Veronica abyssinica Fresen.

Albach, Dirk C., 2025, From just a few to the most type-rich herbarium for Veronica L. (Plantaginaceae) - The effect of digitization of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle herbarium in Paris, Adansonia (3) 47 (7), pp. 47-130 : 81

Veronica abyssinica Fresen.

Botanische Zeitung 2: 356 ( Fresenius 1844).

TYPE CITATION. — Ethiopia: “in Simen gesammelt; GD Simien”, “Rüppell”.

EPITYPE. — Designated by Lobin (1999); second-step epitype designated here, Ethiopia, “ Andera entre 9000’ et 10000’, Schimper no. 462, 20. Aug. 1852 ”, P[ P00541529 *; Fig. 5 ].

ISOEPITYPES (designated here). — P [ P 0 0 5 4 1 5 3 0* ], BR[ BR0000008249425!* , BR0000006287504!* ], K[ K000405246!* ].

Nomenclatural note. Veronica abyssinica is a polymorphic widespread species (sub)endemic to Africa occurring from Yemen to Malawi and vicariant in Cameroon and Sao Tome. The type specimen collected by Rüppell in Amhara ( Ethiopia) was not located in his herbarium in FR ( Fischer 2006). Therefore, the Schimper collection ( Fig. 5 ) was designated as epitype ( Lobin 1999). That collection is from Andera, a locality not mentioned by Gillett (1972) list of collecting localities. There is a town Andera west of Lake Tana but according to Gillett (1972) Schimper collected in August 1852 in the southern Semien Massif (and sent the material to Paris). The altitude given by Schimper on the type specimen suggests that he indeed collected the specimens in the mountains and that the town Andera is not the one near Lake Tana. Both specimens in Paris seem to come from the general collection.

Figures

FIG. 5. — Epitype of Veronica abyssinica Fresen. (P00541529).