Lost in the swamp: Drypetes corrugata, a threatened new species from Central Africa, and its two sister species, D. chevalieri and D. tessmanniana (Putranjivaceae)

Quintanar, A., M. Cheek, P. Barberá & D.J. Harris (2025). Lost in the swamp: Drypetes corrugata, a threatened new species from Central Africa, and its two sister species, D. chevalieri and D. tessmanniana (Putranjivaceae). Candollea 80: 197–211. In English, English abstract. We present a new species of Drypetes Vahl (Putranjivaceae), D. corrugata J. Léonard ex Quintanar et al., a small tree found in riverine forests, often periodically flooded, of the Congo Basin, in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo. It is known from 11 gatherings and we compare it with the most similar species, D. chevalieri Beille and D. tessmanniana (Pax) Pax & K. Hoffm., of which we have studied 157 gatherings from West Africa and another 66 from Central Africa, respectively. A taxonomic treatment of the three species is provided, including detailed descriptions, typification of the names, a comparative table summarising their main morphological differences, and an illustration of the new species. Preliminary conservation assessments using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria indicate that D. corrugata is “Vulnerable” [VU] and both D. chevalieri and D. tessmanniana are “Least Concern” [LC]. Submitted on Janvier 16, 2025 – Accepted on September 17, 2025 – First published online on November 19, 2025