karoo Scilloideae taxonomy Trimelopter sp. nov. Monocots

Abstract

Our field exploration in South Africa revealed an undescribed species of Trimelopter, sharing diagnostic characters of the genus, including a single flattened leaf, tepals thick-textured, with a darker longitudinal central band, visible on both sides and associated with three to five aggregated medial veins and ovary trilobed in transversal section, each lobe, which corresponds to one carpel, showing two longitudinal, prominent keels, giving a six angled appearance. However, the new species clearly differs from the currently known species in the genus by distinct morphological characters, such as the filaments distinctly pinched along the middle, the ovary showing very prominent winged keels, comparatively large capsules that are distinctly winged, and large seeds. Here we describe Trimelopter pterocarpum, a new species based on plants occurring in karroid regions in southern-central South Africa east of Xamdeboo [Aberdeen]. A complete morphological description of the new species as well as data on ecology, distribution and differences with related species is provided.

References

  1. Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2003) An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG II. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 141: 399–436. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1095-8339.2003.t01-1-00158.x
  2. Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2009) An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group Classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG III. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 161: 105–121. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8339.2009.00996.x
  3. Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2016) An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group Classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG IV. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 181: 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1111/boj.12385
  4. Archer, C. & Archer, R.H. (1999) A new species of Ornithogalum subgenus Urophyllon (Hyacinthaceae) from central South Africa and southern Namibia. South African Journal of Botany 65: 431–433. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0254-6299(15)31035-8
  5. Baker, J.G. (1870) Ornithogalum anomalum. Refugium Botanicum 3: t. 178.
  6. Baker, J.G. (1897) Liliaceae. In: Thiselton-Dyer, W.T. (Ed.) Flora Capensis 6 (3). Reeve and Co., London, pp. 253–525.
  7. Chase, M.W., Reveal, J.L. & Fay, M.F. (2009) A subfamilial classification for the expanded asparagalean families, Amaryllidaceae, Asparagaceae and Xanthorrhoeaceae. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 161: 132–136. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8339.2009.00999.x
  8. Dold, A.P. & Brink, E. (2004) Drimia chalumnensis (Hyacinthaceae‒Urgineoideae), a new species from Eastern Cape, South Africa. South African Journal of Botany 70: 631–634. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0254-6299(15)30202-7
  9. Dyer, R.A. (1931) New species of Ornithogalum and Albuca from Albany Division. Records of the Albany Museum 4: 111–114.
  10. IPNI (2026+) The international plant names index. Available from: http://www.ipni.org (accessed January 2026)
  11. Jacquin, N.J. (1793–95) Icones plantarum rariorum 2 (16). C.F. Wappler, Vindobonae [Wien], 255 pp.
  12. Jacquin, N.J. (1797) Observationes botanicae DXIX–DCLXXI. Collectaneorum Supplementum 5. Officina Wappleriana, Vindobonae [Wien], 220 pp.
  13. Leighton, F.M. (1944) A revision of the South African species of Ornithogalum. Journal of South African Botany 10: 82–122. https://doi.org/10.5962/p.388303
  14. Leistner, O.A. & Morris, J.W. (1976) Southern African place names. Annals of the Cape Provincial Museum 12: 1–565.
  15. Linnaeus, C. (1753) Species plantarum. Salvius, Stockholm, 1200 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.37656
  16. Linnaeus, C. (1762) Species plantarum ed. 2. Salvius, Stockholm, 784 pp.
  17. Manning, J.C., Goldblatt, P. & Fay, M.F. (2004) A revised generic synopsis of Hyacinthaceae in Sub-Saharan Africa, based on molecular evidence, including new combinations and the new tribe Pseudoprospereae. Edinburgh Journal of Botany 60: 533–568. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0960428603000404
  18. Manning, J.C., Forest, F., Dion, S.D., Fay, M.F. & Goldblatt, P. (2009) A molecular phylogeny and a revised classification of Ornithogaloideae (Hyacinthaceae) based on an analysis of four plastid DNA regions. Taxon 58 (1): 77–107. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.581011
  19. Martínez-Azorín, M., Crespo, M.B. & Juan, A. (2007) Taxonomic revision of Ornithogalum subg. Cathissa (Salisb.) Baker (Hyacinthaceae). Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid 64: 7–25. https://doi.org/10.3989/ajbm.2007.v64.i1.47
  20. Martínez-Azorín, M., Crespo, M.B. & Juan, A. (2009) Taxonomic revision of Ornithogalum subg. Beryllis (Hyacinthaceae) in the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. Belgian Journal of Botany 142: 140–162.
  21. Martínez-Azorín, M., Crespo, M.B., Juan, A. & Fay, M.F. (2011) Molecular phylogenetics of subfamily Ornithogaloideae (Hyacinthaceae) based on nuclear and plastid DNA regions, including a new taxonomic arrangement. Annals of Botany 107: 1–37. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcq207
  22. Martínez-Azorín, M., Crespo, M.B. & Dold, A.P. (2013) Trimelopter craibii (Hyacinthaceae, Ornithogaloideae), a new species from the North West Province of South Africa. Phytotaxa 87 (3): 50–60. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.87.3.3
  23. Martínez-Azorín, M., Dold, A.P., Pinter, M., Slade, J., Crespo, M.B., Milkuhn, G. & Wetschnig, W. (2015) Massonia obermeyerae (Asparagaceae, Scilloideae), a new species from South Africa. Phytotaxa 205 (1): 39–50. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.205.1.3
  24. Martínez-Azorín, M., Crespo, M.B., Alonso-Vargas, M.Á., Dold, A.P., Pinter, M. & Wetschnig, W. (2018) Austronea (Asparagaceae, Scilloideae), a new genus from southern Africa, including the description of seven new species. Phytotaxa 365 (2): 101–129. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.365.2.1
  25. Martínez-Azorín, M., Crespo, M.B., Pinter, M., Slade, J.M. & Wetschnig, W. (2019) Iosanthus (Hyacinthaceae subfam. Urgineoideae), a new genus from Southern Africa to include Ornithogalum toxicarium and its removal from Ornithogaloideae. Plant Biosystems 153: 580–588. [published online 18 December 2018] https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2018.1527793
  26. Martínez-Azorín, M., Crespo, M.B., Alonso, M.Á. & Pinter, M. (2020) Trimelopter crispolanatum (Asparagaceae, Scilloideae), a new species from Namaqualand, South Africa. Phytotaxa 447 (1): 73–76. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.447.1.8
  27. Martínez-Azorín, M., Dold, A.P., Crespo, M.B. & Alonso, M.Á. (2021) New combinations in Hyacinthaceae subfam. Ornithogaloideae. Phytotaxa 524 (1): 59–64. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.524.1.7
  28. Martínez-Azorín, M., Crespo, M.B., Alonso, M.Á., Pinter, M., Crouch, N.R., Dold, A.P., Mucina, L., Pfosser, M. & Wetschnig, W. (2023a) Molecular phylogenetics of subfamily Urgineoideae (Urgineoideae): Towards a coherent generic circumscription informed by molecular, morphological and distributional data. Journal of Systematics and Evolution 63 (1): 42–63. https://doi.org/10.1111/jse.12905
  29. Martínez-Azorín, M., Crespo, M.B., Alonso, M.Á., Pinter, M., Crouch, N.R., Dold, A.P., Mucina, L., Pfosser, M. & Wetschnig, W. (2023b) A generic monograph of the Hyacinthaceae subfam. Urgineoideae. Phytotaxa 610 (1): 001–143. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.610.1.1
  30. Martínez-Azorín, M., Paonessa, G., Zaalberg, B., Crespo, M.B. & Alonso-Vargas, M.Á. (2023c) Trimelopter cordifolium (Hyacinthaceae subfam. Ornithogaloideae), a new species from South Africa. Phytotaxa 620 (2): 167–174. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.620.2.4
  31. Mucina, L., Rutherford, M.C., Palmer, A.R., Milton, S.J., Scott, L., Lloyd, W., van der Merwe, B., Hoare, D., Bezuidenhout, H., Vlok, J.H.J., Euston-Brown, D.I.W., Powrie, L.W. & Dold, A.P. (2006) Nama-Karoo Biome. In: Mucina, L. & Rutherford, M.C. (Eds.) The Vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Strelitzia 19. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, South Africa, pp. 324–347.
  32. Müller-Doblies, U. & Müller-Doblies, D. (1996) Revisionula incompleta Ornithogalorum Austro-Africanorum (Hyacinthaceae). Feddes Repertorium 107: 361–548. https://doi.org/10.1002/fedr.19961070511
  33. Obermeyer, A.A. (1978) Ornithogalum: a revision of the southern African species. Bothalia 12: 323–376. https://doi.org/10.4102/abc.v12i3.1793
  34. Poellnitz, K. von (1944) Neue afrikanische Pflanzen. Berichte der Deutschen Botanischen Gesellschaft 61: 204–209.
  35. Speta, F. (1998a) Hyacinthaceae. In: Kubitzki, K. (Ed.) The families and genera of vascular plants, vol. 3. Springer, Berlin, pp. 261–285.
  36. Speta, F. (1998b) Systematische Analyse der Gattung Scilla L. s.l. (Hyacinthaceae). Phyton (Horn, Austria) 38 (1): 1–141.
  37. Speta, F. (2001) Die Echte und die Falsche Meerzwiebel: Charybdis Speta und Stellarioides Medicus (Hyacinthaceae), mit Neubeschreibungen und Neukombinationen im Anhang. Stapfia 75: 139–176.
  38. Rafinesque, C.S. (1837) Flora Telluriana 2. H. Probasco, Philadelphia, 112 pp.
  39. Retzius, A.J. (1781) Observationes botanicae: sex fasciculis comprehensae, fasc. 2. Siegfried Lebrecht Crusium, Lipsiae, 28 pp.
  40. Thiers, B. (2026+) Index Herbariorum: A global directory of public herbaria and associated staff. New York Botanical Garden's Virtual Herbarium. Available from: http://sweetgum.nybg.org/ih/ (accessed January 2026)

How to Cite

Martínez-Azorín, M., Dold, A.P., Crespo, M.B. & Crouch, N.R. (2026) Trimelopter pterocarpum (Hyacinthaceae subfam. Ornithogaloideae), a new species from South Africa. Phytotaxa 755 (2): 245–252. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.755.2.8