Notes on the Systematics of Hesperantha (Iridaceae) in Tropical Africa

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Abstract
Three species of Hesperantha are here recognized in tropical Africa: H. petitiana is widespread in highland areas from Ethiopia to eastern Zimbabwe; H. ballii is a local endemic of the Chimanimani Mountains in eastern Zimbabwe; and H. longicollis occurs in highlands in Malawi and Zimbabwe, extending into eastern Botswana and the Transvaal, South Africa. Hesperantha petitiana is taxonomically complex and includes low growing and small-flowered plants corresponding to Ixia petitiana and I. hochstetteriana, and tall and large-flowered forms corresponding to H. volkensii from Mt. Kilimanjaro, and H. alpina from Mt. Cameroun. Hesperantha petitiana is closely allied to the southern African H. baurii complex and is not readily separable from some southern African collections assigned to this alliance. Chromosome numbers are reported for three populations of H. petitiana, all polyploid and either tetraploid or hexaploid, in contrast to all southern African plants so far counted, which are diploids.

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