Researchers report 15 new species of Coleus (Lamiaceae) and revised 95 taxa in Central Africa

NEWS - Researchers revised the genus Coleus (Lamiaceae) in DR Congo, Rwanda and Burundi based on herbarium taxonomy. Pierre Meerts of the Université Libre de Bruxelles in Brussels and Alan Paton of the Herbarium Royal Botanic Gardens in Richmond reported 95 taxa consisting of 89 species, 1 subspecies and 5 varieties.

The report includes 15 new species and one new variety: Coleus duvigneaudii, C. hildei, C. kaminaensis, C. kundelunguensis, C. linarioides, C. lisowskii, C. marunguensis, C. minusculus, C. mitwabaensis, C. mystax, C. pengbelensis, C. piscatorum, C. pseudoschizophyllus, C. ruziziensis, C. zigzag and C. esculentus var. kolweziensis.

The specimens comprise 14 new species recorded in DR Congo and 2 new species recorded in Burundi. The report also makes 4 new combinations: Coleus betonicifolius var. kasomenensis, C. esculentus var. densus, C. esculentus var. primulinus and C. parvifolius. The lectotype includes 10 names and the neotype includes 1 name.

The researchers also report 13 new synonyms. Special attention is paid to the Coleus bojeri complex. The report also makes 3 names to accommodate the wide variation pattern in Central Africa consisting of C. chevalieri, C. collinus and C. heterotrichus. Meanwhile, the endemic species of DR. Congo, Rwanda and Burundi include 15 taxa.

The genus Coleus (Lour) was first formally described by the Portuguese botanist João de Loureiro (1717-1791) in 1790 in Fl. Cochinch.: 372. The large genus includes more than 300 species, dozens of synonyms and most occur naturally in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia.

Original research

Meerts PJ, Paton AJ (2024). The genus Coleus (Lamiaceae) in Central Africa (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi), with the description of 15 new species. PhytoKeys 246: 71-178, DOI:10.3897/phytokeys.246.129476

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) manufacture bubble-nets as tools to increase prey intake

NEWS - Humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) create bubble net tools while foraging, consisting of internal tangential rings, and actively control the number of rings, their size, depth and horizontal spacing between the surrounding bubbles. These structural elements of the net increase prey intake sevenfold. Researchers have known that humpback whales create “bubble nets” for hunting, but the new report shows that the animals also manipulate them in a variety of ways to maximize catches. The behavior places humpbacks among the rare animals that make and use their own tools. “Many animals use tools to help them find food, but very few actually make or modify these tools themselves,” said Lars Bejder, director of the Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP), University of Hawaii at Manoa. “Humpback whales in southeast Alaska create elaborate bubble nets to catch krill. They skillfully blow bubbles in patterns that form a web with internal rings. They actively control details such ...

Stinking passionflower (Passiflora foetida)

Rambusa or senthiet or stinking passionflower ( Passiflora foetida ) is a species of plant in the Passifloraceae, herbaceous creeping or climbing, pungent smell, fruit covered by enlarged flower petals, growing in forest bushes, agricultural lands and abandoned lands. P. foetida grows to a length of 5 meters, the stem is cylindrical and has white hairs. Single leaf, 1-3 cm stalk and long hair. Strands ovate, 3.5-13 cm wide, 4.5-14 cm long, three pointed corners, heart-shaped leaf base, may be flat or not deep toothed. Additional flowers and petals are bandage leaves with 3 strands, sharing a double pinnate with a woven thread-like crown, 1-3 cm. The calyx tube is wide bell-shaped. The corolla and corolla extend up to 2.5 cm, bright white and often with purple in the center. Stalks at the base and attached. The pistil stalk is in the shape of a mace with 3 items. The berries are covered by a bandage leaf, oval in shape, 1.5-2 cm long, yellow-orange when ripe and have many seeds. Sent...

Javan mocca or Javan slender caesar (Amanita javanica)

OPINION - Javan mocca or Javan slender caesar ( Amanita javanica ) is a mysterious fungus species and has been enigmatic since it was first reported by Boedijn in 1951 and after that no explanation or reporting of specimens is believed to be the same as expected. Boedijn (1951) described A. javanica which grew on Java island as having the characteristics covered in the Amanita genus. Corner and Bas in 1962 tried to describe Javan mocca and all species in Amanita based on specimens in Singapore. Over time some reports say that they have found A. javanica specimens in other Southeast Asia including also China, Japan, India and Nepal. But there is no definitive knowledge and many doubt whether the specimen is the same as described by Boedijn (1951). I was fortunate to have seen this species one afternoon and soon I took out a camera for some shots. In fact, I've only met this mushroom species once. Javan mocca is an endangered species and I have never seen in my experience in...

Dlium