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Ceropegia gilboaensis Heiduk, N.R.Crouch & D.Styles sp. nov. (Figs 3, 4 A−E, 5A) Diagnosis: —Plants of Ceropegia gilboaensis are perennial tuberous succulents with a prostrate growth habit, ovate to elliptic leaves, verrucose follicles, and a cylindrical-campanulate corolla, that can be separated from C. ngomensis (Figs 1I, 5B) in lacking the distinctly keeled or fluted corolla lobe bases that embed the gynostegium forming a characteristic 5-star shaped corolla mouth in C. ngomensis. The basally fused corolla lobes of C. gilboaensis have transverse burgundy bands but are purple-mottled in C. ngomensis. In C. gilboaensis, the inner corona lobes are adpressed to the back of the stamens along their full length and closely proximate to subconnivent over the style-head, whilst in C. ngomensis they are short and only adpressed to the base of the stamens. The outer corona lobes are deeply bifid in C. gilboaensis but undivided to form five cups with incurved margins in C. ngomensis. Type: — SOUTH AFRICA. KwaZulu-Natal, the Karkloof, Mt Gilboa, ca. 1620 m, 12 November 2020, D. G. A. Styles & A. Heiduk 5841 (holotype; NU0092539!). Description: —Perennial dwarf herb. Root a subterranean tuber, 20–40 mm in diameter, ca. 20 mm high, somewhat depressed on upper side, rounded below. Stems 1 or 2, up to 150 mm long, produced annually, branched sparingly at base, slender, creeping, prostrate, shortly pubescent. Leaves in 3–6(–8) pairs, shortly petiolate (to 1.7 mm long), lamina elliptic-ovate, 10–12 × 7–9 mm, ciliate with white hairs along the thin often purplish margins, pubescent above and below, venation prominent on lower surface and recessed on upper surface, basally rounded, apically acute. Flowers 1(–2) lateral at nodes, open in succession, with pungent fetid, slightly acidic-fecal floral scent; pedicels slender, pubescent, 6–7 mm long. Sepals narrowly triangular, 2.2–3.7 mm long, sparsely pubescent. Corolla steep cylindrical-campanulate, ca. 13–14 mm across, corolla lobes spreading, divided into fused and unfused section ± halfway; tube 4.5–6.3 mm deep, velvety, glabrous (rarely with sparse white trichomes on margins of corolla lobe tips), cream within with raised, transverse burgundy bands that proximally are more entire than distally; lobes narrowly triangular, 3.3–5.4 mm long, keeled, concave above, proximally cream with raised burgundy striations, distally velvety and brownish-red to rarely olive-green. Gynostegium sessile, glabrous, dark purple. Gynostegial corona 3.6–4.4 mm in diam., 2.0– 3.1 mm high, of staminal and interstaminal parts, interstaminal (outer) corona lobes joined to form a cup with V-shaped outer margin, deeply bifid, lobules ca. 0.3 mm long, falcate, inclined towards the inner lobes; staminal (inner) corona lobes adpressed to stamina along their entire length and incumbent on style-head, linear, ca. 1.7 × 0.3 mm, apices inclined over the staminal column, closely proximate to subconnivent. Pollinarium pollinia sagittate, ca. 450 × 400 μm, brownish, insertion crest ca. 250 μm long, stramineous; caudicles ca. 90 μm long; corpusculum sagittate, ca. 315 × 140 μm, brown. Follicle with both mericarps developing, erect, ca. 40–45 mm long and 4 mm at widest point, verrucose, green flecked with purple, maturing to purple-brown. Seeds ovate-elliptic, ca. 6 × 2 mm, brown, comose, coma ca. 7 mm, white. Additional material examined: Ceropegia gilboaensis: SOUTH AFRICA. KwaZulu-Natal, the Karkloof, Mt Gilboa, ca. 1630 m, 03 April 2022, D. G. A. Styles & A. Heiduk 6032 (NU0092540!; fruiting material). Distribution and ecology: — Ceropegia gilboaensis is to date known only from the Karkloof in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, South Africa. It is the only representative of the genus documented from the Karkloof, and is considered endemic there, at elevations of 1320−1670 m. This new species is found within grassland, growing exposed in shallow soil on the margins of, and in between, dolerite rock outcrops. Common grasses at the sites include Aristida junciformis Trin. et Rupr. (1842: 143) and Sporobolus natalensis (Steudel 1855: 154) Durand & Schinz (1894: 822). Associated herbaceous species include Aloe neilcrouchii Klopper & Smith (2010: 95), Crassula dependens Bolus (1881: 391) and Ledebouria sandersonii (Baker 1870: App. 5) Venter & Edwards (2003: 50). The national vegetation map shows that C. gilboaensis occurs in Midlands Mistbelt Grassland and Mooi River Highland Grassland (South African National Biodiversity Institute 2006–2018). In this area, Midlands Mistbelt Grassland appears to have been mapped as occurring below a contour approximating an elevation of 1500 m, and Mooi River Highland Grassland above this. However, this likely represents an over-simplification of the floristics in contact areas, where C. gilboaensis occurs just above 1500 m. Midlands Mistbelt Grassland is described as “forb-rich, tall, sour Themeda triandra [Forsskal (1775: 178)] grasslands transformed by the invasion of native Ngongoni grass (Aristida junciformis subsp. junciformis). Only a few patches of the original species-rich grasslands remain.” (Mucina et al. 2006: 422). This vegetation type is “Endangered (one of the most threatened vegetation types of KwaZulu-Natal)” according to Mucina et al. (2006: 423). Furthermore, the Mistbelt of KwaZulu-Natal has been identified as an important centre of endemism (Mucina et al. 2006), although not yet formally recognized as such (Mucina et al. 2006; Van Wyk & Smith 2001). More limited floristic information is provided on Mooi River Highland Grassland, which is also considered threatened, but with the status of Vulnerable rather (Mucina et al. 2006). Phenology: —Seen in flower from October to December, and in fruit from Jan uary to April. Etymology: — Ceropegia gilboaensis is named for the type locality at Mt Gilboa in the Karkloof, SouthAfrica, where it was discovered in 2008 by Isabel Johnson, a field botanist, ecological consultant and dedicated conservationist. Conservation Status: — Ceropegia gilboaensis is only known from two localities 7.5 km apart from each other. At each locality, plants were observed within an area of less than 1 km 2. However, a study of aerial imagery indicates that within the surrounding landscape there may be a further 35 km 2 of similar habitat in which C. gilboaensis could potentially occur. The total number of plants is estimated at less than 250 individuals. The grassland habitat at one of the two localities suffers from the trampling effects of cattle, but does not otherwise appear to be under anthropogenic threat. The species’ conservation status is suggested as Endangered (EN) under IUCN criteria B2(a)(b)(iii) and D (IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee 2019). Discussion Ceropegia gilboaensis is a new species in section Chamaesiphon, the largest section in Ceropegia s.l. with 115 tuberous species (Bruyns et al. 2017). The overwhelming majority (ca. 90%) of these are species with open non-trapping, brood-site mimicking flowers; species with kettle-trap flowers have evolved in at least three subclades within the section (Bruyns et al. 2017). Many non-trap flowered species in sect. Chamaesiphon convergently evolved morphological features considered typical for brood-site mimicking plants, i.e., prostrate or sub-erect stems, foul smelling, reddish-purplish or maroon speckled or striated flowers presented close to the ground (Johnson & Schiestl 2016; Fig. 1 A – L). Among the brood-site mimicking species in sect. Chamaesiphon, C. gilboaensis appears to be most closely related to C. ngomensis (Fig. 1 I)—a KwaZulu-Natal endemic species only known from the a rea of Ngome, about 220 km north-east of the Karkloof where C. gilboaensis occurs. Ceropegia ngomensis is the only other South African species presenting similarly structured steep cylindrical-campanulate corolla tubes in combination with prostrate stems. Preliminary unpublished molecular findings support a close relationship between both species (Heiduk et al. unpublished). Although C. gilboaensis also shares particular vegetative and floral characters with other brood-site mimicking members of sect. Chamaesiphon occurring in KwaZulu-Natal and adjacent regions, it may be distinguished as explicated below (see also Table 1). The prostrate stems with elliptic leaves of C. gilboaensis are distinct from the sub-erect to erect stems with commonly elliptic- or ovate-lanceolate leaves of C. alpina (Dyer 1977a: 18) Bruyns in Bruyns et al. (2017: 433), C. australis, C. campanuliformis, C. chlorozona, C. modestantha, C. perdita (Dyer 1977a: 10) Bruyns in Bruyns et al. (2017: 434), C. petrophila and C. spathulata (Lindley 1827: t. 1113) Bruyns in Bruyns et al. (2017: 435). The corolla of Ceropegia gilboaensis is, with rare exception (one plant found with sparse white trichomes on corolla lobe margins), glabrous, allowing for separation from C. alpina, C. australis, C. campanuliformis, C. chlorozona, C. perdita, C. petrophila, C. remota, C. swazica (Dyer 1976: 56) Bruyns in Bruyns et al. (2017: 435) and C. spathulata which all have distinctively puberulous, hirsute or pilose corolla lobes and/or vibratile hairs fringing the corolla lobes (Fig. 1, Table 1; Dyer 1980). In Ceropegia gilboaensis the corolla is steep cylindrical-campanulate (Figs 3 A – B, F, 4 A – D), which is distinct from the bowl-shaped corolla of C. chlorozona (Fig. 1 F) and the flat or shallowly saucer-shaped corollas of C. bruceae (Fig. 1 E), C. coddii (Fig. 1 G), and C. pulchellior (Fig. 1 K). Campanulate corollas are also characteristic of C. alpina, C. australis (Figs 1 A – D), C. modestantha (Fig. 1 H), C. perdita, C. petrophila (Fig. 1 J), C. remota (Fig. 1 L) and C. spathulata. However, in these species the corollas are less steep and the corolla lobes generally proportionally longer than the fused portion of the corolla (ca. ±1/ 2 in C. gilboaensis, see Table 1); in C. campanuliformis, the corolla lobes are proportionally shorter (±1/3) than the fused part of the corolla. The follicles of Ceropegia gilboaensis are verrucose, while they are smooth in all other species discussed here. Generally, raucous, non-smooth follicles are rather rare in Ceropegia although known for example from the succulentleaved climbers C. sandersonii Hooker (1869: t. 5792), which has follicles markedly verrucose to tuberculate, and C. cimiciodora Obermeyer (1933: t. 488) in which species they are thinly tuberculate (Dyer 1980). Within sect. Chamaesiphon, verrucose follicles have not earlier been reported. Ceropegia pulchellior and C. modestantha are two KwaZulu-Natal endemics that grow in rocky grasslands in relatively close proximity to C. gilboaensis (Fig. 2), which in view of their superficial similarity could lead to confusion with C. gilboaensis. However, in addition to the differences mentioned above, C. gilboaensis can be distinguished from these species as follows: when viewed from above, the sepals of C. pulchellior protrude from beneath the fused corolla portion, a feature not seen in C. gilboaensis. The spreading corolla lobe tips are basally ovate and distally attenuate-tapering and often reflexed in C. modestantha but are clearly triangular in C. gilboaensis. In C. pulchellior the gynostegium projects from the centre of the corolla whereas in C. gilboaensis, as also in C. modestantha, the gynostegium is sunk into the fused section of the corolla. The margin formed by the outer corona lobes is U-shaped in both C. modestantha (Fig. 5 C) and C. pulchellior (Fig. 5 D), while it is V-shaped in C. gilboaensis (Fig. 5 A). The outer corona lobes are lower than the style-head in C. modestantha (Fig. 5 C) and C. pulchellior (Fig. 5 D) but are level with the style-head in C. gilboaensis (Fig. 5 A). Both Ceropegia modestantha and C. pulchellior occur on Natal-Group sandstone while C. gilboaensis occurs on dolerite, as does C. ngomensis. Ceropegia modestantha is relatively widely distributed, ranging from near Nkandla in the north, to the Little Noodsberg, and south to the Umzinto coastal escarpment (Dyer 1980; Styles & Wragg 2008). Ceropegia pulchellior has a more limited distribution than C. modestantha, occurring between Pietermaritzburg and Durban along a narrow line of suitable habitat (Styles & Wragg 2008), with an outlier subpopulation to the south, “on an isolated mountain top near Eston…” (Styles & Wragg 2008: 46), within the range of C. modestantha. There, both species apparently co-occur and probably hybridize (Styles & Wragg 2008). A third species occurring relatively close to C. gilboaensis, but ranging somewhat further to the northeast is C. chlorozona, which grows on dolerite as well as sandstone. Other species in sect. Chamaesiphon share vegetative and/or floral characteristics with C. gilboaensis but are geographically separated from it. From north to south these species occur as follows: C. bruceae and C. coddii on the Mpumalanga escarpment and in areas of north-eastern eSwatini (Dyer 1980), with C. coddii also being recorded in KwaZulu-Natal (pers. obs.); C. swazica in eSwatini and adjacent Mpumalanga; C. remota in the Utrecht-Wakkerstroom-Paulpietersburg areas of KwaZulu-Natal; C. petrophila at Boston, Byrne and at Underberg in KwaZulu-Natal; C. perdita in the Drakensberg (Dyer 1980) above 2000 m near the trijunction of KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Lesotho; C. alpina above 2300 m in southern Lesotho; C. campanuliformis and C. spathulata in the Eastern Cape; C. australis at Port Shepstone and as far south as Port St. Johns, restricted to Msikaba Formation sandstone. This lastmentioned species shows remarkable variation in flower colour and the length of the corolla lobes (Figs 1 A – D; see also Dyer 1983), even within the same population (Figs 1 A – C)., Published as part of Heiduk, Annemarie, Crouch, Neil R. & Styles, David G. A., 2023, Ceropegia gilboaensis (Apocynaceae), a new species from the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, pp. 125-136 in Phytotaxa 591 (2) on pages 129-134, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.591.2.4, {"references":["Trinius, C. B. & Ivanovich, F. J. (1842) Aristida junciformis Trin. & Rupr. Species Graminum Stipaceorum 143.","Steudel, E. G. (1855) Synopsis Plantarum Glumacearum. Pars I. Gramineae. J. B. Metzler, Stuttgartiae, 475 pp.","Durand, T. A. & Schinz, H. (1894) Sporobolus natalensis T. Durand & Schinz. Conspectus Florae Africae 5: 822.","Klopper, R. R. & Smith, G. F. (2010) Aloe neilcrouchii, a new robust Leptaloe from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Bothalia 40 (1): 95 (- 96; fig. 34, map).","Bolus, H. (1881) Crassula dependens Bolus. Journal of the Linnean Society, Botany 18: 391.","Baker, J. G. (1870) Monograph of Scilla: sections Ledebouria and Drimiopsis. Saunders Refugium Botanicum 3: App. 5.","Venter, S. & Edwards, T. J. (2003) Ledebouria sandersonii (Baker) S. Venter & T. J. Edwards. Bothalia 33 (1): 50.","South African National Biodiversity Institute (2006 - 2018) The Vegetation Map of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Mucina, L., Rutherford, M. C. & Powrie, L. W. (eds.) Version 2018. [online] Available from: http: // bgis. sanbi. org / Projects / Detail / 186 (Accessed 31 March 2023)","Forsskal, P. (1775) Themeda triandra Forssk. Flora Aegyptiaco-Arabica 178.","Mucina, L., Hoare, D. B., Lotter, M. C., Du Preez, J., Rutherford, M. C., Scott-Shaw, C. R., Bredenkamp, G. J., Powrie, L. W., Scott, L., Camp, K. G. T., Cilliers, S. S., Bezuidenhout, H., Mostert, T. H., Siebert, S. J., Winter, P. J. D., Burrows, J. E., Dobson, L., Ward, R. A., Stalmans, M., Oliver, E. G. H., Siebert, F., Schmidt, E., Kobisi, K. & Kose, L. (2006) Grassland Biome. In: Mucina, L. & Rutherford, M. C. (eds.) The vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Strelitzia, Pretoria, South Africa, pp. 349 - 436.","Van Wyk, A. E. & Smith, G. F. (2001) Regions of floristic endemism in southern Africa. A review with emphasis on succulents. Pretoria: Umdaus Press, 199 pp.","IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee (2019) Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Version 14. Prepared by the Standards and Petitions Committee, 113 pp. Available from: http: // www. iucnredlist. org / documents / RedListGuidelines. pdf (accessed 22 September 2020).","Bruyns, P., Klak, C. & Hanacek, P. (2017) A revised, phylogenetically-based concept of Ceropegia (Apocynaceae). South African Journal of Botany 112: 399 - 436. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. sajb. 2017.06.021","Johnson, S. D. & Schiestl, F. P. (2016) Floral Mimicry. Oxford University Press, 256 pp.","Dyer, R. A. (1977 a) New records of Brachystelma. Journal of South African Botany 34 (1): 9 - 20.","Lindley, J. (1827) Brachystelma spathulatum Lindl. Botanical Register 13: t. 1113.","Dyer, R. A. (1976) Asclepiadaceae. Bothalia 12 (1): 53 - 64.","Dyer, R. A. (1980) Asclepiadaceae (Brachystelma, Ceropegia, Riocreuxia). In: Leistner, O. A. (ed.) Flora of Southern Africa 27 (4). Botanical Research Inst., Pretoria, pp. 1 - 91.","Hooker, J. D. (1869) Ceropegia sandersonii - Mr. Sanderson´s Ceropegia. Botanical Magazine 95: t. 5792.","Obermeyer, A. A. (1933) Ceropegia cimiciodora Oberm. Flowering Plants of South Africa xiii. t. 488.","Styles, D. G. & Wragg, P. D. (2008) Notes on Brachystelma pulchellum and B. modestum. Asklepios 100: 42 - 53.","Dyer, R. A. (1983) Ceropegia, Brachystelma and Riocreuxia in Southern Africa. Balkema, Rotterdam, 242 pp."]}

The following key distinguishes the 10 brood-site mimicking species of Ceropegia sect. Chamaesiphon which occur in KwaZulu-Natal and may be confused with C. gilboaensis: 1. Stems prostrate...................................................................................................................................................................................2 - Stems sub-erect to erect......................................................................................................................................................................6 2. Flowers flat or shallowly campanulate, fused portion of corolla ±1/3 or less...................................................................................3 - Flowers steep cylindrical-campanulate, fused portion of corolla ±1/2..............................................................................................4 3. Corolla flat or shallowly saucer-shaped, glabrous..............................................................................................................................5 - Corolla campanulate, with white trichomes on upper surface............................................................................................. C. remota 4. Corolla lobe bases purple mottled, distinctly fluted, mouth 5-star-shaped, corona lobes not covering the style head.. C. ngomensis - Corolla lobe bases with broken, transverse, burgundy bands, mouth not 5-star shaped, corona lobes covering style head....................................................................................................................................................................................................... C. gilboaensis 5. Corolla flat, less than ± 12 mm in diameter................................................................................................................... C. pulchellior - Corolla shallowly saucer-shaped, 17–20 mm in diameter..................................................................................................... C. coddii 6. Corolla glabrous.......................................................................................................................................................... C. modestantha - Corolla papillate or with trichomes on upper surface........................................................................................................................7 7. Corolla bowl-shaped, fused portion of corolla ±1/2...................................................................................................... C. chlorozona - Corolla (shallowly) campanulate, fused portion of corolla ±1/3 or less............................................................................................8 8. Leaves narrowly elliptic-lanceolate, trichomes on upper corolla surface......................................................................... C. australis - Leaves ovate to elliptic to lanceolate, with or without trichomes on corolla lobe margins...............................................................9 9. Flowers 2–several, corolla papillate, rugose........................................................................................................................ C. perdita - Flowers solitary, corolla margins with long trichomes, tubers finger-like, irregularly shaped...................................... C. petrophila, Published as part of Heiduk, Annemarie, Crouch, Neil R. & Styles, David G. A., 2023, Ceropegia gilboaensis (Apocynaceae), a new species from the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, pp. 125-136 in Phytotaxa 591 (2) on page 134, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.591.2.4, http://zenodo.org/record/7797469

The ARRIVE Guidelines 2.0 for the publishing of animal experiments have been adhered to report the results of our study. Supported by many reputable journals, the guidelines are intended to improve and strengthen the quality of animal experiment reporting.

Kalanchoe gideonsmithii N.R.Crouch & Figueiredo, sp. nov. (Fig. 1A–D) Type:— SOUTH AFRICA. KwaZulu-Natal province.—2930 (Pietermaritzburg): Bishopstowe (– DA); Collected on 3 March 2010 by Neil R. Crouch; Flowered in cultivation in Pretoria on 26 June 2021, G . F. Smith 1153 (holotype PRU). Diagnosis:—The overall colour of the leaves and stems of K. gideonsmithii is pale bluish purple or in shady positions somewhat pale light green with a blue sheen, while K. decumbens plants are more uniformly light green and K. rotundifolia mid- to light green to glaucous. The leaves of K. gideonsmithii are narrowly oblong-terete to somewhat clavate rather than round or oblanceolate to obovate as in K. rotundifolia. At the level of the ovary the corolla tubes of K. gideonsmithii are dark orange-red and purplish blueinfused, rather than somewhat green-infused, as in the case of K. rotundifolia and, to a lesser extent, K. decumbens. Description:—Perennial, few- to many-leaved, sparsely to densely branched from base, glabrous, low-growing small to medium-sized succulent, with creeping stems 0.2–1.0 m long when in flower. Stems one to few arising from rootstock, usually simple or sometimes producing obovate-leaved branchlets near base, main stems very rarely branched higher up, erect or leaning to creeping, rooting along the way, thin, green to strongly bluish purple-infused. Leaves 50–75(–80) × (4–)5.0– 7.5 mm, opposite-decussate, sessile, erect, uniformly densely carried throughout, pale bluish green to pale light green, with slight to distinct bloom, finely purple-dotted in distal ¼ and towards base; petiole absent; blade succulent, spathulate when young, narrowly oblong-terete to somewhat clavate at maturity, often involute when desiccated, then appearing grooved above, sometimes recurved or incurved in distal ⅓ to ½; apex rounded to obtuse, slightly apiculate; base gradually tapering to narrow slightly thickened insertion on stem; margins entire. Inflorescence a corymbose cyme, 10–30(–40) cm tall, with leaf-like bracts at nodes, floriferous only at top, erect or leaning, apically sparsely branched, few- to many-flowered, rather round in outline when viewed from above, branches opposite, subtended by small, persistent leaf-like bracts, leafy branchlets sometimes developing in axils, axis light green to strongly bluish purple-infused with slight waxy bloom; pedicels slender, 7–9(–11) mm long. Flowers 11–14 mm long, erect; calyx dull bluish green, distally red, covered with slight bloom; sepals 4, 0.75–1.00 × 0.75– 1.00 mm, ± separate, basally very slightly fused, deltoid-triangular, acute, somewhat contrasting against basal part of corolla; corolla 10–13 mm long, prominently enlarged basally around carpels, distinctly and tightly anti-clockwisetwisted apically after anthesis; corolla tube 9–12 mm long, terete to 4-angled, narrowly urceolate, strongly globose basally to somewhat cubic when viewed from below, narrowing above carpels, distally consistently bright orange-red with bluish purple infusion, bright orange-red to distinctly bluish purple-infused around ovaries, yellowish green basally at level of sepals; lobes 4–5 × 1.5–2.0 mm, at 30°–45° angle to rarely patent, narrowly elliptic, distinctly acute apically, showing diurnal movement, bright orange-red, sometimes slightly yellowish-infused in centre. Stamens inserted in two ranks just above and just below middle of corolla tube, included; filaments 1.0– 1.5 mm long, thin, yellow; anthers 0.25–0.30 mm long, yellow. Pistil consisting of 4 carpels; carpels 4–5 mm long, mid-green, distinctly purple-infused; styles ca. 1 mm long; stigmas very slightly capitate, yellowish green; scales 2.0– 2.5 mm long, linear, light yellow. Follicles 5–6 mm long, grass spikelet-like, dull mid-green, enveloped in dry, purple to purplish white remains of corolla, eventually brittle. Seed 0.75–1.00 mm long, somewhat banana-shaped to ellipsoid, striated, brown. Chromosome number: unknown. Distribution and habitat:—The type locality of Kalanchoe gideonsmithii is at Bishopstowe in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province (Fig. 1E). Plants grow exposed to full sun in the thin soils that accumulate in pockets overlying granitic rock sheets, where it co-occurs with the succulents Aloe candelabrum Berger (1906: 246) (Asphodelaceae), Kalanchoe rotundifolia (Crassulaceae), and Kleinia fulgens Hooker (1866: t. 5590) (Asteraceae). Several hundred plants are known from the (formally unprotected) type locality, which occurs at an elevation of ca. 540 m, in KwaZuluNatal Hinterland Thornveld (SVs 3) (Rutherford et al. 2006). At the second known locality to the south of Cato Ridge, plants occur on sandstone-derived soils at an elevation of ca. 565 m. The entire known natural geographical distribution range (Fig. 3) of K. gideonsmithii falls within the Maputaland-Pondoland Region of Endemism, to which it accordingly is endemic (Van Wyk & Smith 2001: 82–85). Flowering time:— Kalanchoe gideonsmithii flowers mainly in the winter months, May to August in the southern hemisphere, although in cultivation there as early as March. Eponymy:— Kalanchoe gideonsmithii is named for Prof. Dr Gideon François Smith (Kariega, Eastern Cape province, South Africa, 20 October 1959 –) (Fig. 1F). Gideon has held several tenured and temporary senior management positions at the South African National Biodiversity Institute, and simultaneously the John Acocks Professorial Chair at the University of Pretoria. He has a research interest in Old and New World succulents and is at present attached to the Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha [Port Elizabeth], South Africa. Gideon recently co-authored a book on southern African kalanchoes (Smith et al. 2019) and has published well over 100 papers on the genus. We here combine Gideon’s first and surname in the specific epithet to prevent confusion with ‘ Kalanchoe smithii ’ Raym. -Hamet in sched., a designation not validly published (see https://science.mnhn.fr/institution/mnhn/collection/ p/item/p03380700?lang=en_ US). Although Jacobsen (1986: 629) referenced this designation, as far as could be determined Raymond-Hamet never described such a species (Smith 2020b; see Turland et al. 2018: Rec. 23A.3.(i)). Discussion:— Kalanchoe rotundifolia occurs sympatrically with both K.decumbens and K.gideonsmithii. However, although these species, like most kalanchoes, generally flower simultaneously during the winter months, hybrids or intermediate forms that show introgression have yet to be observed between K. rotundifolia and K. decumbens, and K. rotundifolia and K. gideonsmithii. With 19 of the 22 hitherto known kalanchoes from southern Africa occurring to the east of the Drakensberg massif, that region is evidently a regional centre of diversity for the genus. Additionally, about 50% of these eastern southern African kalanchoes are endemic to the Flora of Southern Africa region (Namibia, Botswana, Eswatini [formerly Swaziland], Lesotho, South Africa) (Smith & Figueiredo 2021).

Crouch, Neil R., Figueiredo, Estrela (2022): Kalanchoe gideonsmithii (K. subg. Kalanchoe; Crassulaceae subfam. Kalanchooideae), a further new species endemic to the Maputaland-Pondoland Region of Endemism in KwaZulu-Natal, eastern South Africa. Phytotaxa 566 (2): 233-241, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.566.2.8, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.566.2.8

Kalanchoe benbothae Gideon F.Sm. & N.R.Crouch, sp. nov. (Fig. 1A–E) Type:— SOUTH AFRICA. KwaZulu-Natal province —2731 (Louwsburg): Vaalbank, (– CA), rocky grassland to northeast of town, sterile material collected in February 2017, flowered in cultivation in Durban, 2 June 2021, B . S. [Ben] Botha 1 (holotype PRU). Diagnosis:—Plants of Kalanchoe benbothae (Fig. 1B) are medium-sized to large, glabrous, densely waxy when young, bi- to triennial to perennial succulents that can be separated from K. luciae (Fig. 2), its closest relative, as follows: Kalanchoe benbothae is less robust in all vegetative respects than K. luciae, with especially the leaves of the former (90–140 × 60–100 mm) not attaining the dimensions of the latter (40–160(–190) × 20–90(–110) mm) (Fig. 1B). The flowers of K. benbothae are lightly to moderately covered in a waxy bloom (Fig. 1A), while those of K. luciae have a substantial waxy bloom (Fig. 2A–B). The corolla lobes of K. benbothae are reddish pink and triangular, while those of K. luciae are white to pale yellowish green and oblong (Fig. 1A, C–D). The anthers of K. benbothae are reddish brown in bud, while those of K. luciae are yellow, and the pistil of the former is narrowly elliptic, whereas that of the latter species is prolate. Kalanchoe benbothae has transversely oblong nectar scales, while those of K. luciae are ± square (Fig. 1E). Description:—Multiannual to perennial, few- to many-leaved, unbranched at first, pre- and/or post-flowering slowly sprouting from woody base, glabrous, waxy, medium-sized to robust succulent, 0.25–1.00 m tall when in flower. Stems light green to reddish-infused, unbranched, arising from sturdy base, erect to leaning, often with few indistinct, lengthwise running ridges. Leaves opposite-decussate, light green, infused with red to purplish red along leaf margins only, succulent, erect to slightly erectly spreading, coriaceous and papery-flimsy on drying; petiole absent, amplexicaul; blade 90–140 × 60–100 mm, obovate to broadly elliptic, somewhat gracefully and slightly folded upwards lengthwise, sometimes very slightly wavy, flat to slightly curved up along margins; base cuneate to narrowly triangular, sometimes very slightly auriculate; apex rounded-obtuse; margins smooth, slightly saucer-like curved upwards. Inflorescence erect to slightly leaning, apically dense, many-flowered, club-shaped to short-branched thyrse consisting of several dichasia terminating in monochasia, flowering portion 100–400(–700) mm long, branches opposite, rarely only one at node, erect to slanted away from main flowering stem at angle of 30°, subtended by leaf-like bracts, very rarely with leafy branchlets in axils, axis light green; pedicels 3–10 mm long, slender. Flowers erectly spreading to slanted horizontally to pendulous at anthesis; calyx light green to lightly reddish-infused, very densely white-waxy covered; sepals 4, ± 3–4 × 1.5–2.5 mm, narrowly triangular-lanceolate, succulent, clasping the corolla tube above, basally fused for 1.0– 1.5 mm, acute-tipped, contrasting against light yellowish green corolla tube; corolla 12–14 mm long, enlarged lower down, tapering to mouth, not twisted apically after anthesis; tube 11–13 mm long, light yellowish green, fading reddish brown when spent, narrowly urceolate, indistinctly 4-angled, round when viewed from below, longitudinally indistinctly fluted above; lobes (3–)5 × 3 mm, pink to reddish with margins often paler, triangular, tapering towards acute apex, margins slightly to distinctly in-folded, erecto-patent, rarely recurved, dark pink to red-tipped in bud. Stamens 8, inserted in two ranks, one rank just above middle of corolla tube, other well above middle of corolla tube towards mouth, all 8 slightly exserted to 1 mm, visible at mouth; filaments 2–4 mm long, light greenish white, thin, tapering upwards; anthers 0.5–0.6 mm long, yellow. Pistil consisting of 4 carpels, narrowly elliptic; carpels 6–7 mm long, dull mid-green; styles 1.5–2.0 mm long, dull mid-green; stigmas very slightly capitate, whitish green, positioned at mouth; scales ± 1 mm high, ± 2 mm broad, transversely oblong, flat to slightly tooth-like rounded and finely cockscomb-like pointed apically, uniformly light yellow. Chromosome number: unknown. Distribution and habitat:—The earliest known material of K. benbothae was collected at Mooiklip near Louwsburg in 1936 by the indefatigable South African botanist Inez Clare Verdoorn (1896–1989), who was employed at the National Herbarium in Pretoria (Herb. PRE) from 1919 until 1951, and later (1967) was awarded an honorary Ph.D. degree by the University of Natal. The species was recently recollected. This new species is known with certainty so far only from the type locality at Vaalbank in KwaZulu-Natal and also from Mooiklip some 20 km distant. However, based on sterile material it is considered to possibly occur also some 110 km to the north of Vaalbank at Iswepe, situated in KaNgwane Montane Grassland (Gm16) (David Styles pers. comm.; Mucina et al. 2006). The entire known natural geographical distribution range (Fig. 3) of the species falls within the Maputaland-Pondoland Region of Endemism (Van Wyk & Smith 2001: 82–85). Kalanchoe benbothae occurs in very shallow soils overlying dolomitic bedrock, in open grassland at elevations of ca. 1250 m, in Northern KwaZulu-Natal Moist Grassland (Gs4) and Northern Zululand Mistbelt Grassland (Gs 1) (Mucina et al. 2006). It co-occurs with Aloe suprafoliata Pole Evans (1916: 603) and Aloe cf. minima Baker (1895: 153) [both Asphodelaceae]. At the Vaalbank site some 50 plants have been observed, whilst at the unconfirmed Iswepe site ca. 30 plants were noted. The type locality is formally unprotected and subjected to grazing by cattle, whilst the original locality (Mooiklip) at which it was discovered, is presently threatened by coal mining activities. Additional specimen examined:— SOUTHAFRICA. KwaZulu-Natal province [as “Natal”].—2731 (Louwsburg): Ngotshe, Mooiklip near Louwsburg (– CA), 30 July 1936, I. C . Verdoorn 1720 (PRE!). Flowering time:— Kalanchoe benbothae flowers mainly in the winter months, May to August in the southern hemisphere, although in cultivation there as early as January. Eponymy:— Kalanchoe benbothae is named for Mr B.S. (Ben) Botha (born 4 September 1961, Elliot, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa –), a nurseryman and succulent afficionado, especially of aloes across their global range. Ben Botha is apparently the first to have gathered material of K. benbothae since Inez Verdoorn collected it some 80 years earlier in 1936; he is credited for recognising it as distinct from K. luciae. Within the greater Durban region, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Ben has been highly active in promoting waterwise gardening with succulents (Fig. 1F)., Published as part of Smith, Gideon F. & Crouch, Neil R., 2021, Kalanchoe benbothae (K. subg. Fernandesiae; Crassulaceae subfam. Kalanchooideae), a new southern African species endemic to KwaZulu-Natal in the Maputaland-Pondoland Region of Endemism, pp. 105-112 in Phytotaxa 521 (2) on pages 109-110, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.521.2.4, http://zenodo.org/record/5533581, {"references":["Mucina, L., Hoare, D. B., Lotter, M. C., Du Preez, J., Rutherford, M. C., Scott-Shaw, C. R., Bredenkamp, G. J., Powrie, L. W., Scott, L., Camp, K. G. T., Cilliers, S. S., Bezuidenhout, H., Mostert, T. H., Siebert, S. J., Winter, P. J. D., Burrows, J. E., Dobson, L., Ward, R. A., Stalmans, M., Oliver, E. G. H., Siebert, F., Schmidt, E., Kobisi, K. & Kose, L. (2006) Grassland Biome. In: L. Mucina & M. C. Rutherford (eds.) The vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Strelitzia 19. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, pp. 349 - 436.","Van Wyk, A. E. & Smith, G. F. (2001) Regions of floristic endemism in southern Africa. A review with emphasis on succulents. Umdaus Press, Hatfield, Pretoria, 199 pp.","Pole Evans, I. B. (1916) A new aloe from Swaziland [Aloe suprafoliata]. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 5: 603 - 604, with Plate XLIV opposite p. 604. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 00359191509519732","Baker, J. G. (1895) 254. Aloe (Eualoe) minima, Baker [Liliaceae], on p. 153. CCCCLXIV. - Diagnoses africanae, VI. (Continued from p. 99). Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information. Kew 1895: 141 - 153. https: // doi. org / 10.2307 / 4118481"]}

Smith, Gideon F., Crouch, Neil R. (2021): Crassula ×mortii (Crassulaceae subfam. Crassuloideae), a new natural hybrid between C. perforata and C. rubricaulis from South Africa's southern Cape. Phytotaxa 487 (1): 97-102, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.487.1.9, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.487.1.9

Within the framework of a taxonomic revision of subfamily Urgineoideae based on morphological, genetic and phytogeographic data covering numerous samples from its whole range of distribution, we here describe a new genus and species from Pella se Berge in northwestern South Africa. Triandra gen. nov. is easily characterized by the absence of stamens associated with the outer tepal whorl, therefore having only three stamens per flower, a character previously unknown in Hyacinthaceae. Triandra pellabergensis sp. nov. produces hypogeal bulbs with filiform proteranthous leaves, spurred bracts, lax racemes with few, nodding, nocturnal flowers and erect capsules with the withered tepals persisting atop. The new species resembles Urginea revoluta in general morphology, although this latter species has six stamens per flower, a different seed morphology, a distinct phytogeographic pattern, and a distant phylogenetic relationship. A complete morphological description is presented for the new genus and species, including data on its biology, ecology and distribution. This work was partly supported by H2020 Research and Innovation Staff Exchange Programme of the European Commission, project 645636: ‘Insect-plant relationships: insights into biodiversity and new applications’ (FlyHigh), and the grants ACIE18–03 UAUSTI18–02 and UAUSTI19-08 from the University of Alicante.

Nomenclature of Aloe davyana var. subolifera Aloe davyana var. subolifera Groenewald (1939: t. 732). Also treated in: Groenewald (1941: 65, 125), Reynolds (1950: 235), Jeppe (1969: 95), Bornman & Hardy (1971: 97), Jacobsen (1977: 77), Jacobsen (1986: 155). Type:���[SOUTH AFRICA]. Transvaal [the locality is in the present-day Limpopo province], Pretoria Distr., near Pienaar���s River [Pienaarsrivier, ca. 55 km north of Pretoria], August 1936, F.[Z.] van der Merwe in Nat. Herb. 22816 (holotype PRE PRE0084275-0!). Nomenclatural note on the type of the name Aloe davyana var. subolifera :��� Reynolds (1950: 235) and Glen & Hardy (2000: 56) cite ��� F.[Z.] van der Merwe in Nat. Herb. 22816 ��� simply as ���Type���. It is here corrected to holotype. Amplified description of Aloe davyana : Reinstatement of A. davyana var. subolifera necessitates the amendment of the description of A. davyana (see Smith et al. 2020) as follows: Description: ���Acaulescent plants or rarely with short stem; rosettes solitary or sometimes shortly suckering to form groups of 2���4, or up to 20 (var. subolifera). Leaves up to 30 cm long (20���25 cm in var. subolifera), 6���8 cm wide (var. davyana) or 3���5 cm wide (var. subolifera). Inflorescences 0.5���1.4 m high (up to 1.2 m high in var. davyana). Pedicels 20���25 mm long (var. davyana) or 8���11(���15) mm long (var. subolifera). Raceme apically dense, basally laxer or lax throughout (var. subolifera), 15���20 �� 7���8 cm (var. davyana) or 9���12 �� 4���6 cm (var. subolifera). Flowers: perianth nearly white to pale flesh-pink (var. subolifera) to dull brick-red, with greenish to greyish white stripes, 22���35 mm long [32���35 mm long in var. davyana; (22���)25���27(���30) mm long in var. subolifera]. Chromosome number (of both varieties): 2 n = 14 (Groenewald 1941: 167). The other characters of A. davyana var. subolifera are similar to those of A. davyana var. davyana. Flowering time: ��� Aloe davyana var. subolifera flowers from (May���)June through to September. Habitat: ��� Aloe davyana var. subolifera occurs on red sands or black turf in comparatively open, grassy patches in savanna, or in the dappled shade of deciduous trees. Distribution: ���The main centre of distribution of A. davyana var. subolifera is about 50 km due north to slightly northwest of Pretoria, around Pienaarsrivier in the Limpopo province (Fig. 2). Aloe davyana var. subolifera occurs naturally in a comparatively small area that is, at least in the south, impacted by urban sprawl and land transformation for the establishment of informal housing. The area is fortunately protected in some private conservation areas in the north, such as at Lunikhy Game Lodge and Wolfhuiskraal, and to the southeast in the Dinokeng Game Reserve, although the latter area is just beyond the main natural distribution range of A. davyana var. subolifera. However, in these reserves, which often focus on game and livestock farming, natural fires are customarily excluded. Under such conditions the integrity of ecosystems and the configuration of plant diversity can be negatively impacted. In the African bushveld (savanna), including in the Waterberg close to the type locality of A. davyana var. subolifera (Wadley 2019), several disturbances, such as fire and herbivory by large mammals, including the African elephant, Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach, 1797), influence, inter alia, the integrity of ecosystems and the composition of their vegetation components, as well as the configuration of plant diversity (Van Staden et al. 2016 ���2017). The intensity of natural fires, which mostly start after lightning strikes in summer, typically varies depending on the season in which it occurs, the dry winter or wet summer. Furthermore, given intensive agricultural activities in the Waterberg and adjacent parts of the bushveld, including both game and livestock farming, as well as crop planting, efforts to exclude fire have been implemented for some years. Such practices have resulted in bush encroachment and the almost invariably concomitant densification of the woody component of the flora; the often simultaneous densification of the grass layer can yield the vegetation moribund (Van Staden et al. 2016 ���2017, Van Staden et al. 2018). This influences the population dynamics of low-growing succulents, including of A. davyana var. subolifera. Processes that disturb biome integrity, including fire and the impact of herbivores, are complex and aspects such as climate shifts and physical topographical features additionally and interactively shape ecosystem functioning (Van Staden et al. 2018). Additional specimens examined: ��� SOUTH AFRICA, Gauteng: Pretoria, Hammanskraal, 18 July 1914, I. B . Pole Evans 28 (PRE!); 20 miles beyond Pretoria, fl. 4 July 1934, G. G . Smith 168 & 169 (PRE!); 4 miles N of Pretoria, 30 August 1953, L. N . Prosser 1863 (PRE!); Limpopo, Pienaar���s River, 16 August 1917, I. B . Pole Evans H 15698 (PRE!); Beyond Hammanskraal, 28���38 miles from Pretoria, May 1935, A. A . Obermeyer & I. Verdoorn 1 (PRE!); Pienaar���s River, 4 August 1935, G. W . Reynolds 1498 (PRE!)., Published as part of Smith, Gideon F., Klopper, Ronell R., Crouch, Neil R. & Figueiredo, Estrela, 2021, Reinstatement of Aloe davyana var. subolifera (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae), a distinctive variety of an endemic South African aloe, pp. 208-212 in Phytotaxa 482 (2) on pages 209-211, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.482.2.9, http://zenodo.org/record/5419170, {"references":["Groenewald, B. H. (1939) Aloe davyana var. subolifera. The Flowering Plants of South Africa 19: t. 732. [https: // archive. org / details / floweringplantso 19 unse / page / n 53 / mode / 2 up]","Groenewald, B. H. (1941) Die aalwyne van Suid-Afrika, Suidwes-Afrika, Portugees Oos-Afrika, Swaziland, Basoetoeland, en ' n spesiale ondersoek van die klassifikasie, chromosome en areale van die Aloe Maculatae. Die Nasionale Pers Beperk, Bloemfontein, 172 pp.","Reynolds, G. W. (1950) The aloes of South Africa. The Aloes of South Africa Book Fund, Johannesburg, 534 pp.","Jeppe, B. (1969) South African aloes. Purnell & Sons S. A. (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town, Johannesburg, London, 144 pp.","Bornman, H. & Hardy, D. [S.] (1971) Aloes of the South African veld. Voortrekkerpers, Johannesburg, 299 pp.","Jacobsen, H. (1977) Lexicon of succulent plants. Short descriptions, habitats and synonymy of succulent plants other than Cactaceae. Blandford Press Ltd, Poole, Dorset, 682 pp.","Jacobsen, H. (1986) A handbook of succulent plants. Descriptions, synonyms and cultural details for succulents other than Cactaceae. Vol. 1. Abromeitiella to Euphorbia. Blandford Press Ltd, Poole, Dorset, 464 pp.","Glen, H. F. & Hardy, D. S. (2000) Aloaceae (First part): Aloe. In: G. Germishuizen (Ed.) Flora of southern Africa Vol. 5, Part 1, Fasc. 1. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, pp. 1 - 167.","Smith, G. F., Klopper, R. R., Crouch, N. R. & Figueiredo, E. (2020) Reinstatement of Aloe davyana (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae), a winter-flowering species endemic to central-northeastern South Africa. Phytotaxa 475 (3): 201 - 208. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / phytotaxa. 475.3.4","Blumenbach, J. F. (1797) 2. ' Africanus'. P. 125. Handbuch der Naturgeschichte [Handbook of Natural History], 5 th edition. Johann Christian Dieterich. Gottingen, 714 pp., \" Register \" [= Index] pages not numbered. [http: // www. deutschestextarchiv. de / book / view / blumenbach _ naturgeschichte _ 1797? p = 147]","Van Staden, P. J., Bezuidenhout, H., Ferreira, S. & Bredenkamp, G. J. (2016 - 2017) The effects of elephants and fire on vegetation at Marakele National Park, South Africa. Pachyderm 58: 107 - 122."]}

Smith, Gideon F., Klopper, Ronell R., Crouch, Neil R., Figueiredo, Estrela (2021): Reinstatement of Aloe davyana var. subolifera (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae), a distinctive variety of an endemic South African aloe. Phytotaxa 482 (2): 208-212, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.482.2.9, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.482.2.9