Compilation
Ocotea kenyensis

The taxonomy of this SPECIES is very difficult to unravel with the material available. I have accepted that there is one variable SPECIES extending from Ethiopia (Kaffa) to South Africa. As Robyns pointed out (B.J.B.B. 30: 1 (1960)) it appears to be very variable in all its organs and merits an in-depth study in the field. At least subspecific recognition might be given to some populations. For many years I considered the W. Usambara populations (at ± 1650 m.) formed a distinct SPECIES and sent specimens to Robyns under that impression. He annotated the material as O. kenyensis. These Usambara populations are, however, distinctive and uniform in having narrowly elliptic or elliptic leaves, 6.5-11.5× 2-4 cm., and narrowly ellipsoid-ovoid fruits, 2-2.7× 1-1.2 cm., also rough scaly bark. Although appearing very different from the ovate-leaved Mt. Kenya plants, those from Marsabit and E. Zaire have similar leaves, but I have not seen ripe fruit from these two localities. A survey of a range of material available from Ethiopia to South Africa including a dissection of the flowers confirms the wisdom of considering it to belong to one SPECIES. Adequate material particularly in fruit is not available from all the scattered populations, many of which may no longer exist. Rodgers & Hall 2265, Tanzania, Iringa District, Uzungwa Mts., Udekwa Village, forest block to east, west of Kilombero Forest Reserve, 1650-2100 m. in montane forest of Ocotea usambarensis, Beilschmiedia and Podocarpus, is distinctly different from the Usambara plants in having more ellipsoid fruits, 2.6× 1.7 cm., longer fruiting pedicels, 1-1.3 cm. long, and wider leaves, 13.5-18× 4.5-7 cm. D.W. Thomas 3907 (Iringa District, Mwanihana Forest Reserve, above Sanje Village, 1400-1700 m., forest on steep slope with small streams andswamp and associated patches of elfin forest on ridge-tops) has leaves 17× 7 cm. and ellipsoid fruits 2.5× 1.3-1.4 cm. Some Rwandan material, e.g. Troupin 15724, has the outer anthers ± thinly foliaceous at apex produced 2 mm. beyond the thecae; also in a flower dissected one outer organ was intermediate between tepal and stamen and had one theca. O. argylei has fruits 7-10 mm. long but I think they are not fully developed. Confirmation of this synonymy is still needed.Two collectors mention many-stemmed trees, Ib Friis from Ethiopia, Kaffa, and Chapman from S. Malawi where a single tree with 3 main stems, numerous other large stems and innumerable tall coppice shoots formed a clump 9 m. in circumference. Chiovenda in the original description gives stamens 6 but Robyns & R. Wilczek in a drawing attached to the BR photograph of the syntypes shows 3 whorls of stamens and one of staminodes.It yields a superior hard wood, pale golden to dark walnut brown with black markings which works well and takes a good polish. Wimbush reported it was not in use probably meaning it was too rare to be used. All in all it seems to be an ancient SPECIES which has managed to adapt to very different forests at different altitudes over a wide area without obviously speciating.