View source for Lebbiea

{{Short description|Monotypic genus of plants}}
{{Speciesbox
| status = CR
| status_system = IUCN3.1
|genus = Lebbiea
|species = grandiflora
| authority = [[Martin Cheek|Cheek]] 2018
}}
'''''Lebbiea''''' is a [[Monotypic taxon|monotypic genus]] of plants within the family [[Podostemaceae]], with '''''Lebbiea grandiflora''''' as its only species. It is a critically endangered species of [[Rheophyte|rheophytic]] herb native to [[Sierra Leone]] and [[Guinea]]. It was discovered by, and named after, professor [[Aiah Lebbie]] in 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46621092|title=Ten new plants discovered this year|last=Briggs|first=Helen|date=2018-12-21|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-12-28|language=en-GB}}</ref>
==Description==
''Lebbiea'' is a small [[Rheophyte|rheophytic]] herb growing on bare rocks submerged in flowing, well aerated clear water. The genus has a distinct flower morphology within [[Podostemaceae]], and has a pillar-like [[Holdfast (biology)|haptera]] which completely elevates the horizontal root and the shoot above the substrate. The flowers are the largest of any African species of Podostemaceae, hence the species name ''L. grandiflora''. ''Lebbiae'' thrives during the wet season, surviving the dry season only as seeds.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Cheek|first1=M.|last2=Lebbie|first2=A.|year=2018|title=Lebbiea (Podostemaceae-Podostemoideae), a new, nearly extinct genus with foliose tepals, in Sierra Leone|journal=PLOS ONE|volume=13|issue=10|pages=e0203603|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0203603|pmid=30289915|bibcode=2018PLoSO..1303603C|pmc=6173570|doi-access=free}}</ref>
==Range and conservation==
''Lebbiea'' is only known from two sites, the fast-moving currents beneath Sewa Rapids in [[Sierra Leone]] and the Koukoutamba falls in [[Guinea]]. The Sewa Rapids is being adversely affected by [[silt]] from mining, and both sites are earmarked for hydroelectric projects. The extremely small range and the development projects caused the plant to be listed as critically endangered.<ref>{{cite web|title=You Can't Save a Species If It Doesn't Have a Name|url=https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/you-cant-save-a-species-if-it-doesnt-have-a-name/|website=Scientific American Blog}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q60764813|from2=Q82309122}}
[[Category:Podostemaceae]]
[[Category:Podostemaceae genera]]
[[Category:Monotypic Malpighiales genera]]
[[Category:Flora of Guinea]]
[[Category:Flora of Sierra Leone]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Martin Cheek]]
{{Malpighiales-stub}}