Tessmannia

Burgt, X. M. van der, 2016, Didelotia korupensis and Tessmannia korupensis (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae), two new tree species from Korup National Park in Cameroon, Blumea 61 (1), pp. 51-58 : 55

Tessmannia

The genus Tessmannia Harms was described in 1910, with the species T. africana Harms (1910) . Eleven new species were described between 1915 and 1967 ( IPNI 2015). A revision of the genus has never been published, but most species in the genus appear in one or more of the African regional flora accounts (e.g., Aubréville 1968, 1970, Léonard 1952). The genus Tessmannia now consists of 13 species, including the new species presented here. Four currently undescribed species have been identified from specimens collected in Gabon (Breteler pers. comm., Sosef et al. 2006); see notes.

The genus Tessmannia is characterised by leaflets glossy on both sides, with prominent venation and densely covered in translucent dots. The number of leaflets varies from bifoliolate in T. copallifera J.Léonard to 14–30 foliolate in T. anomala (Micheli) Harms. The flower has small caducous bracteoles which do not envelope the flower bud; 4 sepals completely enveloping the flower bud, one of which consist of two fused sepals; 5 large white or pink petals; 10 stamens of which 9 are united at the base; and relatively small, round to elliptic fruits, with a smooth to verrucose surface ( Léonard 1952).