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• Eight species of Freylinia are recognised. • An infrageneric taxonomy is proposed. • Freylinia brevistyla is described as a new species. • Updated conservation assessments are provided. The taxonomy of Freylinia Pangella ex Colla (Scrophulariaceae) is revised and eight species are recognised. Each species is fully described, with complete nomenclature, typification, ecological notes, and an updated conservation assessment. The subtropical F. tropica S.Moore is segregated as the new sect. Tropicae J.C.Manning, defined by axillary inforescences and flowers with a glandular corolla tube. The remaining species from temperate South Africa share terminal inflorescences and eglandular corollas. Within this group two sections are recognised. Sect. Freylinia comprises the type of the genus F. lanceolata (L.f.) G.Don, and is readily segregated on the basis of its sessile foliage and small capsules, whereas the remaining, strictly shrubby species share petiolate foliage and larger capsules and are recognised as sect. Macrocarpae J.C.Manning. The latter section includes several highly local endemics, most of them of conservation concern, and among which we propose several taxonomic changes. The most significant of these are the inclusion of F. vlokii Van Jaarsv. in F. undulata (L.f.) Benth., and a reappraisal of the identity F. longiflora Benth., which is recognised here as an earlier name for F. helmei Van Jaarsv. The new species F. brevistyla J.C.Manning & N.A.Helme is accordingly described for the populations that were previously misidentified as F. longiflora , and which are readily distinguished from all other species by their short style and unique, obtuse hairs in the corolla throat. This taxon was thought to be restricted to the Hottentots Holland Mtns near Elgin but a recent collection from the northern foothills of the Klein River Mtns represents a significant range extension. Finally, examination of the type of F. undulata var. macrophylla Hiern. shows it to be misplaced in the genus and we identify it as a synonym of Selago myrtifolia Rchb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ledebouria sect. Resnova is revised. • Five species are recognised. • Ledebouria hardyi is described as new. • All taxa are described and fully illustrated. • A new subtribal classification is presented for Massonieae. The species in Ledebouria sect. Resnova are revised, with an identification key, full nomenclature, descriptions, ecological notes, and illustrations. Sect. Resnova is defined by its deeply campanulate flowers with tepals shortly connate basally and erect throughout or spreading distally; biseriate stamens with white, filiform filaments; sessile or subsessile ovary; and diagnostic seeds, obliquely obovoid with an inflated and invaginated raphe, and a finely puberulous-echinulate testa. Five species are recognised, divided between the monotypic ser. Lachenalioides , diagnosed by larger flowers with multi-nerved tepals, and ser. Resnova , with smaller flowers and uni-nerved tepals. Species in ser. Resnova are distinguished primarily by the presence or absence of hairs on one or both surfaces of the leaves, and by the presence or absence of a pseudopetiole. The new species Ledebouria hardyi J.C.Manning is described for a collection of plants from near Burgersfort in Limpopo with mostly solitary, markedly pseudopetiolate foliage. The species in sect. Resnova are geographically and ecologically separated by altitude and climate. A revised subtribal classification is provided for Massonieae, based on available phylogenetic hypotheses. Three subtribes are recognised: the monotypic Merwillineae is described for the genus Merwilla and is diagnosed by its white ovary and beige seeds; the genus Schizocarphus is transferred to join Ledebouria in Ledebouriinae, which is weakly diagnosed by the development of multiple inflorescences in some species and a flexuous scape; and Lachenaliinae is included within Massoniinae, which comprises all remaining genera in the tribe and is diagnosed by its few to many subglobose seeds per locule and often tunicated bulbs. This classification replaces existing hypotheses, which are inconsistent with available morphological and phylogenetic data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Othonna cerarioides Magoswana and J.C. Manning is described as a new species from Namaqualand, Northern Cape Province of South Africa. It is an erect shrub with rod‐like stems and branches, bearing numerous spur‐shoots with obovate‐oblanceolate leaves clustered at the tips, and up to nine disciform capitula per spur‐shoot. Othonna cerarioides is anomalous in the genus in that the style of some of the disc florets is bifid. Othonna is diagnosed within subtribe Othonnineae by female‐sterile disc florets with simple (or very rarely minutely bifid) styles. The disc florets in the closely related genus Hertia are bisexual with well branched styles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Othonna L. (Asteraceae: Senecioneae: Othonninae) is a genus of some 120 species concentrated in the Greater Cape Floristic Region (GCFR) of South Africa, with a few species extending into southern Namibia, Angola, and Zimbabwe. The South African species of Othonna were last revised more than a century ago, and many species, particularly from the southern African winter rainfall region, remain poorly understood. This study focused on the geophytic species comprising the O. bulbosa group, distinguished by their tuberous rootstock and annual, leafy, aerial stems. A comprehensive taxonomic treatment is presented, including descriptions, complete nomenclature and typification, illustrations, and geographical distribution. Twenty-five species are recognized, of which four are newly described (O. lilacina Magoswana & J. C. Manning, O. nigromontana Magoswana & J. C. Manning, O. revoluta Magoswana & J. C. Manning, and O. sinuata Magoswana & J. C. Manning), and 18 names are reduced to synonymy. The species differ in habit, shape and incision of foliage, capitulum type (radiate vs. disciform), number of involucral bracts, pappus length, and cypselae (myxogenic vs. nonmyxogenic). We place the species into four morphologically diagnosable series (series Heterophyllae Magoswana & J. C. Manning, series Disciformes Magoswana & J. C. Manning, series Perfoliatae Magoswana & J. C. Manning, and series Undulosae Magoswana & J. C. Manning) based on habit and capitulum type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Ongoing systematic studies in the African flora necessitate periodic nomenclatural adjustments and corrections. Objectives To effect requisite nomenclatural changes. Method Relevant literature was surveyed and relevant material was examined. Results Nomenclatural adjustments are provided for recently described taxa of Hyacinthaceae subfamily Urgineoideae in order to accommodate them in the alternative classification system in use in South African herbaria. Conclusion A broadly circumscribed Drimia Jacq. has the advantages of nomenclatural stability and utility. The newly described segregate genera Austronea Mart.-Azorín et al. and Zingela N.R.Crouch et al. are formally included in Drimia , and A. densiflora Mart.-Azorín et al., A. hispidoplicata Mart.-Azorín et al. and A. pinguis Mart.-Azorín et al. are transferred to that genus as D. densiflora (Mart.-Azorín et al.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt, D. hispidoplicata (Mart.-Azorín et al.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt and D. pinguis (Mart.-Azorín et al.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt, respectively, whereas A. grandiflora Mart.-Azorín et al. and A. linearis Mart.-Azorín et al. are treated as synonyms of D. vermiformis J.C.Manning & Goldblatt; A. olifanta Mart.-Azorín et al. is treated as a synonym of D. barkerae Oberm. ex J.C.Manning & Goldblatt; and A. papillosa Mart.-Azorín et al. and A. pygmaea (A.V. Duthie) Mart.-Azorín et al. are treated a synonyms of D. virens (Schltr.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt. Zingela pooleyorum N.R.Crouch is considered to be conspecific with Urginea zambesiaca Baker, for which the new combination D. zambesiaca (Baker) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt is provided. The combination D. zebrina (Mart.-Azorín et al.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt is provided for an allied species. Examination of recent collections of Ornithogalum toxicarium C.Archer & R.H.Archer confirms that it is actually a species of Drimia and it is accordingly transferred to that genus as D. toxicaria (C.Archer & R.H.Archer) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A taxonomic revision is presented for the two geophytic species of Othonna L. (Asteraceae: Senecioneae: Othonninae) distinguished by a condensed caudex without evident internodes. These species are morphologically and phylogenetically distinct from the remaining geophytic species. This account includes descriptions, complete nomenclature and typification, illustrations and geographical distribution. We recognise the following two species: O. auriculifolia with radiate capitula and mature pappus 3–25 mm long, and O. taraxacoides (DC.) Sch. Bip. with disciform capitula and mature pappus 3–8 mm long. Both species are vegetatively variable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]