| |
Ensete elephantorum
Ensete elephantorum (K. M. Schumann & O. Warburgex K. M. Schumann in A.
Engler et al (eds.) Das Pflanzenreich. Engelmann, Leipzig, 1900 - . 4, 45 : 14
(1912)) E. E. Cheesman, Kew Bulletin 2 (2): 102 (1947).
Accepted name |
none - rejected based on type being reduced to nomen
dubium. |
Synonyms |
Musa elephantorum K. M. Schumann & O. Warburg ex
K. M. Schumann in A. Engler et al (eds.) Das Pflanzenreich. Engelmann, Leipzig,
1900 - . 4, 45 : 14 (1912). |
Authorities |
The
authorities for rejecting the name are Baker & Simmonds 1953 as corrected (please see
link below) and Koechlin 1965. |
Distribution |
Cameroon (Mt. Febeu, near Yaounde). |
Description |
See Musa elephantorum for a
description of the type. |
References |
Baker & Simmonds 1953 : 409, Champion 1967: 40, Cheesman
1947a 102, Koechlin 1965 : 12. |
Comments |
Cheesman
created Ensete elephantorum as a new combination (number 10 out of 25) in a brief
note in his 1947 paper reviving the genus Ensete. Cheesman revived one and
created 24 Ensete species in that paper but acknowledged that field study might
reveal synonymy. However, Baker & Simmonds consider instead that the
name must be rejected based on the type being regarded as nomen dubium.
They point out that the determination of Musa elephantorum was based on a poor
description and the type specimen in the Berlin Herbarium was destroyed in WWII preventing
modern assessment. Based
on recollection of material from the type locality in Cameroon Koechlin speculates that
the type might actually be attributable to E. gilletii although he too treats it
as nomen dubium. "Malgré la récolte de
matériel recent dans la localité-type de M. elephantorum K. Schum. et Warb.,
matériel qui, si l'on suit la révision de Baker et Simmonds, est tout a fait
conspécifique de E. gilletii, un doute subsiste sur l'identité exacte de M.
elephantorum: le type (Zenker s.n., Yaunde Station, Berg Boukollo im Grasfelde an
Abhaengen, B) est detruit, et la description, très insuffisante, fait état de
caractères surprenantes (inflorescence dressée). Nous considerons donc, comme
Baker et Simmonds, ce nom (prioritaire sur M. gilletii, mais lui-même précéde
de deux synonymes possibles, plus anciens mais également douteux), comme nomen dubium."
The
erect inflorescence must have been due to some environmental stress, it is not a typical
characterisitic of any Ensete.
If the type had been properly described the combination Ensete elephantorum would
have had priority over Ensete gilletii although Ensete religiosum, the
type of which was also published in 1900 would also have had a claim in similar
circumstances. |
| |
|