Afrothismia winkleri (Engl.) Schltr.

First described by Engler (1905) as Thismia winkleri, named after Dr. Hubert Winkler who collected the type specimen in Cameroon. The genus at this point of time was only known from Brazil, Malaysia and Sri Lanca. Schlechter (1906) transferred it to the new genus Afrothismia, when he described the new species Afrothismia pachyantha. Engler (1908) responded in accepting a new section, but rejected the genus Afrothismia. However, all other taxonomist accepted genus and species (e.g. Jonker 1938, Hepper 1968, Cowley 1988, Maas-van de Kamer 2003, Sainge and Franke 2005, Cheek and Jannerup 2005). Cowley (1988) seperates an east african variety A. winkleri var. budongensis from the west african var. winkleri. The var. winkleri has larger flowers, and the ovary is pale yellow instead of purple in var. budongensis.
A collection from Gabon by Willks (No. 1179) was labelled as A. winkleri, however, this specimen was identified to be Afrothismia saingei in the Flora of Gabon by Maas-van de kamer and Maas (2010).