Trichilia monadelpha (Thonn.) J.J. De Wilde, comb. nov., A Preliminary Note

In the course of a taxonomic revision of the genus Trichilia P. Browne (Meliaceae) for Africa the nomenclature and the rather difficult taxonomy of Trichilia heudelotii Planch, ex Oliv., a well-known and widely distributed species, had to be considered. It appeared that a name-change for this species is unavoidable and in order to establish the new combination in literature and practice as early as possible, a preliminary note to the forthcoming revision of Trichilia is now published. Keay (in Hutch, and Dalz., FI. W. Trop. Afr. 2nd ed. 1(2): 705. 1958) mentioned under Trichilia as “imperfectly known species: Limonia? monadelpha Thonn. in Schum. Beskr. af Guin. PL: 217. 1827”. He stated: “I have examined an authentic specimen of this from the Vahl herbarium, Copenhagen. It consists only of an incomplete leaf, which might possibly be regarded as coming within the rather broad interpretation of Trichilia heudelotii which I have given above. A more exact determination would be most inconvincing. I consider, therefore, that it is scientifically undesirable to make a new combination to replace the well-known T. heudelotii Planch, ex Oliv. which has excellent and widely distributed type specimens”.