Xerophyta seinei (Velloziaceae), a distinctive new species from Zimbabwe

Xerophyta seinei Behnke, K. Kramer & E. Hummel sp. nov. (Velloziaceae), a new species from the Rhodes Matopos National Park in southwestern Zimbabwe, is distinguished by persistent leaf blades concealing the stems, an apex of dark-green leaves with lustrous and glutinous upper surfaces, and a lamina with glands on both surfaces and with non-trans current vascular bundles. Its distinctness from other Xerophtaspecies is also substantiated by specific sieve-element plastids (with a rectangular protein crystal in addition to the angular ones common to Velloziaceae) and by an rbcL-analysis. The morphology and leaf anatomy of the new species are compared to those of other members of the family and, in particular, of Xerophyta species known from the area.