@article {89, title = {New taxonomic and conservation status of Ossiculum (Vandeae, Orchidaceae), a highly threatened and narrow-endemic angraecoid orchid from Central Africa.}, year = {2018}, abstract = {

In the context of producing a revised phylogenetic Linnean taxonomy of angraecoid orchids, the monotypic
and narrow-endemic genus Ossiculum is synonymised with Calyptrochilum. Accordingly, a new combination
in Calyptrochilum is proposed for Ossiculum aurantiacum. The morphological and DNA-based
evidence for this transfer is discussed. Moreover, Calyptrochilum aurantiacum is here firstly reported outside
Cameroon, with a record from the Republic of the Congo. The Red List conservation status of this
species is reassessed and it is to be downgraded from \“Critically Endangered\” (CR) to \“Endangered\” (EN),
following the recent discovery of additional subpopulations in Cameroon.

}, doi = {doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.98.23511.}, author = {M. Simo-Droissart and T. St{\'e}vart and B. Sonk{\'e} and S. Mayogo and N. Kamdem and V. Droissart} } @article {88, title = {Kupeantha (Coffeeae, Rubiaceae), a new genus from Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea.}, journal = {PLoS ONE }, volume = {13}, year = {2018}, chapter = {e0199324. }, abstract = {

Two new coffee relatives (tribe Coffeeae, Rubiaceae), discovered during botanical expeditions
to Cameroon, are examined for generic placement, and the placement of three previously
known species (Argocoffeopsis fosimondi, A. spathulata and Calycosiphonia pentamera) is
reinvestigated using plastid sequence (accD-psa1, rpl16, trnL-F) and morphological data.
Seed biochemistry of the new species and pollen micromorphology (only one of the two species)
are also studied. Based on the plastid sequence data, the new taxa are nested in a wellsupported
monophyletic group that includes Argocoffeopsis and Calycosiphonia. Within this
clade, three well-supported subclades are recovered that are morphologically easy to diagnose:
(1) Calycosiphonia (excluding C. pentamera), (2) Argocoffeopsis (excluding A. fosimondi
and A. spathulata), and (3) a clade including the above excluded species, in addition to the
new species. Based on the results, Kupeantha, a new genus of five species, is described,
including two new Critically Endangered taxa from the Highlands of Cameroon: Kupeantha
ebo and K. kupensis. Phytochemical analysis of Kupeantha seeds reveals compounds
assigned as hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, amino acids and ent-kaurane diterpenoids; caffeine
was not detected. Kupeantha is the first new genus described in tribe Coffeeae in 40
years.
Introduction

}, doi = {doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0199324}, author = {M. Cheek and M.-G. Alvarez-Aguirre and A. Grall and B. Sonk{\'e} and M-J.R. Howes and I. Larridon} } @article {87, title = {Guinea yam (Dioscorea spp., Dioscoreaceae) wild relatives identified using whole plastome phylogenetic analyses. }, year = {2018}, abstract = {

The genus Dioscorea (Dioscoreaceae) contains several economically important species for human consumption,
medical and pharmaceutical uses. The phylogeny of this genus is not yet fully resolved. As a result, the relationships between
cultivated yams and their wild relatives are not well understood and this negatively affects the understanding of the evolution
of cultivated yams. Here, we reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships of the main African cultivated species with all West
African species in order to better circumscribe the crop wild relatives of African yams. Complete plastomes of 57 individuals
representing all 17 known Dioscorea species from West Africa were reconstructed. Tree topologies generated using maximum
parsimony and maximum likelihood approaches were highly congruent. Six monophyletic groups were obtained. All the
species were distinct except within the cultivated clade, where it was not possible to separate the two main cultivated species
(D. cayenensis, D. rotundata) from their closest West African wild relatives (D. abyssinica, D. praehensilis, D. sagittifolia).
Dioscorea baya formed a monophyletic group closely related to the cultivated clade. We therefore suggest it is included within
the yam crop\–wild relative complex.

}, doi = {doi.org/10.12705/675.4}, author = {acqueline Magw{\'e}-Tindo and J, Jan J. Wieringa and Bonaventure Sonk{\'e} and Louis Zapfack and Yves Vigouroux and Thomas L.P. Couvreur and Nora Scarcelli} } @article {86, title = {Two new species of Raphia (Palmae/Arecaceae) from Cameroon and Gabon}, journal = {PhytoKeys}, volume = {111}, year = {2018}, pages = {17-30}, chapter = {17}, abstract = {

Raphia (Arecaceae, Calamoideae) is the most diverse genus of African palms with around 20 species.
Two new species from Cameroon and Gabon, Raphia gabonica Mogue, Sonk\é \& Couvreur, sp. nov. and
Raphia zamiana Mogue, Sonk\é \& Couvreur, sp. nov. are described and illustrated. Their affinities are
discussed and the conservation status of each species is assessed. For both species, distribution maps are
provided. Raphia gabonica is restricted to two small populations from central Gabon, where it occurs on
hillsides on tierra firme soil, and close to small streams. Its preliminary IUCN status is Endangered, being
amongst the five most threatened palm species in Africa. Raphia gabonica potentially belongs to the moniliform
section. Raphia zamiana is largely distributed from south Cameroon to south Gabon and is very
common. It is also a multi-used palm, from which wine, grubs and construction material are extracted and
sold. It generally occurs in large stands in a wide range of ecosystems such as swamps, coastal forests on
partially inundated sandy soils and inundated savannahs. Its large stature, hard to access habitat (swamps)
and abundant presence might have discouraged botanists to collect it until now. Raphia zamiana belongs
to the taxonomically complex raphiate section.

}, doi = {doi: 10.3897/phytokeys.111.27175 http://phytokeys.pensoft.net}, author = {Suzanne Mogue Kamga and Raoul Niangadouma and Fred W. Stauffer and Bonaventure Sonk{\'e} and Thomas L.P. Couvreur} } @article {85, title = {Taxonomic revision of the African genus Greenwayodendron (Annonaceae).}, year = {2018}, author = {B.-J. Lissambou and O.-J. Hardy and C. Atteke and T. St{\'e}vart and G. Dauby and B. Mbatchi and B. Sonk{\'e} and T.L.P. Couvreur} } @article {82, title = {Four new species of Sabicea (Rubiaceae) from tropical Africa, with additional notes on the genus. }, journal = {Candollea}, volume = {73}, year = {2018}, month = {23 November 2018}, pages = {277-293}, chapter = {277}, abstract = {

Four new species of Sabicea (Rubiaceae) from tropical Africa are described and illustrated: S. desseinii from Cameroon, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, S. ezangae from Gabon, S. jongkindii from Liberia and Ghana, and S. uniflora from Gabon. Their affinities are discussed, and the conservation status of each species is assessed. Sabicea speciosissima K.Schum. is excluded from the genus and synonymised with Rothmannia octomera (Hook.) Fagerl. Three other species are sunk into synonymy: Sabicea gigantea Wernham with S. dewevrei De Wild., S. arachnoidea Hutch. \& Dalziel with S. discolor Stapf, and S. neglecta Hepper with S. speciosa K.Schum.

}, keywords = {Africa, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, new species, Rubiaceae, Sabicea, taxonomy}, author = {Lise Zemagho and Olivier Lachenaud and Bonaventure Sonk{\'e}} }