Notes on the Diaphananthe bidens Complex (Orchidaceae, Angraecinae), Including a New Species from Western Central Africa
Diaphananthe vespicincta Farminhão & Stévart (Orchidaceae) is described from Equatorial Guinea (Río Muni) and Gabon, as part of a first reappraisal of the unresolved D. bidens (Afzel ex Sw.) Schltr. complex. It differs from D. bidens s.l., widespread in the Guineo-Congolian region, by the dark green leaves (vs. pale green to yellow-brown), the wider main longitudinal leaf veins (typically ≥ 0.35 mm vs. 0.18–0.35 mm), and the longer (9.2–13.8 mm vs. 3–7.3 mm) ampullaceous spur with a longer waist. All heterotypic synonyms of D. bidens were re-examined, including Mystacidium productum Kraenzl. and Listrostachys mystacidioides Kraenzl., which are neotypified, and D. trigonopetala Schltr., which is lectotypified. Diaphananthe acuta (Ridl.) Schltr., endemic to São Tomé Island, is excluded from the synonymy of D. bidens, along with D. papagayi (Rchb. f.) Schltr., endemic to Príncipe Island. Diaphananthe acuta and D. vespicincta are assessed as Endangered and D. papagayi as Critically Endangered (possibly Extinct) according to the IUCN Red List Categories.
Authors
- Vincent Droissart (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9798-5616)
- Jean Philippe Biteau
- João N. M. Farminhão (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8811-9895)
- Tariq Stévart (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6212-0361)
Institutions
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (BE)
- Université de Montpellier (FR)
- Missouri Botanical Garden (US)
- UMR Botanique et Modélisation de l’Architecture des Plantes et des végétations (FR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Novon A Journal for Botanical Nomenclature
- Published
- 2026-11-02
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3417/20261061
- Primary Topic
- Plant and Fungal Species Descriptions
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00