REVISION OF PAVETTA SUBGENUS BACONIA (RUBIACEAE, IXOROIDEAE) IN CAMEROON

Pavetta subg. Baconia (Rubiaceae tribe Pavetteae) is a group of forest shrubs in tropical and subtropical Africa. It includes species of Pav etta with bearded corolla throats, corolla tubes usually shorter than corolla lobes, terete or subterete style tips, and fruits usually of c olors other than black. Cameroon is a major center of diversity for su bgenus Baconia, and the Cameroon species are revised here. Twenty-nine species are recognized, including eleven newly described; five previo usly recognized species are placed in synonymy. Seven series used earl ier to subdivide subgenus Baconia have been abandoned owing to inconst ancy of character states used to delimit most of them. Sixteen Cameroo n species are presently unreported from elsewhere. Infraspecific taxa are recognized in seven of the twenty-nine species. Aspects of leaf mo rphology are useful taxonomically. An overview is provided of these, o ther aspects of morphology, habitat preferences, and reproductive stra tegies. Habitat preferences, distributions, and distinguishing feature s follow descriptions of each species.