Baphia rosa Mackinder & R.Clark

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/135630815/135630849

Conservation

DD - data deficient

Mackinder, B.A. & Clark, R. Kew Bull (2012) 67: 413. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-012-9380-6

Type

Typus: Zambia, North West Province, Kabompo Distr., Kambyenuna forest along the Kabompo-Mwinilungu Road, c. 11 km from the Loloma Hospital road junction in Manyinga. NW Plot near P transect, 13°21'01"S, 24°17'04"E, 9 March 1995, Nawa, Harder, Zimba & Luwiika 193 (holotypusK!; isotypus MO).

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or tree 5 – 6 m tall

Morphology Branches

Branches glabrescent, lenticellate, lenticels golden brown, elliptic to round, scattered

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules caducous, not seen

Morphology Leaves

Leaves: petiole terete, 7 – 14 mm long, pale puberulous, pulvinules almost always contiguous; blade elliptic, two to three times as long as wide, 2.1 – 6.6 × 1.0 – 4.2 cm, obtuse to rounded at base, acute to shortly acuminate at apex, acumen up to 4 mm long; midrib impressed above, prominent beneath, lateral veins 6 – 8 pairs; adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface mostly glabrous, but appressed pale moderately puberulous near midvein and area immediately adjacent to petiole; midvein pale puberulous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a raceme in the axils of the upper leaves or compounded into a terminal lax panicle, axes puberulous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts triangular, 2 – 3 mm long, up to 1.5 mm wide, puberulous outside, glabrous inside, only present in immature parts of the inflorescence

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicel 10 – 14 mm long, puberulous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracteoles

Bracteoles oblong, inserted c. 1 mm below the top of the pedicel, 2.5 – 3.5 × c. 1 mm, puberulous outside, glabrous or nearly so inside, margins ciliate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx spathaceous, 8 – 12 mm long, puberulous outside, drying pinkish-red, a few darker longitudinal veins evident, glabrous inside

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla pink, glabrous; standard suborbicular to orbicular, 12 – 17 × 15 – 16 mm; wings narrowly elliptic, 15 – 17 mm long, claw c. 2 mm long, auriculate; keel-petals fused, narrowly elliptic, 14 – 16 mm long, claw c. 2 mm long, base of wings and keel bear small interlocking pockets, c. 0.75 mm deep

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 10, free, 9 – 12 mm long, glabrous; anthers c. 2 mm long, apiculate at apex

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 6 – 8 mm long, sericeous; style glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Pods and seeds unknown

Distribution

Zambia: Kabompo Distr., Kambyenyuna forest along Manyinga R., 13º21'01""S 24°17΄04""E. Only known from the type collection.

Ecology

Degraded woodland on sand, along river in flooded area; 1140 m alt.

Conservation

Baphia rosa is assessed here as Vulnerable (VU D2) under the criteria of IUCN (2001). This species is known only from the type locality which is thought to be an area of local endemism (Timberlake, pers. comm.).

Note

Specific epithet refers to the pink petals noted by the collectors in the field and the pinkish red colour of the calyx seen in the herbarium voucher. Petal colour in Baphia is typically white, the standard petal often with a yellow or orange blotch at its base. Only a few species possess cream, purplish pink or pinkish red petals (Soladoye1985). Soladoye (1985) recognised five sections within Baphia using a combination of morphology, anatomy and pollen characters. He assigned ten species, each possessing longer than broad bracteoles, spathaceous calyces greater than 10 mm long and glabrous stamen-filaments to sect. Longibracteolatae and proposed they be subdivided among three series. Baphia rosa belongs to series Chrysophyllae which is characterised by oblong, rarely filiform bracteoles, inserted shortly but not directly below the calyx or placed free at the base of the calyx and having keel-petals 14 – 19 mm long without hairs along the line of fusion. Furthermore, B. rosa appeared to be morphologically close to B. chrysophylla, the type species of series Chrysophyllae.