Tecoma nyassae Oliv.

  • Authority

    Gentry, Alwyn H. 1992. Bignoniaceae--part II (Tribe Tecomeae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 25: 1-370. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Bignoniaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Tecoma nyassae Oliv.

  • Type

    Type. Tanzania. N of Lake Nyassa, Thomson s.n. (holotype, K).

  • Synonyms

    Tecoma shirensis Baker, Tecomaria nyassae (Oliv.) Baill., Tecomaria schirensis Engl. & K.Schum., Tecoma whytei C.H.Wright, Tecoma nyikensis Baker, Tecomaria rupium Bullock, Tecomaria capensis subsp. nyassae (Oliv.) Brummitt

  • Discussion

    Although this African species has not to my knowledge been cultivated in the Neotropics, it is included here to complete the treatment of Tecoma. Distribution maps for both this species and T. capensis are given by Brummitt (1974) who concluded that the two taxa should be treated as subspecies. However, these two African plants seem abundantly distinct. In addition to a much larger calyx, T. nyassae has a more strongly bilabiate corolla with a shorter tube and the reflexed lower lobes about as long as the tube; T. capensis always has the tube much longer than the reflexed lower lobes. The fruits of T. nyassae are generally shorter (4-9 cm) and perhaps broader ((0.8-)0.9-1.3 cm) than those of T. capensis (7-12 by 0.7-1.0(-l.2) cm) and have a smooth (rarely very finely subverrucose) surface as opposed to the conspicuously wrinkled-striate fruit of the latter. Another difference is in habit with T. capensis a small shrub tending to become somewhat scandent, while T. nyassae is a large shrub or small tree (to 7 m tall, fide Brummitt). Moreover, the two species are easily distinguishable vegetatively with the usually larger leaflets of T. nyassae mostly ovate, very shallowly serrate, and even the lower pairs usually acute or acutish, while the usually smaller ones of T. capensis are mostly elliptic, strongly serrate, and at least the lateral leaflets are more or less obtuse. While there is some overlap in leaf characters, these do not occur in parallel (e.g., all obtuse-leafleted specimens of T. nyassae have very shallow serrations) and all of the numerous specimens at MO can be assigned to one or the other species on purely vegetative criteria. I conclude that Tecoma nyassae is specifically distinct from T. capensis.

  • Distribution

    Tropical East Africa from easternmost Angola, southern Zaire and Tanzania south to Zambia, Malawi, and northern Mozambique.

    Angola Africa| Tanzania Africa| Zambia Africa| Zaire Africa| Malawi Africa| Mozambique Africa|