taxonID	type	description	language	source
03BC87C5FFD63974A363FBBDFC72FDF1.taxon	materials_examined	Type: São Tomé & Príncipe. São Tomé, without precise locality or date (fr.), Don s. n. (holo-, K [K 000199556]).	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD63974A363FBBDFC72FDF1.taxon	materials_examined	Type: Angola. Cuanza Norte, Cabiri, 1. VII. 1921 (male fl.), Gossweiler 8328 (holo-, K [K 000199528, K 000199529]).	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD63974A363FBBDFC72FDF1.taxon	distribution	DISTRIBUTION. — This species has a very scattered distribution in NW coastal Gabon (around Libreville), coastal Republic of Congo (mouth of Kouilou River), northern Angola, and the north of São Tomé island (Fig. 2).	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD63974A363FBBDFC72FDF1.taxon	biology_ecology	HABITAT. — Littoral thickets, edge of mangroves, and forest islands in savanna, often associated with rocky outcrops (especially of limestone), 0 - 1200 m in elevation; often gregarious, sometimes even dominant in its habitat. PHENOLOGY. — Flowers collected in January, March to July, and September to November, probably all year round; fruits in November.	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD63974A363FBBDFC72FDF1.taxon	materials_examined	OTHER STUDIED MATERIAL. — Angola. Granja de S. Luiz, Cazengo, 21. XI. 1917 (fr.), Gossweiler 5260 (BM); towards Caçaça, Granja de S. Luiz, Cazengo, 9. XI. 1919 (fl. buds), Gossweiler 5636 (BM); Cassualala, Cuanza Norte, 22. V. 1921 (male fl. buds), Gossweiler 8311 (BM, P 06600613); Cuanza Norte, Castendo, 16. X. 1922 (bisexual fl.), Gossweiler 8437 (BM, BR); Hochland von Quela, 1200 m, IX. 1938 (male fl.), Nolde 827 (BM).	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD63974A363FBBDFC72FDF1.taxon	materials_examined	Republic of the Congo. Bas-Kouilou, 2. I. 1991 (st.), Dowsett-Lemaire 1496 (BR); Bas-Kouilou, 19. IV. 1991 (male fl. buds), Dowsett- Lemaire 1583 (BR). Gabon. c. 12 km NE of Libreville, Forêt de la Mondah, 0 ° 33 ’ N, 9 ° 22 ’ E, 28. I. 1986 (male fl.), J. M. & B. Reitsma 1775 (LBV, P 06600589, WAG); c. 6 km NE Malibé, 0 ° 35 ’ N, 9 ° 26 ’ E, 20. XII. 1986 (fr.), J. M. & B. Reitsma 2742 (LBV, WAG); North of Libreville on Cape Esterias road, 0 ° 35 ’ N, 9 ° 25 ’ E, 14. VII. 1986 (male fl. buds), D. W. Thomas & Wilks 6350 (LBV, WAG); Rivière Maliba, 26. III. 1969 (male fl.), Villiers 54 (P 06600612); Rivière Maliba, 11. VI. 1969 (male fl.), Villiers 111 (P 06600614); village Maliba, 23. IX. 1969 (male fl.), Villiers 337 (P 06600610). São Tomé. near Morro Carregado, N coast, 0 ° 25 ’ N, 6 ° 37 ’ E, 13. II. 1980 (fr.), J. J. F. E. de Wilde et al. 448 (BR, WAG); chemin entre Plancas 1 et Ribeira Funda, 0 ° 22.075 ’ N, 6 ° 35.784 ’ E, 25. X. 2019 (st.), Lachenaud et al. 2745 (MO, STPH); côte Nord, c. 0,75 km à l’est de Lagoa Azul vers Morro Peixe, 0 ° 24.379 ’ N, 6 ° 36.961 ’ E, 28. X. 2019 (fr. imm.), Lachenaud et al. 2768 (BR, BRLU, COI, MO, STPH); without locality or date (fr.), Oliveira 1657 (BRLU); Morro Barro Vermelho, 250 m, 10. I. 1997 (st.), Oliveira F 33 (BRLU); Lobata, Lagoa Azul, Imbondeiros, zona norte da Praia das Conchas, 9. III. 2018 (fl. buds), Paiva et al. 288 (COI); without locality or date (st.), Welwitsch 6762 (BM).	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD63974A363FBBDFC72FDF1.taxon	biology_ecology	PRELIMINARY CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT. — Near-threatened. Vepris africana, comb. nov. is a shrub occurring in Central Africa (São Tomé, Gabon, Congo Republic and Angola) in dry or littoral forest habitats, often on rocky outcrops, from sea level to 1200 m in elevation. It is known from 22 herbarium specimens, five of which were not taken into account for this assessment since their localities are either missing or untraceable. Based on the remaining 17 specimens, its extent of occurrence (EOO) is estimated to be 369480 km ² (far exceeding the limit for Vulnerable status under criterion B 1) and its area of occupancy (AOO) to be 48 km ², within the limit for Endangered status under criterion B 2. These collections represent twelve unique occurrences, eight subpopulations, and eleven locations in the sense of IUCN. Only one occurrence is protected in the Raponda-Walker Arboretum (Gabon), and most of the rest, especially in São Tomé and Gabon, occurs in areas where deforestation for agriculture, charcoal production, and urban expansion is strong, leading to an observed decline in the extent and quality of the habitat and number of individuals. The number of locations (eleven) is just above the limit for Vulnerable status under the conditions B 2 ab (iii, v), and because some of them are likely to disappear in the near future, the species is assessed as Near-threatened.	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD63974A363FBBDFC72FDF1.taxon	description	DESCRIPTION Shrub 1 - 5 m high, much branched; all parts with slight citrus smell when crushed. Twigs Cylindrical, 2 - 2.5 mm thick, glabrous, soon covered with a pale grey bark, with scattered lenticels. Leaves Alternate or sometimes opposite near the apex of the twigs, unifoliolate, entirely glabrous; petiole 0.4 - 3 (- 5) cm long, canaliculate above, slightly bipulvinate, articulate at apex; lamina elliptic to slightly oblanceolate, 5.5 - 18.5 × 1.7 - 7.4 cm, cuneate at base, acuminate at apex, ± coriaceous, drying olive green to grey-brown; midrib slightly convex above; secondary veins 16 - 23 pairs, weak and hardly distinct from the tertiaries, hardly ascending, forming regular arches 1 - 3.5 mm from leaf margin; tertiary and quaternary veins concolorous and prominent on lower leaf surface, the former parallel to the secondaries, the latter reticulate forming areolae c. 1 mm wide; glandular dots dense and rather conspicuous on lower leaf surface, 2 - 5 per mm ². Flowers Androdioecious. Male inflorescences Axillary on young leafy twigs, 3 - 6 cm long, paniculate with flowers borne in distant glomerules along divaricate lateral branches up to 3 cm long, the axes glabrous to puberulous; bracts ovate, minute, <0.5 mm long. Male flowers 4 - merous; pedicel absent or very short, 0 - 0.5 mm, glabrous; calyx cupular, 1 - 1.3 × 1 - 1.2 mm, truncate or with minute rounded lobes, glabrous except ciliolate margin; bud ellipsoid, c. 1 × 0.7 mm, rounded at apex; petals free, narrowly oblong, 2.5 - 3 × 0.7 - 1 mm, rounded at apex, glabrous, patent to reflexed at anthesis; stamens 4, glabrous, with linear filaments c. 1.5 mm long and elliptic anthers c. 0.6 × 0.4 mm; intrastaminal disk absent; pistillode c. 2.3 mm long, linear with inflated base, glabrous. Bisexual inflorescences Axillary and sometimes terminal on young leafy twigs, 0.5 - 8 cm long, racemose or sometimes paniculate with short ramifications <0.5 cm long, with flowers condensed in ± distant glomerules along the axes, the latter with short and sparse patent hairs; bracts minute, triangular to ovate, c. 0.5 mm. Bisexual flowers 4 - merous, sessile; calyx cupular, 1.2 - 1.5 × 1.5 - 1.8 mm, truncate or with minute rounded lobes, glabrous except ciliolate margin; bud ellipsoid, c. 2 × 1.3 mm, rounded at apex; petals free or nearly so, narrowly ovate, 2 - 2.7 × 0.7 - 1.2 mm, rounded at apex, glabrous, patent to reflexed at anthesis; stamens 4, similar to those of male flowers but with thicker filaments; ovary 1 - locular, subcylindrical, c. 1.5 × 0.8 mm, glabrous, the apex truncate with a broad sessile discoid stigma c. 0.8 mm broad. Fruits Orange, ellipsoid to subglobose, 6 - 12 × 6 - 8 mm when dry (up to 15 × 12 mm in life), smooth, glabrous, sessile, with persistent stigma; pericarp very thin, c. 0.2 mm thick when dry; endocarp thinly crustaceous, c. 0.2 mm thick; seed solitary. REMARKS Vepris africana, comb. nov. is unusual for the genus in being apparently androdioecious: in both types of flowers the anthers are present and produce normal pollen; the ovary is normally developed in bisexual flowers but reduced to a pistillode in male flowers. The species is very similar to V. unifoliolata (Baill.) Labat, M. Pignal & O. Pascal [syn. V. punctata (I. Verd.) Mziray] from the Comoros and Madagascar, which appears to differ only in its truly dioecious flowers – the female ones lacking anthers – and glabrous calyx margin. The differences between the two taxa are rather slight, in spite of their wide geographic disjunction, and they might perhaps be treated as subspecies of a single species – in which case V. africana, comb. nov. is the older name. The distribution of V. africana, comb. nov. is rather unusual, but no significant differences could be found between the collections from São Tomé (with fruits only), Gabon and Congo (with male flowers and fruits) and Angola (with fruits and both flower types). The occurrence of the species in São Tomé, a recent volcanic island never connected to the continent, probably originates from dispersal by frugivorous birds, or possibly by marine currents since the plant often grows near the coast. There is no reason to suspect an introduction by man, since it is not a ruderal plant and not reported to be cultivated. The original publication of Teclea gossweileri (Verdoorn 1926) does not specify the herbarium of deposit of the type, Gossweiler 8328. However, there appears to be only one specimen of this number in Kew (consisting of two sheets labelled Sheet I and Sheet II) which is therefore to be regarded as the holotype. No sheet of this number was found in BM, and Exell & Mendonça (1951: 271) report none from Portuguese herbaria, from which they studied the material for their treatment. One of the Angolan collections (Gossweiler 4799) referred to this species by Exell & Mendonça (1951, as Teclea gossweileri) actually represents Vepris welwitschii; see under that species. Differences between V. africana, comb. nov., V. laurifolia (Hutch. & Dalziel) O. Lachenaud, comb. nov. and V. welwitschii are summarised in Table 1.	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD63974A363FBBDFC72FDF1.taxon	discussion	REMARKS Vepris africana, comb. nov. is unusual for the genus in being apparently androdioecious: in both types of flowers the anthers are present and produce normal pollen; the ovary is normally developed in bisexual flowers but reduced to a pistillode in male flowers. The species is very similar to V. unifoliolata (Baill.) Labat, M. Pignal & O. Pascal [syn. V. punctata (I. Verd.) Mziray] from the Comoros and Madagascar, which appears to differ only in its truly dioecious flowers – the female ones lacking anthers – and glabrous calyx margin. The differences between the two taxa are rather slight, in spite of their wide geographic disjunction, and they might perhaps be treated as subspecies of a single species – in which case V. africana, comb. nov. is the older name.	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD63974A363FBBDFC72FDF1.taxon	distribution	The distribution of V. africana, comb. nov. is rather unusual, but no significant differences could be found between the collections from São Tomé (with fruits only), Gabon and Congo (with male flowers and fruits) and Angola (with fruits and both flower types). The occurrence of the species in São Tomé, a recent volcanic island never connected to the continent, probably originates from dispersal by frugivorous birds, or possibly by marine currents since the plant often grows near the coast. There is no reason to suspect an introduction by man, since it is not a ruderal plant and not reported to be cultivated.	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD63974A363FBBDFC72FDF1.taxon	discussion	The original publication of Teclea gossweileri (Verdoorn 1926) does not specify the herbarium of deposit of the type, Gossweiler 8328. However, there appears to be only one specimen of this number in Kew (consisting of two sheets labelled Sheet I and Sheet II) which is therefore to be regarded as the holotype. No sheet of this number was found in BM, and Exell & Mendonça (1951: 271) report none from Portuguese herbaria, from which they studied the material for their treatment. One of the Angolan collections (Gossweiler 4799) referred to this species by Exell & Mendonça (1951, as Teclea gossweileri) actually represents Vepris welwitschii; see under that species. Differences between V. africana, comb. nov., V. laurifolia (Hutch. & Dalziel) O. Lachenaud, comb. nov. and V. welwitschii are summarised in Table 1.	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD5397AA396FD1FFE93FC4E.taxon	materials_examined	Type: Guinea (see note). Ninia, Talla Hills, 17. II. 1892 (imm. fr.), Scott-Elliott 4806 (holo-, BM [BM 000798360]).	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD5397AA396FD1FFE93FC4E.taxon	materials_examined	Type: Liberia. Central Province, c. 5 km SE of Zuole, 2. IV. 1962 (male fl.), J. J. F. E. de Wilde & Voorhoeve 3754 (holo-, WAG; iso-, A n. v., B n. v., BR, K [K 000800952], P n. v.).	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD5397AA396FD1FFE93FC4E.taxon	distribution	DISTRIBUTION. — This species occurs in a few scattered localities in southern Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and extreme western Ivory Coast (Fig. 2).	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD5397AA396FD1FFE93FC4E.taxon	biology_ecology	HABITAT. — Primary and secondary forest, sometimes in galleries, up to 543 m in altitude.	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD5397AA396FD1FFE93FC4E.taxon	biology_ecology	PHENOLOGY. — Flowers from October to December and in April- May; fruits in May (very young ones in February).	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD5397AA396FD1FFE93FC4E.taxon	biology_ecology	PRELIMINARY CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT. — Vulnerable [VU B 2 ab (ii, iii, iv, v)]. Vepris laurifolia (Hutch. & Dalziel) O. Lachenaud, comb. nov. is a shrub occurring in lowland forest from coastal Guinea to western Ivory Coast. It is known from ten herbarium specimens collected between 1892 and 2019, one of which was not considered for this assessment since its locality cannot be precisely traced. Based on the remaining nine collections, its extent of occurrence (EOO) is estimated to be 45 737 km ² (exceeding the limit for Vulnerable status under criterion B 1) and its area of occupancy (AOO) to be 36 km ², within the limit for Endangered status under criterion B 2. These collections represent nine unique occurrences, six subpopulations, and seven locations in the sense of IUCN. Only one subpopulation is protected in the Forêt Classée de Ziama (Guinea), while most of the rest occurs in areas where deforestation for agriculture is apparent from satellite images, and one in Sierra Leone is to be flooded by the construction of a dam. A decline in the extent and quality of habitat, AOO, number of subpopulations and number of individuals is therefore expected. Based on this decline and the low number of locations (seven), the species qualifies for Vulnerable status under the conditions B 2 ab (ii, iii, iv, v).	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD5397AA396FD1FFE93FC4E.taxon	materials_examined	OTHER STUDIED MATERIAL. — Guinea. Sérédou, 2. XII. 1964 (male & female fl.), Fora 20 (BR); Benna, XI. 1937 (male fl.), Jacques-Félix 2096 (P 06601076, P 06601077); vallée du Badabou, au pied du Kakoulima, X. 1954 (fl. buds), Schnell 7568 (K); Forêt Ziama, 7. XII. 2019 (male fl. buds), Yarwoah & Konaté 192 (BRLU n. v., MO, P n. v., SERG n. v.).	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD5397AA396FD1FFE93FC4E.taxon	biology_ecology	Sierra Leone. SE of Fadugu, along Seli (Rokel) River, just downstream of proposed dam near Yiben village, 9 ° 19 ’ 43.4 ” N, 11 ° 41 ’ 14.8 ” W, 23. IV. 2014 (fl. buds), van der Burgt et al. 1861 (K, P 00784732); SE of Fadugu, along Seli (Rokel) River, 3 km upstream of proposed dam (to be flooded), 9 ° 18 ’ 39.5 ” N, 11 ° 41 ’ 25.6 ” W, 24. IV. 2014 (st.), van der Burgt et al. 1862 (K); along the Seli River, E of Fadugu, upstream of Yiben village, 9 ° 19 ’ 48.1 ” N, 11 ° 41 ’ 25.6 ” W, 23. V. 2014 (female fl. & fr.), Momoh 96 (K, WAG). Ivory Coast. 16 km SW of Toulepleu, 6 ° 28 ’ N, 8 ° 31 ’ W, 9. IX. 1975 (fr.), Beentje 936 (WAG).	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD5397AA396FD1FFE93FC4E.taxon	description	DESCRIPTION Shrub 1 - 4 m high, ramose. Twigs Cylindrical, c. 2 mm thick, puberulous to glabrous. Leaves Alternate or often opposite, simple; petiole (0.2 -) 0.5 - 2.7 cm long, canaliculate above or subterete, usually bipulvinate, not articulate at apex, puberulous to glabrous; lamina elliptic, (5.5 -) 8 - 26 × (2 -) 2.6 - 7.6 cm, acute to obtuse at base, acuminate at apex, ± coriaceous, entirely glabrous, drying dull greyish-green above and yellowish green below; midrib slightly canaliculate above; secondary veins 9 - 18 pairs, only slightly more apparent than tertiaries, inserted almost at a right angle to the midrib and forming regular arches 1 - 5 mm from the leaf margin; tertiary veins concolorous and prominent on lower leaf surface, reticulate, forming areolae 1.5 - 2 mm wide; glandular dots dense, conspicuous to hardly distinct on lower leaf surface, 2 - 5 per mm ². Flowers Dioecious. Male inflorescences Terminal or axillary, 1 - 3 cm long, 6 - to 30 - flowered, thyrsoid with flowers borne in (sometimes very short) lateral cymules, the axes puberulous; bracts linear to narrowly triangular, 0.7 - 1.5 mm long. Male flowers 4 - merous; pedicel 1 - 2 mm long, puberulous or glabrous; calyx cupular, 0.5 × 2 mm, with slightly angular and ciliolate margin, otherwise glabrous; bud subglobose to depressed-ovate, 1.5 - 2 × 1.5 - 2.5 mm, acute to obtuse at apex; petals ovate, 2.5 - 4 × 1.5 - 1.7 mm, free to connate at base, slightly acute at apex, glabrous, erect at anthesis; stamens 8, glabrous, with linear filaments c. 1.5 mm long and elliptic anthers c. 0.6 × 0.4 mm; intrastaminal disk 8 - crenate in outline, c. 1.5 mm in diameter, densely hirsute; pistillode shortly umbonate, <1 mm long. Female inflorescences Terminal or axillary, 1 - 2.5 cm long, 7 - 8 - flowered, racemose or paniculate with very short ramifications <0.1 cm long, the flowers well apart from each other, the axes puberulous; bracts triangular, 0.5 - 0.8 mm. Female flowers 4 - merous; pedicel 1.5 - 4.5 mm long; calyx cupular, 0.8 - 1 × 2 - 2.5 mm, slightly angular with margin often splitting, glabrous except ciliolate margin; bud not seen; petals ovate, 4 - 5 × 1.3 - 2 mm, free to connate at base, acute at apex, glabrous, erect at anthesis; stamens apparently absent; ovary 4 - locular with fused carpels, 4 - lobed in outline, obovoid to subglobose, 1.4 - 2 × 1.5 - 1.7 mm, pubescent with stiff appressed hairs, with a shortly stipitate 4 - lobed stigma 0.7 - 1.3 × 1 - 1.5 mm. Fruits Orange, broader than long and slightly 4 - lobed, 11 - 14 × 17 - 19 mm, glabrous, finely depressed-punctate, on pedicel 3 - 4 mm long; pericarp c. 0.5 mm thick when dry; seed solitary, c. 10 × 8 mm, with endocarp thinly crustaceous, reticulate and adhering to the pericarp. REMARKS For illustrations of this species see Breteler (1995) and Hawthorne & Jongkind (2006). The petals of male flowers were originally described as connate at base (Breteler 1995) but in Fora 20 appear to be quite free; a similar variation is seen in the female flowers. The type locality of V. laurifolia (Hutch. & Dalziel) O. Lachenaud, comb. nov., Ninia, which cannot be traced precisely, lies in Guinea (Gledhill 1969: 427) and not in Sierra Leone as originally cited by Hutchinson & Dalziel (1927). However, the species does occur in Sierra Leone, where it has been recently collected.	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFD5397AA396FD1FFE93FC4E.taxon	discussion	REMARKS For illustrations of this species see Breteler (1995) and Hawthorne & Jongkind (2006). The petals of male flowers were originally described as connate at base (Breteler 1995) but in Fora 20 appear to be quite free; a similar variation is seen in the female flowers. The type locality of V. laurifolia (Hutch. & Dalziel) O. Lachenaud, comb. nov., Ninia, which cannot be traced precisely, lies in Guinea (Gledhill 1969: 427) and not in Sierra Leone as originally cited by Hutchinson & Dalziel (1927). However, the species does occur in Sierra Leone, where it has been recently collected.	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFDB3979A125FBBCFCEBFE50.taxon	materials_examined	Type: Angola. in montibus petrosis supra Tandambando, IX. 1854 (fr.), Welwitsch 471 (lecto-, LISU [LISU 206243], here designated). — Syntypes: Angola. inter Camutamba et Quicando, IX. 1857 (fr. imm.), Welwitsch 471 (syn-, LISU [LISU 206244]); locality and date unclear (see notes), Welwitsch 471 (syn-, BM [BM 000798355]); “ Zenza do Golungo “, IX. 1854 (fr. imm.), Welwitsch 471 (syn-, PRE [PRE 0601859 - 0]); no locality or date (fr. imm.), Welwitsch 471 (syn-, COI [COI 00097048]).	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFDB3979A125FBBCFCEBFE50.taxon	materials_examined	Type: Angola. Serra do Socollo-Undui between Ambriz and Lifuni river, 11. XII. 1907 (fr.), Gossweiler 4895 (lecto-, K [K 000199522, K 000199523], here designated; isolecto-, BM, COI [COI 00040965]).	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFDB3979A125FBBCFCEBFE50.taxon	distribution	DISTRIBUTION. — Endemic to northern Angola (Fig. 2).	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFDB3979A125FBBCFCEBFE50.taxon	biology_ecology	HABITAT. — Xerophytic vegetation on limestone outcrops, up to 800 m in altitude.	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFDB3979A125FBBCFCEBFE50.taxon	biology_ecology	PHENOLOGY. — Flower buds in September; fruits in September (immature) and October. PRELIMINARY CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT. — Endangered [EN B 2 ab (iii)]. Vepris welwitschii is a shrub endemic to Angola and occurring in xerophytic vegetation on limestone outcrops. It is known from seven specimens collected between 1854 and 1929, four of which were not considered for this assessment since their localities are either too vague or not traceable. Based on the remaining three collections, its extent of occurrence (EOO) is estimated to be 14 092 km ² (within the limit for Vulnerable status under criterion B 1) and its area of occupancy (AOO) to be 12 km ², within the limit for Endangered status under criterion B 2. These collections represent three unique occurrences, three subpopulations, and three locations in the sense of IUCN. None of these occur in protected areas, and most are threatened by deforestation for agriculture and / or charcoal production (apparent from satellite images), leading to an expected decline in the extent and quality of the habitat. Because of this decline, and the small number of locations (three), the species qualifies for Endangered status under the conditions B 2 ab (iii). Since the area where it occurs has not been explored botanically in recent times, field work is critical for more precise information about the species’ range and state of conservation.	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFDB3979A125FBBCFCEBFE50.taxon	materials_examined	OTHER STUDIED MATERIAL. — Angola. Vale de Cao, 26. X. 1903 (fr.), Gossweiler 1493 (BM, P 06600651); Cuanza Norte, without precise locality, no date (fr.), Gossweiler 4799 (COI p. p., see notes above); Vale do Zando, Cazengo, 800 m, 22. IX. 1921 (fl. buds), Gossweiler 8915 (BM); Catete, 1929 (fr.), Gossweiler 9173 (BM, COI).	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
03BC87C5FFDB3979A125FBBCFCEBFE50.taxon	discussion	REMARKS This species is still known from incomplete material only, no mature flowers having been collected; according to Welwitsch the fruits are black, which is unusual in the genus (they are more commonly red or orange), and the leaves are dry even in the fresh state. It is not to be confused with Teclea welwitschii (Hiern) I. Verd. (Verdoorn 1926: 408) [basionym: Zanthoxylum welwitschii Hiern (1896: 114)], which is a synonym of Vepris grandifolia (Engl.) Mziray, a trifoliolate species. The original description of Glycosmis welwitschii mentions a single collection, Welwitsch 471, but two different localities and dates: “ on dry bushy rocky hills between Camutanda [Camutamba] and Quicanda, in young fr. Sept. 1857; also in mountainous rocky situations above Tandambondo, in young fr. Sept. 1854 ”. It is known that Welwitsch commonly grouped under the same number collections from different places that he considered conspecific (Albuquerque et al. 2009). One of the sheets in LISU, which has fruits better developed than the other and an unequivocal indication of locality in Welwitsch’s handwriting, is here selected as lectotype; other sheets of the same number should be regarded as syntypes. The sheet in BM bears two contradictory indications of localities and dates – corresponding to those given in the protologue – so its exact origin is unclear. Exell’s (1929) transfer of Glycosmis welwitschii Hiern to the genus Vepris was overlooked by Stone (1985: 23) who in his monograph of Glycosmis treated this species as imperfectly known and commented “ this is almost certainly G. parviflora run wild as a naturalized plant here as in São Tomé island ”. This is actually not the case: while the Asian Glycosmis parviflora (Sims) Little is occasionally cultivated in Africa – Stone (1985: 15) cites one collection from Angola and the first author has seen two from the Democratic Republic of Congo – it does not seem to have naturalised anywhere, has never been recorded from São Tomé (as far as we know) and is in any way quite different from Vepris welwitschii, which is certainly a native African species. The original description of V. gossweileri I. Verd. (Verdoorn 1926) does not specify the herbarium of deposit of the type, Gossweiler 4895, but the locality cited, “ Loanda: Cazengo ”, is a strong indication that the specimen in Kew (consisting of two parts labelled Sheet I and Sheet II) was the one studied; the sheets in BM and COI bear a more precise indication of locality. Accordingly the Kew specimen is here designated as lectotype. The specimen Gossweiler 4799 is a mixture of two different species. One sheet in BM and two in COI [COI 00040957, COI 00040958] represent the trifoliolate species V. grandifolia (Engl.) Mziray, to which they were correctly referred by Exell & Mendonça (1951: 270, as Teclea grandifolia Engl.). A single sheet of the same number in COI [COI 00040963], with unifoliolate leaves, was cited as Teclea gossweileri by Exell & Mendonça (1951: 271) but actually represents V. welwitschii.	en	Lachenaud, Olivier, Onana, Jean-Michel (2021): The West and Central African species of Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. (Rutaceae) with simple or unifoliolate leaves, including two new combinations. Adansonia (3) 43 (10): 107-116, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2021v43a10
