Buchnera keilii, Mildbraed & Pilger, 1911

Fischer, Eberhard, 2025, Taxonomic novelties in Buchnera (Orobanchaceae) in Central and East Africa (Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania), Phytotaxa 704 (1), pp. 1-17 : 10-14

Lectotypification of Buchnera keilii

Buchnera keilii Mildbraed & Pilger (1911: 288) . ( Figs. 9–10 ).

Syntypes: — BURUNDI. Usumbura (= Bujumbura), Lugobe-Fluss, an steinigem Abhang bei 2000 m, May 1905, Keil 81 (syn-: B†) ; RWANDA. Rukarara, Kivumgbe Berg, Bergsteppe bei 1800 m, Aug. 1907, Mildbraed 708 (syn-: B†) ; Taf. XXXI, Mildbraed & Pilger (1911) (lecto- designated here).

Buchnera keilii Milbraed & Pilger (1911: 288) was described and illustrated in the 2 nd volume of « Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Deutschen Zentralafrika-Expedtion 1907-1908 ». In the protologue the following localities are cited: « Seengebiet: Usumbura (= Bujumbura), Lugobe-Fluss, an steinigem Abhang bei 2000 m ü.M. (Keil n. 81—blühend im Mai 1905).—Rukarara: Kivumbge-Berg, Bergsteppe bei 1800 m (Aug. 1907 —n. 708) ». The first locality is situated in Burundi while the second locality lies in Rwanda. Mielcarek (1996: 138) cited « Type en provenance d’Ouganda ». The above cited specimens have all been destroyed during the bombing of the Berlin Herbarium,

However, there is a nice illustration in the protologue ( Mildbraed & Pilger 1911: Taf. XXXI) with details, which also belongs to the original material (Art. 9.4 of the Code) from which a lectotype is chosen here. Hence, the illustration is the only surviving original material and thus has to be chosen ( Fig. 9 ).

Buchnera keilii occurs in the East and South-East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and in Western Rwanda and Burundi. Its occurrence in the area of the Flora of Tropical East Africa has been overlooked and the species is not mentioned ( Ghazanfar et al. 2008). However, there are specimens from Western Tanzania that had originally been misidentified as Buchnera capitata Benth. (= Buchnera decandollei Govaerts ).

TANZANIA. T4. Mwese Mpanda district, 1524 m, 20 May 1975, J. Kahurananga, S.P. Kibuna & G. M. Mungai 2546 (BR0000019047980); Mwese hill, Mpanda district, 21 May 1975, J. Kahurananga, S.P. Kibuwa & G. M. Mungai 2612 (BR0000019047997), 123 km from Mpanda on Uvinza road. Mpanda district, 6 May 1975, J. Kahurananga, S.P. Kibuwa & G. M. Mungai 2761 (BR0000019047973).

Figures

FIGURE 9. Buchnera keilii—Lectotype, Mildbraed & Pilger 1911: Tab. XXXI.—Reproduced with permission.

FIGURE 10. Buchnera keilii.—A–B. inflorescence.—C. flowers.—Photos by Robert v. Blittersdorf (©; B: Tanzania, Sumbawanga). Dressler, S., Schmidt, M. & Zizka, G. (2014, continuously updated) African Plants—A Photo Guide www.africanplants.senckenberg.de; Eberhard Fischer (©; A, C: Rwanda, Akagera).