Gisekia polylopha
- Holotype: Somalia, Gillett & Beckett 23261 (holotypus K)
- 1. Gilbert, M. G. 1993: A review of Gisekia (Gisekiaceae). – Kew Bulletin 48(2): 343-356. http://doi.org/10.2307/4117942
Notes
This species is perhaps best regarded as a northern vicariad of G. africana var. decagyna and G. africana var. pedunculata which it resembles in habit and stamen number. Material is very sparse; the Kuchar collection is immature whilst the type has only one flower with fully mature mericarps. These are totally different from those of any other member by the genus. They are +/- deeply favose, with an almost honeycomb pattern of whitish crests/ wings which completely conceal the main body of the mericarp. When combined with the isolated occurrence in an area known to be rich in local endemics, there seems to be adequate justification to describe it as a distinct species. G. diffusa is the only northern taxon with a similar habit but this species can be immediately seperated by the number of stamens and the sparsely spinose mericarps. it has been seen growing sympatrically with G. diffusa (Thulin et al. 7318 and 7319) when the two could be immediately distinguished by a striking difference in flower colour: white in G. diffusa, pink in G. polylopha. G. scabridula is possibly the species most closely related as the mericarps are ornamented with flattened triangular teeth that sometimes line up to form low toothed crests similar to those of this species. In addition, G. polylopha is occasionally very sparsely asperulous near the nodes which reinforces the possible relationship to G. scabridula.