Kalanchoe obtusa Engler (1895: 189)

Smith, Gideon F., 2025, A review and analysis of names and designations published for species and varieties of Kalanchoe (Crassulaceae subfam. Cotyledonoideae) by Adolf Engler (1844 - 1930) between 1892 and 1913, Phytotaxa 682 (1), pp. 1-28 : 14-20

7. Kalanchoe obtusa Engler (1895: 189) [as name only in Engler (1894: 29)].

Type:— TANZANIA. Usambaras, “Duga Hemkuja”, 5 July 1893 [accessioned 13 October 1893], C.H.E.W. Holst 3161 (lectotype, Herb. B barcode B 10 0153777! [Image of the specimen available for examination online at https:// herbarium.bgbm.org/object/B100153777]), lectotype designated by Raadts (1977: 136).

Isolectotype:— TANZANIA. “Ostafrika, Duga”, C.H.E.W. Holst 3161 (isolectotype, Herb. P barcode P03244967! [Image of the specimen available for examination online at http://coldb.mnhn.fr/catalognumber/mnhn/ p/p03244967]).

Nomenclatural notes:—When Engler (1895: 189) published the name K. obtusa , he only cited “Holst n. 3161”. As far as could be determined, Herb. B holds a single C.H.E.W. Holst 3161 specimen. Raadts (1977: 136) designated this specimen as “ lectotype ”. Edith Raadts also affixed a determinavit strip stating “ Lectotype ” to it.

Raadts (1977: 136), who lectotypified the name, is followed here because no evidence could be found that Engler, when publishing the name, did not have additional material at his disposal. In Raadts (1977: 136) isotypes —these should be isolectotypes —were recorded as being held at Herb. K, M, and P, with the Herb. P specimen [with barcode P03244967] being a fragment enclosed in a paper capsule affixed to a standard-sized herbarium mounting board.

Taxonomic note:—The name K. obtusa is in use for an accepted species.

8. Kalanchoe goetzei Engler (1901: 312) .

Type:— TANZANIA. Nördliches Kingagebirge, Ussangu, am Msimasi-Sumpf [Swamp] [sometimes referred to as ‘Moimari-Sumpf’], in sonst trockene Buschsteppe auf grauem Laterit, bis ½ m hohe succulente Pflanze mit dunkelorange farbenen Blüten, 1200 m altitude, [in flower and fruit on] 10 June 1899, W. Goetze 1025 (lectotype, Herb. B barcode B 10 0153765! [Image of the specimen available for examination online at https://herbarium.bgbm. org/object/B100153765]), lectotype designated by Raadts (1977: 139).

Nomenclatural notes:—When Engler (1901: 312) published the name K. goetzei , he only cited “[W. Goetze] 1025”. As far as could be determined, Herb. B holds a single W. Goetze 1025 specimen. Raadts (1977: 139), who lecto typified the name, is followed here because no evidence could be found that Engler, when publishing the name, did not have additional material at his disposal.

Raadts (1977: 139) recorded isotypes —she probably meant isolectotypes —of the name K. goetzei as being held at Herb. BM and P. However, at least those non-Herb. B-held W. Goetze 1025 specimens that could be accessed at JSTOR (2024): Herb. BR: [https://plants.jstor.org/stable/viewer/10.5555/al.ap.specimen.br0000008886378 and https://plants.jstor.org/stable/viewer/10.5555/al.ap.specimen.br0000008886361], and Herb. E: [https://plants.jstor.org/ stable/viewer/10.5555/al.ap.specimen.e00217842] do not unambiguously have the collecting date “ 10 June 1899 ” of the Herb. B-held lectotype associated with them, in this way casting doubt on their status as isolectotypes.

The Herb. BM-held W. Goetze 1025 specimen (see https://data.nhm.ac.uk/dataset/collection-specimens/resource/ 05ff2255-c38a-40c9-b657-4ccb55ab2feb) could not be accessed and the Herb. P-held specimen is not accessible online.

Taxonomic note:—The name K. goetzei is included in the synonymy of K. lanceolata ( Forsskål 1775: CXI & 89) Persoon (1805: 446) ( Figs 4 and 5 ).

Biographical notes:— Polhill & Polhill (2015: 160–162) provide a biographical treatment of Walt[h]er Goetze (1872– 9 December 1899, Tukuyu [called ‘Neu Langenburg’ under German rule], southern Tanzania), including of his itineraries and collecting activities in East Africa. Goetze participated in the Nyassa-See- und Kinga-Gebirgs-Expedition der Wentzel-Heckmann-Stiftung to collect for Herb. B in southwestern Tanzania ( Polhill & Polhill 2015: 160).

9. Kalanchoe grandiflora Richard (1847: 310) , non Wight & Arnott (1834: 359) var. angustipetala Engler (1902: 251) .

Type:— ETHIOPIA. Harar, 1889, Robecchi-Bricchetti 74 (lectotype, Herb. B barcode B100153772! [Image of the specimen available for examination online at http://herbarium.bgbm.org/object/B100153772]), lectotype designated by Raadts (1977: 106).

Nomenclatural notes:—The typification of the name K. grandiflora var. angustipetala was discussed by Smith (2022b: 105–106). The lectotypification of this varietal name by Raadts (1977: 106) was followed by Smith (2022b: 105) and is also followed here.

Taxonomic notes:—The name K. grandiflora var. angustipetala is treated as a synonym of K. marmorata Baker (1892: 300) var. marmorata ( Fig. 8 ).

10. Kalanchoe rohlfsii Engler (1902: 252) .

Type:— ETHIOPIA. ‘Abessinien’ [Abyssinia], Katz / Kazen, Rohlfs & Stecker s.n., 2450 m altitude, 30 December 1880 (lectotype, Herb. B barcode B 10 0153761! [Image of the specimen available for examination online at https:// herbarium.bgbm.org/object/B100153761]), lectotype designated by Raadts (1977: 144).

Syntypes:—Territorium Galla, Harrar Burgi, locis aridis, 11 November 1893, D. Riva in E. Ruspoli 1586 (Herb. B barcode B 10 0153762b! [Image of the specimen available for examination online at https://herbarium.bgbm.org/ object/B100153762b]), fragment only.

Deserto de Banas, locis arenosis et rupestris, 14 August 1893, D. Riva in E. Ruspoli 219 (Herb. B barcode B 10 0153762a! [Image of the specimen available for examination online at https://herbarium.bgbm.org/object/ B100153762a], fragment only.

Nomenclatural notes:—When Engler (1902: 252) published the name K. rohlfsii , he cited three specimens, all of them syntypes, as follows:

“ Abyssinia: Katz, alt. 2450 m. (Rohlfs et Stecker.—Florif., 30, XII, 80).

Territorium Galla: Harrar Burgi, locis aridis ([D.] Riva in coll. [E.] Ruspoli, n. 1586.—11, XI, 93).

Somalia: in deserto Banas, locis arenosis et rupestribus (Riva, n. 219.—14, VIII, 93).”

From among these syntypes, Raadts (1977: 144) designated Rohlfs & Stecker s.n., the Herb. B-held specimen with barcode B 10 0153761, as lectotype of the name K. rohlfsii . Note that the two Herb. B-held syntype specimens, D. Riva in E. Ruspoli 219 and D. Riva in E. Ruspoli 1586, are attached to the same standard herbarium mounting board.

The physical lectotype specimen of the name K. rohlfsii , as well as other specimens cited in the protologue of the name, i.e., those here listed in the first paragraph under ‘ Nomenclatural notes:—’, above, were not seen during a visit to Herb. B on 22 November 2024.

Taxonomic notes:— Raadts (1977: 144) placed K. rohlfsii in the synonymy of K. schweinfurthii Penzig (1893: 341) . However, she later amended her views and attached determinavit strips to, at least, the lectotype, Herb. B barcode B 10 0153761, indicating in 1978 that it represents “ K. laciniata ?” and in 1980 just “ K. laciniata ”, i.e., without the “?”.

Both K. schweinfurthii and K. rohlfsii are therefore at present treated as synonyms of K. laciniata ( Linnaeus 1753: 430) Candolle (1802: t. 100) (see for example Descoings 2003: 160) ( Fig. 9 ).

Biographical notes:— Polhill & Polhill (2015: 394 and 405–406) provide biographical treatments of Domenico Riva (ca. 1865–1895) and Prince Eugenio Ruspoli (Tecucin, Moldavia, 24 December 1866 – 4 December 1893, Burji, Ethiopia), respectively.

11. Kalanchoe baumii Engl. & Gilg in Warburg (1903: 242).

Type:— ANGOLA. Goudkopje [Gold Hillock], 1300 m altitude, 22 May 1900, H. Baum 938 (holotype, Herb. B †). Neotype:—[ ANGOLA]. [Huíla] Lopolo , February and March 1860, F. M. J. Welwitsch 2486 (neotype, Herb. LISU barcode LISU218888 ), here designated as neotype.

Nomenclatural notes:—All indications are that the specimen, H. Baum 938, as cited by Engl. & Gilg in Warburg (1903: 242) in the protologue, and as mentioned by Fernandes (1980: 331, 1982: 57, 63), was indeed preserved and deposited in Herb. B. It is here assumed that H. Baum 938 consisted of a single specimen (further discussed under ‘ Taxonomic notes:—’, below). The name K. baumii therefore would have a holotype. However, this specimen was likely destroyed on the night of 1–2 March 1943 during the fire that followed a bombing raid on Berlin during World War II. This also prompted Smith & Figueiredo (2017a: 9) to refer to the Herb. B-held specimen, H. Baum 938, as “†”.

The name K. baumii is here neotypified on F.M.J. Welwitsch 2486, the Herb. LISU-held specimen with barcode LISU218888. The specimen is unambiguously of K. brachyloba .

Taxonomic notes:—The name K. baumii is treated as a synonym of K. brachyloba Welwitsch (1871: 392) ( Figs 10 and 11 ). Discussions of the taxonomy of K. brachyloba , including of K. baumii , are provided by Fernandes (1980: 331–332), Smith & Figueiredo (2017a, 2017b), and Smith et al. (2019: 142–147).

The protologue of the name K. baumii inter alia stated: “Bei Goudkopje, 1300 m ü. M., auf Lehmboden zwischen Felsblöcken im lichten Wald, nur 1 Exemplar gesehen. (Nr. 938, blühend am 22. Mai 1900.) Die neue Art ist entfernt verwandt mit Kalanchoë paniculata Harv. (Sie ist p. 128 fälschlich als Kalanchoë crenata Harv. aufgeführt.)” [English: “Near Goudkopje, 1300 m above sea level, on clay soil between boulders in the sparse forest, only one specimen seen. (No. 938, flowering 22 May 1900.) The new species is distantly related to K. paniculata Harv. (It [ K. baumii ] is incorrectly listed as K. crenata Harv. on p. 128 [i.e., Warburg (1903: 128)].)]”

Smith & Figueiredo (2017a: 7) provided information on differences between K. brachyloba , in the synonymy of which K. baumii is included, and K. paniculata Harvey (1862: 380) .

Biographical notes:— Figueiredo et al. (2009: 187–191) discussed the botany of the Cunene–Zambezi Expedition and provided notes on Hugo Baum (Forst, Niederlehmsitz, Germany, 17 January 1867 – 15 April 1950, Rostock, Germany), who collected the original material and after whom K. baumii was named, as well as a list of extant Baum specimens, a detailed itinerary, and a list of Baum’s collecting localities with coordinates. Figueiredo et al. (2020: 129, 131–133) provided additional biographical information on Hugo Baum, including a map of the itinerary of his expedition in Angola that lasted from 11 August 1899 to 26 June 1900 (see also Figueiredo & Smith 2024).

12. “ Kalanchoe brachycalyx var. erlangeriana ” Engler (1904: 389).

Type:— Types are for names, not for designations.

Nomenclatural notes:—The ‘name’ “ Kalanchoe brachycalyx var. erlangeriana ” was not validly published because it lacked a description or diagnosis ( Turland et al. 2018: Art. 38.1).

Taxonomic note:—The designation “ Kalanchoe brachycalyx var. erlangeriana ” is associated with the name K. lanceolata ( Forsskål 1775: CXI & 89) Persoon (1805: 446) (see Descoings 2003: 161) ( Figs 4 and 5 ).

13. “ Kalanchoe glaberrima ” Volkens ex Engler (1906: 740) .

Type:— Types are for names, not for designations.

Nomenclatural notes:—The ‘name’ “ K. glaberrima ” was not validly published because it lacked a description or diagnosis ( Turland et al. 2018: Art. 38.1).

Taxonomic note:—The designation “ K. glaberrima ” is associated with the name K. densiflora Rolfe (1919: 263) .

14. Kalanchoe luebbertiana Engl. in Engler & Diels (1907: 463).

Type:— NAMIBIA. [Deutsch-Südwest-Afrika / South West Africa], without precise locality, A. Lübbert [II. n.] 67 (holotype, Herb. B [probably †]).

Lectotype:— NAMIBIA. [Deutsch-Südwest-Afrika / South West Africa ], without precise locality, A. Lübbert II. n. 67 (lectotype, Herb. PRE barcode PRE0538004 -0! [Image of the specimen available for examination online at https:// plants.jstor.org/stable/10.5555/al.ap.specimen.pre0538004-0], here designated as lectotype.

An isotype if the holotype was extant; now an isolectotype:— NAMIBIA. [Deutsch-Südwest-Afrika / South West Africa ], without precise locality, A. Lübbert II. n. 67 (Herb. LE barcode LE00013298 ! [Image of the specimen available for examination online at https://plants.jstor.org/stable/viewer/10.5555/al.ap.specimen.le00013298]) .

Nomenclatural notes:—Following Turland et al. (2018: Art. 9.12), K. luebbertiana is here lectotypified on what was originally an isotype, the A. Lübbert II. n. 67 specimen held in Herb. PRE.

Taxonomic notes:—The name K. luebbertiana is at present treated as a synonym of K. rotundifolia ( Haworth 1824: 188) Haworth (1825: 31) ( Fig. 12 ) (see Smith & Figueiredo 2017c: 65).

Biographical notes:— Gunn & Codd (1981: 232) provide brief biographical notes on Stabsarzt Dr [Army Dr] Anton Lübbert II.

15. Kalanchoe neumannii Engl. in Engler & Diels (1907: 463).

Type:— ETHIOPIA. “Gallahochland: Natadera, nahe bei Keritata” (fide Engler & Diels 1907: 463), “Uatederra, between Djam Djam & Lake Abera”, region ‘SD’ (fide Gilbert 1989: 22), “Exped. von Oscar Neumann nach Sidamo, Utadera und dem Abbaja-See, 1901, Fortsetzung der Exped. Baron v. Erlanger und O. Neumann nach Harar und dem Gallahochland. (nata deru)” (from specimen label), “um 2200–2400 m ü. M., Blühend im Dezember 1900 ”, accessioned at Herb. B on 16 November 1901, collected on 23 December 1900, O. Neumann 82 (holotype, Herb. B barcode B 10 0153776! [Image of the specimen available for examination online at https://herbarium.bgbm.org/object/ B100153776]).

Nomenclatural notes:—When Engler, in Engler & Diels (1907: 463), published the name K. neumannii , he only cited the specimen “O. Neumann n. 82”. As far as could be determined, Herb. B holds a single O. Neumann 82 specimen, which is here interpreted as the holotype.

Although Gilbert (1989: 22) stated that the specimen had been “destr.”, i.e., “destroyed”, and that it is therefore no longer at Herb. B, all indications are that the Herb. B-held specimen with barcode B 10 0153776 is the extant holotype. The physical holotype specimen of the name K. neumannii , i.e., Herb. B barcode B 10 0153776, O. Neumann 82, was seen during a visit to Herb. B on 22 November 2024.

What appears to be a fragment of the type is held at Herb. P. However, as M.G. Gilbert noted in sched., the locality of this specimen, identifiable as “ ETHIOPIA. “nahe Kiritsrha”, O. Neumann 82 (Herb. P barcode P03244969! [Image of the specimen, as annotated by M.G. Gilbert, available for examination online at http://coldb.mnhn.fr/catalognumber/ mnhn/p/p03244969], is different from what is given in the protologue of the name K. neumannii . In addition, the Herb. P specimen is undated. It therefore cannot be an isotype.

Taxonomic note:—The name K. neumannii is the basionym of K. petitiana Richard (1848: 311) var. neumannii (Engler 1907: 463) Cufodontis (1965: 716) , which is at present an accepted variety.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Three of the names validly published in Kalanchoe by Engler are at present included in the synonymy of the variable K. lanceolata, shown here. Engler’s synonyms are: K. glandulosa var. benguelensis, K. crenata var. collina, and K. goetzei. Even the designation “K. brachycalyx var. erlangeriana” is associated with the name K. lanceolata. Photographer: Gideon F. Smith.

FIGURE 5. Some variants of Kalanchoe lanceolata, such as this one, are short-lived annuals and remain low-growing. These annuals often grow interspersed among multiannual plants of the same species. Photographer: Gideon F. Smith.

FIGURE 8. In most variants of Kalanchoe marmorata var. marmorata the leaves are ab- and adaxially usually strongly and haphazardly purplish brown-marked. The corolla lobes of the often very long flowers are mostly bright white. Photograph: Gideon F. Smith.

FIGURE 9. The leaves of Kalanchoe laciniata are variously and often virtually throughout deeply incised, especially higher up along the stem. Photographer: Gideon F. Smith.

FIGURE 10. Plants of Kalanchoe brachyloba growing densely in the shade of bushveld trees. Photographer: Gideon F. Smith.

FIGURE 11. Plants of Kalanchoe brachyloba—the erect one in the centre of the photograph—are typically bi- to triennial.After flowering and setting seed, which is copious, plants almost invariably expire completely, as here. Photographer: Gideon F. Smith.

FIGURE 12. Plants of Kalanchoe rotundifolia are generally glaucous to dull light green. The leaves of this variant are oblong-elliptic to elliptic-obovate in outline. Photographer: Gideon F. Smith.