Kalanchoe hypseloleuce (Crassulaceae), a new species from eastern Ethiopia, with notes on its habitat

• Published in: Kew bulletin Vol. 72; no. 2; pp. 1 - 11
• Main Authors: Friis, Ib, Gilbert, Michael G., van Breugel, Paulo, Weber, Odile, Demissew, Sebsebe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Springer 01.06.2017; Springer London
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Life Sciences; Plant Ecology; Plant Sciences; Plant Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography; Afromontane forest; conservation; limestone; bushland; monocarpic; taxonomy; transitional semi-evergreen bushland
• ISSN: 0075-5974; 1874-933X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12225-017-9704-7

A new species of Kalanchoe, K. hypseloleuce Friis & M. G. Gilbert, was found during field work in Ethiopia in 2015, and is established here. It is characterised by its tall stature (2 – 3 m), entire, sessile, lanceolate leaves and pure white flowers with abaxially minutely papillose corolla lobes (otherwise, the plant is glabrous). It is not obviously related to any previously known species, but an earlier, incomplete specimen has been cited as K. prittwitzii Engl. in the literature. K. hypseloleuce was collected on limestone in Acacia-Commiphora woodland and bushlnd at c. 1400 m a.s.l. It occurs in the southern part of the eastern Ethiopian escarpment in the Arsi and Eastern Harerghe zones of the Oromo Regional State. K. hypseloleuce is documented with images and maps, its climat envelope has been modelled, and a conservation assessment made. With the current level of threat, this could be Vulnerable to Near Threatened (VU-NT). Given the threat from habitat degradation is not imminent, we recommend the species to be listed as Near Threatened (NT).