Systematic studies in subfamily Celastroideae (Celastraceae) in southern Africa: reinstatement of the genus Gymnosporia

Reinstatement of Gymnosporia (Celastraceae): implications for the Flora Malesiana region

“…As currently circumscribed, the genus Maytenus Molina, even after the reinstatement of Gymnosporia (Jordaan & Van Wyk 1999), is still clearly a heterogeneous assemblage which will have to be split into more natural genera, a view also supported by Rogers et al (1999), Simmons & Hedin (1999), Simmons et al (2001a) and Simmons et al (2001b). Species remaining in Maytenus do not have spines and their leaves are always alternate, not fascicled, their inflorescence type varies from racemose, fascicled to monochasial cymes and their flowers are bisexual.…”

“…) Hook.f. has recently been reinstated (Jordaan & Van Wyk 1999, Archer & Jordaan 2000 to include all its spiny members, previously placed under Maytenus Molina sens. lat.…”

Phylogeny of the Celastraceae Inferred from 26S Nuclear Ribosomal DNA, Phytochrome B, rbcL, atpB, and Morphology

“…This result is not surprising given the many morphological differences between the species sampled 362 (e.g., seed wings present in C. edulis, absent in C. abbottii). These morphological differences, and the controversial taxonomy of the genus (van Wyk and Prins, 1987;Robson et al, 1994), suggest that Catha may not be a natural group (van Wyk and Prins, 1987 Jordaan and van Wyk (1999) and Lundell (1971), respectively. The assertion by Jordaan and van Wyk (1998) that Putterlickia and Gymnosporia are a natural group is supported.…”

Gymnosporia swazica (Celastraceae), a new species from southern Africa

“…The new species of Gymnosporia described in the present contribution has come to light since Jordaan's taxonomic revision (1995) of the spiny members of subfamily Celastroideae (Celastraceae) in southern Africa, and the reinstatement of the genus name Gymnosporia for the group (Jordaan & Van Wyk 1999). It was brought to our attention by Linda Loffler of Swaziland and Johan Hurter and Ernst Schmidt of Mpumalanga, South Africa.…”