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A monographic study of the Oliniaceae

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Summary

Morphological variation within the Oliniaceae is discussed with reference to diagnostic characters used to delimit species and infraspecific taxa. The Oliniaceae is hereby considered to comprise a single genus, Olinia Thunb. with ten species assigned to two sections: sect. Olinia, and sect. Rochetiana. The two sections are distinguishable on the basis of the pattern of leaf venation, shape of leaves and petals. Section Olinia comprises O. capensis, O emarginata, O. micrantha, O. ventosa, O. radiata and O. vanguerioides; whereas section Rochetiana includes O. huillensis, O. rochetiana, O. ruandensis and O. usambarensis. O. huillensis Welw. shows infraspecific variation categorised as O. huillensis subsp. huillensis, O. huillensis subsp. burttdavii and O. huillensis subsp. discolor occurring mainly in southern Africa. Floral features provide useful and reliable distinguishing characters that consistently separate taxa at specific and infraspecific ranks. In particular, the following features are taxonomically useful: flowers which are organised into either tightly compact inflorescences or loose and open inflorescences, floral whorls comprising either four or five units, and variation in the shape and length of petal lobes. A full taxonomic account of Olinia over its total geographic distribution is provided with an identification key, descriptions, illustrations and distribution maps for all recognised taxa.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the curators of B, BM, BOL, ETH, K, LINN, NBG, and PRE for providing study material on loan. The University of the Witwatersrand, the National Research Foundation and the Mellon Foundation are acknowledged for financial support. Hanlie Snyman and Tsepang Makholela of the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and Donald McCallum of the University of the Witwatersrand are gratefully acknowledged for generating the Arcview distribution maps. We thank Lize von Staden for discussion on conservation status and the IUCN Red List categories and criteria assessments, and two anonymous reviewers for comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript.

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  1. C. E. Moss Herbarium, School of Animal Plant and Environmental Sciences, P/Bag 3, University of the Witwatersrand, WITS, 2050, P.O. Box 3748, Pretoria, 0001, Republic of South Africa

    R. J. Sebola & K. Balkwill

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Sebola, R.J., Balkwill, K. A monographic study of the Oliniaceae. Kew Bull 68, 419–456 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-013-9465-x

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