A team of researchers from the Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has discovered and named a new species of Carlephyton (Araceae) in Daraina, northern Madagascar. The detailed findings have been published in the journal PhytoKeys entitled "Carlephyton sajoreciae (Araceae, tribe Arophyteae), a new species from Daraina, Northern Madagascar".

In January 2025, the authors carried out a joint field investigation in Daraina, northern Madagascar. During this investigation, an unusual Carlephyton with broad cordate-sagittate leaves and a yellow spadix attracted the authors' attention. The authors collected comprehensive specimens and living materials for further careful observations.

Supervised by Prof. WANG Qingfeng, Dr. WEI Neng, Dr. WANG Shengwei et al. carried out the comprehensive systematic study upon this Carlephyton. After sufficient literature review, specimen examinations, and detailed morphological comparisons, this species was finally confirmed to be new to science. 

The species was formally named Carlephyton sajoreciae. Its epithet, 'sajoreciae', is derived from authors' affiliation, Sino-Africa Joint Research Center (SAJOREC), in honor of it's outstanding contributions to biodiversity conservation in Africa over the past decade. 

Carlephyton sajoreciae is most similar to C. darainense, but differs by its male flowers with solitary stamens that are loosely arranged, an internally purple spathe enclosing a yellow spadix, and a short deep-purple style. Notably, it is the first terrestrial, forest-understorey species in the genus.

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and National Key Research and Development Program of China.

The plate of Carlephyton sajoreciae (Image by WBG)