A new species of Euclea (Ebenaceae) from ultramafic soils in Sekhukhuneland, South Africa, with notes on its ecology

Euclea sekhukhuniensis Retief, Siebert & A.E.van Wyk. a new species with a restricted range in Sekhukhuneland, South Africa, is described, illustrated and compared with other members of the genus. It is a gregarious geoxylic sufthitex forming large, much-branched colonies. The species is closely related to the small tree/shrub E. linearis Zeyh. ex Hiem from which it can be distinguished by its larger fruits, broader leaves and exclusively suffrutex growth form. Geographical range and habitat preference also differ between the two taxa. E. sekhukhuniensis is endemic to the Sekhukhuneland Centre of Plant Endemism, where it is confined to the calcareous, heavy-metal soils of the Steelpoort River Valley.

[1]  Bernd Sures,et al.  Platinum‐Group Metals , 2004 .

[2]  C. Alados,et al.  Tolerance assessment of Cistus ladanifer to serpentine soils by developmental stability analysis , 1999, Plant Ecology.

[3]  R. Cowling,et al.  Reproductive traits of two closely related species-pairs on adjacent, different soil types in South African Fynbos , 1994, Vegetatio.

[4]  G. Bredenkamp,et al.  Vegetation ecology of Sekhukhuneland, South Africa: Combretum hereroense-Grewia vernicosa Open Mountain Bushveld , 2002 .

[5]  G. Bredenkamp,et al.  Vegetation ecology of Sekhukhuneland, South Africa: Kirkia wilmsii-Terminalia prunioides Closed Mountain Bushveld , 2002 .

[6]  G. Bredenkamp,et al.  Endemism in the flora of ultramafic areas of Sekhukhuneland, South Africa , 2001 .

[7]  K. Balkwill,et al.  Taxonomic studies in the Acanthaceae : Peristrophe serpenticola - a new species from the Great Dyke, Zimbabwe , 2001 .

[8]  S. Siebert,et al.  A new species of Rhoicissus (Vitaceae) from Sekhukhuneland, South Africa , 2001 .

[9]  O. A. Leistner,et al.  Seed plants of southern Africa: Families and genera , 2001 .

[10]  U. Dieckmann,et al.  On the origin of species by sympatric speciation , 1999, Nature.

[11]  C. Baskin,et al.  Relative competitive abilities and growth characteristics of a narrowly endemic and a geographically widespread Solidago species (Asteraceae). , 1999, American journal of botany.

[12]  R. Moffett.  A new species of Rhus (Anacardiaceae), endemic to serpentine near Barberton, Mpumalanga (Eastern Transvaal), South Africa , 1999 .

[13]  E. Menges,et al.  Microhabitat of the narrow Florida scrub endemic Dicerandra christmanii, with comparisons to its congener D. frutescens' , 1999 .

[14]  M. Chung,et al.  Comparisons of genetic diversity in a narrow endemic, Impatiens hypophylla, and in its widespread congener, I. textori (Balsaminaceae) , 1996 .

[15]  V. Grant.  Comments on the ecological species concept , 1992 .

[16]  T. R. Dudley,et al.  UPTAKE OF NICKEL BY SPECIES OF ALYSSUM, BORNMUELLERA , AND OTHER GENERA OF OLD WORLD TRIBUS ALYSSEAE , 1983 .

[17]  D. Young.  A New Species of Rhus (Anacardiaceae) from Durango, Mexico , 1977 .

[18]  F. White.  The underground forests of Africac a preliminary review , 1976 .

[19]  R. Kipling.  The Man Who Would Be King , 1888 .