Raphionacme sylvicola (Apocynaceae, Periplocoideae), a new species from Zambia

Raphionacme sylvicola is recognized by its climbing hal,it, long-petioled l eaves that are large, soft, and thin-textured, and flowers with tri-segment ed corona lobes. The central coronal segment is strap-shaped and bifid, wit h the lateral segments subulate and fused to the filament bases. Raphionacm e sylvicola resembles R. monteiroae (Oliver) N. E. Brown and R. flanaganii Schlechter in the climbing habit and flowers. Raphionacme is the largest ge nus in the Periplocoideae acid consists of geophytic herbs with a few climb ers that inhabit savanna, grassland, and semi-desert scrub. The occurrence of this new climbing species in mesophytic forest is thus uncommon and note worthy.