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A revision of the genus Sclerosperma (Arecaceae)

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Summary

A taxonomic revision of the palm genus Sclerosperma (Arecaceae) is presented. Three species are recognised: S. mannii H. Wendl., which is relatively widespread from Liberia to the Democratic Republic of Congo; S. walkeri A. Chev., which is apparently confined to the interior of Gabon and a band along the Congo River; and S. profiziana, a new species previously considered conspecific to S. mannii that is found in southwest Ghana, Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola. The taxonomic history, morphology, distribution and conservation status of the genus and each species are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the staff and curators of BH, BM, BR, BRLU, FHO, HBG, K, LBV, MO and P for providing material on loan. Hans-Helmut Poppendieck and Bernd Frauendorfer have been instrumental in unearthing the Wölfert collections from the Botanical Museum in Hamburg. Xander van der Burgt, Carel Jongkind and William Hawthorne made an extra effort to collect Sclerosperma material from Cameroon, Liberia and Ghana. Hans de Vries produced the elegant plates that illustrate this article. The authors wish to thank the Conseil National des Parcs Nationaux at Libreville for granting us permission to work in Moukalaba Doudou and Waka National Parks. JvV’s field trip in April 2005 to the Moukalaba Doudou National Park was sponsored by National Geographic Society grant 7759-04 entitled ‘Botanical diversity of altitude zones in the Monts Doudou’ (a portion of Central African BOtanical NETwork [CABONET]). JvV’s visit to Kew to finalise the manuscript was financially supported by the MOABI foundation. TS is grateful to the Central African Regional Program for the Environment (CARPE), notably Dr John Flynn, for funding the work of the Smithsonian Institution in Central Africa. WCS-Gabon, particularly Brian Curran and Malcolm Starkey, are acknowledged for logistical support in the field. Special thanks are extended to Michael Balinga of FOREP for continued collaboration and field assistance.

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Correspondence to J. L. C. H. van Valkenburg.

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van Valkenburg, J.L.C.H., Sunderland, T.C.H. & Couvreur, T.L.P. A revision of the genus Sclerosperma (Arecaceae). Kew Bull 63, 75–86 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-007-9002-x

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