Salacia undetermined

Gosline, G. & Cheek, M., 2014, Two new African species of Salacia Salacioideae, Celastraceae, Blumea 59 (1), pp. 26-32 : 32

KEY TO NON-LIANESCENT SALACIA SPECIES OF TROPICAL AFRICA

1. Leaves chartaceous, finely toothed (c. 3 teeth per cm), to 12 cm long; mature fruits spherical, <3 cm diam, marbled................................... S. pallescens

1. Leaves more or less coriaceous, if toothed teeth <3 per cm, some leaves> 12 cm long; mature fruits various, ≥ 3 cm long......................................... 2

2. Secondary veins <9 pairs........................ 3

2. Secondary veins 9 or more pairs................... 4

3. Secondary veins 4–5(–6) pairs, steeply ascendant usually to ≥ 1/2 length of leaf, leaf margin strongly revolute; stems winged or tuberculate; inflorescences pedunculate......................................... S. lehmbachii

3. Secondary veins 5–7 pairs ascendant at 45° to midrib, joining in <1/2 length of leaf; leaf margins not or slightly revolute; stems not winged or tuberculate; inflorescences sessile................................ S. mannii

4. Base of leaf sessile cordate to very shortly petiolate (<5 mm long), leaves> 20 cm long, fruits turbinate to elongate and attenuate at ends (8 cm long)..................... 5

4. Leaves petiolate, petioles ≥ 8 mm long; fruits various... 6

5. Base of leaf strongly cordate, secondary nerves ascendant at 30° angle to midrib..................... S. diplasia

5. Base of leaf subcordate to rounded, secondary nerves at 45–60° angle from midrib................. S. dimidia

6. Fruits globular or ellipsoid with a smooth surface, epidermis <1 mm thick.................................. 7

6. Fruits elongate, gibbous or with constrictions, with a warty surface, epidermis> 1 mm thick................... 8

7. Leaves elliptic, 9–10 pairs secondary veins, scarcely ascendant, deeply impressed above, vein not visible, fruits ovoid to 5 cm diam........... S. loloensis var. loloensis

7. Leaves narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate, 14–16 pairs secondary veins visible on adaxial side, fruits ovoid to turbinate to 7 cm long................. S. loloensis var. sibangana

8. Leaves oblanceolate to 40 cm long, margin entire or weakly toothed, 15– 20 pairs secondary veins; flowers purple; fruits to 10 cm long............................. S. nigra

8. Leaves narrowly elliptic to lanceolate to 25 cm long, margin with distinct teeth (c. 2 teeth/cm); <15 pairs secondary veins; flowers yellow or red; fruits to 7 cm long............. 9

9. 11–13 pairs secondary veins strongly looping 5–8 mm from leaf edge, acumen long, ligulate; flowers yellow. — Cameroon to Eastern Congo.............. S. mayumbensis

9. 13–15 pairs secondary veins weakly looping near edge of leaf, acumen long but tapering; flowers red. — Kivu .......................................... S. ndakala