Taxonomic Studies of Lippia javanica (Burm F.) Spreng. Complex (Verbenaceae) in East African Flora

Abstract

Lippia javanica complex is widely spread in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa; however, there exist a taxonomic conflict in the aforementioned species complex where morphologically similar forms of the species occur in the same habitat. In the Southern Africa region, there are two varieties L. javanica var. javanica and L. javanica var. whytei that were formally recognized. Morphological characters of the 63 East African herbarium specimens were sampled. Phenetically, the varieties in the Southern African region overlap in habit and leaf characters. Nevertheless, differences in floral characters such as the number of inflorescence per axil and varying peduncle length form the basis for the morphological distinctness. Multivariate analysis using cluster and principal component analysis failed to delimit the infraspecific taxa. Findings from this present study indicated that the variations are not sufficient enough to warrant separation. Thus we proposed that the suspected varieties be synonymized under the earliest name Lippia javanica.