A research team from the Wuhan Botanical Garden (WBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has discovered and formally named a new species of Carlephyton (Araceae) in Daraina, northern Madagascar. The findings were recently published in PhytoKeys.
In January 2025, the researchers conducted a joint field survey in Daraina. During the survey, an unusual Carlephyton plant, distinguished by its broad cordate-sagittate leaves and yellow spadix, drew their attention.
The team then conducted comprehensive systematic research on this Carlephyton specimen. Following an extensive literature review, specimen examinations, and detailed morphological comparisons, the plant was formally confirmed as a new-to-science species.
The species has been named Carlephyton sajoreciae. It bears the closest resemblance to C. darainense, but differs in three key aspects: male flowers with solitary, loosely arranged stamens; an internally purple spathe enclosing a yellow spadix; and a short, deep-purple style. Notably, it is the first documented terrestrial, forest-understorey species within the Carlephyton genus.
Carlephyton sajoreciae's specific epithet, "sajoreciae," is derived from the Sino-Africa Joint Research Center (SAJOREC), the institutional affiliation of the study's authors, to honor the center's contributions to African biodiversity conservation over the past decade.
This research was supported by multiple funding bodies, including the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the CAS Sino-Africa Joint Research Center.
The plate of Carlephyton sajoreciae. (Image by WBG)
