Xylopia phloiodora Mildbr., Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin-Dahlem 8: 55, 1921

Couvreur, Thomas L. P., Dagallier, Leo-Paul M. J., Crozier, Francoise, Ghogue, Jean-Paul, Hoekstra, Paul H., Kamdem, Narcisse G., Johnson, David M., Murray, Nancy A. & Sonke, Bonaventure, 2022, Flora of Cameroon - Annonaceae Vol 45, PhytoKeys 207, pp. 1-532 : 476-478

Xylopia phloiodora Mildbr., Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin-Dahlem 8: 55, 1921

Figs 148 , 149 ; Map 18G

Type.

Cameroon. South Region; between Bipindi and Ebolowa near Malakat, Mildbraed G.W.J. 7592, Dec 1913: lectotype, designated by Le Thomas (1969b), p. 185: B[B 10 0153152]; isolectotype: K[K000199053] .

Description.

Tree, 30-35 m tall, d.b.h. up to 80 cm; buttresses present, up to 1.5 m high, stilt roots rarely present. Old branches glabrous, young branches glabrous to densely pubescent with appressed hairs 0.1-0.4 mm long. Leaves: petiole 4-8 mm long, ca. 2 mm wide, pubescent, grooved, blade inserted on the side of the petiole; blade 5.7-17.2 cm long, 1.9-5.9 cm wide, elliptic, oblong-elliptic or lanceolate, apex acuminate to obtuse, acumen 0.5-1.0 cm long, base cuneate to subcordate, subcoriaceous, below sparsely pubescent when young, sparsely pubescent when old, above glabrous when young and old, concolorous or slightly discolorous; midrib sunken, above glabrous when young, glabrous to sparsely pubescent when old, below pubescent when young, sparsely pubescent when old; secondary veins 10 to 16 pairs, glabrous above; tertiary venation reticulate. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous on young foliate or old leafless branches, axillary, peduncle 2-4 mm long. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 1 to 10 per inflorescence; pedicel 3-6 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, pubescent; in fruit 5-16 mm long, 5-8 mm in diameter, glabrous; bracts 2, towards or above the middle of pedicel, 2-3 mm long, 2-3 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, basally to 2/3 fused, forming a cup, 2-4 mm long, 3 mm wide, triangular to ovate, apex acute to obtuse, base truncate, pubescent outside, glabrous inside; petals free, subequal; outer petals 3, 19-23 mm long, 3-4.3 mm wide at base, linear-lanceolate, apex obtuse, base broad and concave, cream-colored or pale yellow with a purple blotch at the base, sericeous outside, pubescent with base glabrous inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 12.5-21 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, linear, apex acute, base broad and concave, light yellow to cream, pubescent with glabrous base on both sides; stamens 120, in 5 to 6 rows, 1-2 mm long, oblong; connective apex shield-like, glabrous; carpels 5 to 8, ovary 1-2 mm long, stigmas connivent, linear, slightly widened at midpoint, 2.1-3 mm long, glabrous to sparsely pubescent. Monocarps sessile; monocarps 4 to 9, 27-43 mm long, 17-24 mm wide, ovoid, broadly ellipsoid or oblongoid, apex rounded, glabrous, rugose to verrucose, conspicuously lenticellate, wrinkled when dried, brown outside, endocarp light pink; seeds 7 to 12 per monocarp, in two rows, 16-21 mm long, 7-10 mm wide, ellipsoid; sarcotesta orange, fleshy in vivo; aril absent.

Distribution.

A central African species, from southern Nigeria to Republic of Congo and northern Democratic Republic of the Congo; in Cameroon known from East, South and Central regions.

Habitat.

A fairly common species; in lowland moist forest habitats. Altitude 200-900 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

odjobbo (Bulu, Mildbraed (1921)), odzobi (Service Forestier du Cameroun 67), sange (Bibaya, Letouzey & Villiers 10418).

IUCN conservation status.

Not assessed yet.

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Xylopia phloiodora exhibits variation in leaf size and shape but is distinguished by the short flower pedicels with the persistent upper bract closely subtending the upright rigid sepals, as well as the narrow petals that are densely pubescent on both surfaces. The staminal cone of X. phloiodora is very well developed and completely encloses the ovaries; only X. aethiopica among Cameroon Xylopia species has a similarly well-developed cone. The sessile thick-walled monocarps are among the largest of any African Xylopia species, and the seeds have an orange sarcotesta. The secondary veins of the leaves are strongly arcuate, unusual in the genus, and often dry pinkish red, contrasting with the gray background color of the blade.

Specimens examined.

Central Region: Bank Nyong River near the new bridge ca 65 km SSW of Eséka, 3.65°N, 10.78°E, 16 July 1964, de Wilde J.J.F.E 2838A (P); Bank Nyong River near the new bridge ca 65 km SSW of Eséka, 3.65°N, 10.78°E, 16 July 1964, de Wilde J.J.F.E 2838B (B,BR,K,L,MO,P,P,WAG,YA); Edéa, 3.8°N, 10.13°E, 26 August 1955, Mpom B. 121 (P,YA) . East Region: 63 km south of Yokadouma 30 km after Ngato 15 km after river ALPICAM 'base de vie’ then 40 km on forestry road starting 4 km before Masea village , 3.07°N, 14.65°E, 07 March 2019, Couvreur T.L.P. 1222 (MPU,WAG,YA); Ndakan Sango River , 2.36°N, 16.11°E, 10 May 1988, Gentry A.H. 62649 (MO); A 25 km environ à l’ENE de Mikel village situé à environ 85 km au N de Moloundou sur route de Yokadouma , 2.93°N, 15.33°E, 24 February 1971, Letouzey R. 10418 (P,YA); Nkonbong II sur axe Lomie-Ngoila-Swanké à 15 km au SSW de Ngoila, 2.50°N, 14.00°E, 22 February 1973, Letouzey R. 12026 (P,WAG,YA); Près Ngola (30 km à l'Est de Yokadouma ), 3.47°N, 15.32°E, 11 May 1963, Letouzey R. 5027 (P,YA); A 24 km à l'Ouest de Masea (village situé à 50 km au SSW de Yokadouma), 3.15°N, 14.87°E, 04 July 1963, Letouzey R. 5401 (P,YA) . Littoral Region: Tissongo strip, 3.57°N, 9.869°E, 26 July 1976, McKey D.B. 138 (K); Douala-Edéa Reserve Tissongo study area Transect C, 3.57°N, 9.869°E, 21 June 1976, Waterman P.G. 880 (K) . South Region: 17 km before Kribi on N7 road from Ed 3.14°N, 9.954°E, 27 February 2018, Couvreur T.L.P. 1164 (K,MPU,P,WAG,YA); Bezirk Kribi Vorland mit einzeln Hügeln bei Adjab 35 km östlich Groß-Batanga, 2.82°N, 10.2°E, 24 July 1911, Mildbraed G.W.J. 6090 (B); Bipindi - Ebolowa, 3.00°N, 10.92°E, 01 December 1913, Mildbraed G.W.J. 7592 (B) .

Figures

Map 18. A Xylopia katangensis B Xylopia letestui C Xylopia longipetala D Xylopia mildbraedii E Xylopia monticola F Xylopia paniculata G Xylopia phloiodora H Xylopia pynaertii I Xylopia quintasii. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).

Figure 148. Xylopia mildbraedii A flowering branch B flower C outer petal, inner view D inner petal, inner view E detail of carpels, petals and stamens removed F stamen, front view G staminode, inner and outer whorl H carpel, side view and detail of ovules. Xylopia phloiodora I flowering branch J outer petal, inner view K inner petal, inner view L detail of carpels, petals and stamens removed M stamen, front view N staminode, inner and outer whorl O carpel, side view and detail of ovules P fruit A from Mildbread 6055 B-H from Le Testu 8742 I-P from Letouzey 5027. Drawings by Helene Lamourdedieu, Publications Scientifiques du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris; modified from Le Thomas (1969 b; pl. 32, p. 173).

Figure 149. Xylopia phloiodora A base of trunk, note buttresses B leaf, upper side C base of leaf blade, lower side D flower, side view, 1 outer petal removed E flower, top view F fruit G monocarp opened, immature, the sarcostesta will turn orange at maturity A-E Couvreur 1164, Kribi, Cameroon F, G Couvreur 1222, Masea, Cameroon. Photos Thomas L. P. Couvreur.