Schaueriopsis: a new genus of Acanthaceae (Acanthoideae: Barlerieae) from the Democratic Republic of Congo

Background - A new genus of Acanthaceae, Schaueriopsis Champl. & I.Darbysh., is described from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in preparation for the account of the family in the Flore d'Afrique Centrale. Methods - Standard practices of herbarium taxonomy were applied. Key results - Schaueriopsis variabilis Champl. & I.Darbysh., representing a new genus of Acanthaceae, is described from the forests of the eastern Congo basin. Morphological evidence, notably the quincuncial corolla aestivation, the reticulate prolate tricolporate pollen and the narrowly oblong 4-seeded capsule with seeds baring minute trichomes, together with results from preliminary molecular analyses, place it within tribe Barlerieae of subfamily Acanthoideae. A key to the four African genera in this tribe is presented, Schaueriopsis being separated from Lepidagathis by the subregular linear calyx lobes, the androecium of two stamens and two staminodes and the seeds with only minute trichomes towards the rim. Schaueriopsis variabilis is provisionally assessed as Endangered based upon the herbarium and field data available.