A new species Lappula botschantzevii (Boraginaceae) from the Northern Africa

A new species, Lappula botschantzevii, is described from the desert zone of North-Western Africa. The new species belongs to the section Lappula and is close to the species L. patula, from which it differs in a smaller corolla, a scorpioid inflorescence (bilateral flowers) with loosely spaced flowers, a heteromorphic coenobium with two types of eremocarps: A) winged with glochids and a large number of spines along the edges of the disc of eremocarps and B) with a second short row of spines. The species is described based on samples from collections housed in three herbaria: Herbarium of the Komarov Botanical Institute RAS, Sankt-Peterburg (LE, Russia) and Muséum National d ‘Histoire Naturelle, Paris (P, France), Université de Montpellier (MPU). It is named after the Russian botanist Viktor Petrovich Botschantzev, who spent many years studying the flora of Africa and who collected samples of the new species. The absence of holotypes required the typification of the names of the studied species Lappula patula, L. capensis and L. eckloniana.

Phymosia (Malvaceae) a new genus for the flora of Africa, with nomenclatural notes

As part of ongoing studies of Tunisian Malvaceae, a population of Phymosia umbellata was discovered in Monastir city. It represents the first generic record for the national and continental flora. Morphological characters, as well as ecological data are given. A list of all the accepted names in Phymosia, their synonyms and types is also provided, with nomenclatural notes about some accepted Phymosia species.

COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case for Phytomedicines

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infection caused by a newly discovered coronavirus which was identified in Wuhan, China. The race is on globally to repurpose drugs for COVID-19 and develop a safe and effective vaccine against the disease. There is an urgent need to search for effective remedies against COVID-19 from the rich and extensive flora of Africa and the world. A literature search was conducted to obtain information on drugs with the potential for effectiveness in the treatment of COVID-19 based mostly on outcomes of preclinical studies and a few clinical investigations. This was considered important to this perspective as some of the identified mechanisms of action may be related to potential anti-COVID-19 actions of phytomedicines. The findings from the literature search were also used to establish the need for exploration of phytomedicines in the fight against COVID-19. This perspective identifies the need to preserve the rich tradition of herbal medicine in Africa, repositioning it by inculcating all aspects of discovery, development, and chemical evaluation of pharmaceuticals from medicinal plants for effective management of prevalent diseases. The identified mechanisms of action of current drugs under consideration for the treatment of COVID-19 include preventing fusion of SARS-CoV-2 with human cells; decrease acidity in endosomes, cell membrane-derived vesicles for transportation of the virus within the host cell and within which the virus can replicate; and blockade of the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Phytomedicines may possibly elicit either one or a combination of these effects. The case for the exploration of phytomedicines against COVID-19 is strengthened by the emergence of a number of conventional drugs from medicinal plants and the emergence of botanicals with proven efficacy for some medical conditions. Caution against indiscriminate use of medicinal plants in the guise of treating COVID-19 has been highlighted and the need for reliable preclinical and clinical studies.

Afro-American Hepatics Revisited

In 1983, Gradstein, Pócs and Váňa discussed the disjunct Afro-American ranges of 41 liverwort species and 8 genera. Since the appearance of this paper much progress has been made in the study of tropical liverworts and knowledge of the neotropical and African floras has improved considerably. The new investigations have raised the number of Afro-American hepatics to 74 species, 13 genera and one family (Oxymitraceae). Afro-American species constitute about 5% of the neotropical liverwort flora and 8% of the flora of Africa. The percentages of species shared by the two continents are doubled when pantropical species are added. Five Afro-American species are newly recognized in this paper: Calypogeia peruviana Nees & Mont. (= C. afrocaerulea E. W. Jones, syn. nov.), Ceratolejeunea coarina (Gottsche) Steph. (= C. diversicornua Steph., syn. nov.), C. ornithocephala Herzog (= C. kilimanjarica Pócs & Ast, syn. nov.), Odontoschisma variabile (Lindenb. & Gottsche) Trevis. (= O. africanum Steph., syn. nov.) and Syzygiella manca (Mont.) Steph. [= S. geminifolia (Mitt.) Steph., syn. nov.]. Spore dispersal experiments and molecular-phylogenetic studies have shown that the intercontinental ranges of liverwort species, and of the majority of genera, should have resulted from long-distance dispersal events, not from vicariance.

The mosses of sub-Saharan Africa 2. Endemism and biodiversity

Based on a recent moss checklist of sub-Saharan Africa, an analysis is made of moss diversity and endemism in the area. There are over 3000 taxa, 77% of which are endemic. Figures for diversity and endemism for each country are listed, mapped and graphed, and endemism is also considered at the genus level. As the bryophyte flora of Africa is comparatively poorly known, it is important to be prudent when drawing conclusions about biodiversity and endemism.

Plants Africa gave to the World

Although the flora of Africa is rather poor in plant species when compared to the floras of Tropical America or South-east Asia, this vast continent is the home of a wide range of plants useful to Man. Many of these have become famous in cultivation around the world. Coffee now provides an important source of income for certain countries, and the Yams yield one of the world’s staple foods. The Oil Palm and Cola trees are widely cultivated in Africa itself and elsewhere. African Mahoganies and Ironwoods are much sought after timber trees of excellent quality. Numerous grasses and pulses are well-known for their food value, and some of the native Cucurbitaceae are appreciated additions to our vegetable diet. African plants have also made their contribution to horticulture, ranging from world-famous trees such as the African or Gabon Tulip tree and many of the South African species of Proteaceae to the multitude of East and South African succulents. The present paper provides a survey of the most important of these useful plants and will emphasize the need of further research for forestry and agricultural as well as horticultural purposes, especially as far as some still little-known but potentially important plants species are concerned.

The National Park Idea: How to Interest the African Public

The world's first National Park was the Yellowstone Park in the United States of America, established by the United States Congress in 1872 “as a pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people”. This great Park, of over two million acres, was soon followed by others, first in America and then elsewhere, in a world-wide movement which has gradually been gaining impetus and which still continues, East and Central Africa being amongst the last and most tardy recruits to the field. Throughout, the emphasis has been on the preservation of wild land areas for public outdoor recreational and educational use. In 1933 the first move was made at international level to give tangible expression to this movement in the “Conference for the Protection of the Fauna and Flora of Africa”, held in London during that year and attended by delegates from all over the continent: other international meetings have followed.

The Bukavu Conference

A convention for the protection of the fauna and flora of Africa was drawn up at a conference held in London in 1933 and was ratified by almost all the Powers with possessions in Africa. Another conference took place about five years later, which recommended certain alterations in the convention, but owing to the war these were never carried into effect. Since then it has been obvious that the time for further action was overdue.