Uvariopsis congolana (De Wild.) Fries, Ark. Bot. ser. 2, 3: 42 (1953)

Dagallier, Leo-Paul M. J., Mbago, Frank M., Couderc, Marie, Gaudeul, Myriam, Grall, Aurelie, Loup, Caroline, Wieringa, Jan J., Sonke, Bonaventure & Couvreur, Thomas L. P., 2023, Phylogenomic inference of the African tribe Monodoreae (Annonaceae) and taxonomic revision of Dennettia, Uvariodendron and Uvariopsis, PhytoKeys 233, pp. 1-200 : 1

Uvariopsis congolana (De Wild.) Fries, Ark. Bot. ser. 2, 3: 42 (1953)

Figs 57 , 58

≡ Thonnera congolana De Wild., Ann. Mus. Congo Belge, Bot. sér. 5, 3(1): 86 (1909). Type. Democratic Republic of the Congo - Equateur • F. Thonner 100 (holotype: BR! (BR0000008824394, BR0000008824202), sheet designated in Couvreur et al (2022); isotypes BR! (BR0000008824219)), Libako près Ngali (Mongala); 2°39'N, 21°30'E; alt. 450 m; 22 Sep. 1896.

Description.

Tree 1.5-10 m tall, D.B.H ca. 5 cm; young branches pubescent to glabrous, blackish when dry, old branches glabrous. Petiole 2-5 mm long, 1.5-4 mm wide, pubescent to glabrous. Leaf lamina 163-300 mm long, 44-110 mm wide, length:width ratio 2.4-4, (elliptic) oblong to obovate, papyraceous to coriaceous, base acute to rounded, apex attenuate to acuminate, acumen 2.5-22 mm long, surface above glabrous, surface below sparsely pubescent at base to glabrous when young, glabrous when old; midrib impressed above, raised below, glabrous above, sparsely pubescent to glabrous below; secondary veins 8-17 pairs, brochidodromous to weakly brochidodromous, impressed above, raised below; tertiary veins reticulate. Flowers unisexual, male and female flowers dimorphic, on same individuals (plant monoecious). Flower buds conical to pyramidal. Male inflorescences borne on trunk mainly at ground level, sometimes up to 1 m, composed of 1 to 3 flowers, clumped with other male or female inflorescences. Peduncle inconspicuous. Flower pedicel 95-200 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, sparsely pubescent. Bracts 1 to 3 from base towards the lower half of the pedicel, upper bract 1-3 mm long, 1-4 mm wide, depressed ovate, adpressed, semi clasping the pedicel, pubescent outside, glabrous inside. Sepals 2, 2-6.5 mm long, 2-10 mm wide, depressed ovate, free to basally fused, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, color unknown. Petals 3, 11-20 mm long, 9-22 mm wide, length:width ratio 0.8-2, broadly ovate to ovate, fused at base over ca. 30% of the petal length, pubescent to glabrate outside, glabrous inside, pinkish outside. Stamens numerous (exact number unknown), ca. 0.5 mm long, ca. 0.5 mm wide, anthers linear, connective prolongation truncate or absent. Female inflorescences borne on trunk mainly at ground level, sometimes up to 1 m, composed of 1 to 3 flowers, clumped with other male or female inflorescences. Flower pedicel 200-430 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, sparsely pubescent. Bracts 1 to 3 from base towards the lower half of the pedicel, upper bract 1-3 mm long, 1-4 mm wide, depressed ovate, adpressed, semi clasping the pedicel, pubescent outside, glabrous inside. Sepals 2, 2-6.5 mm long, 2-10 mm wide, depressed ovate, free to basally fused, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, color unknown. Petals 3, 11-20 mm long, 9-22 mm wide, length:width ratio 0.8-2, broadly ovate to ovate, fused at base over ca. 30% of the petal length, pubescent to glabrate outside, glabrous inside, pinkish outside. Carpels 20 to 40, 2-3.5 mm long, 0.6-1.5 mm wide, densely pubescent, free; stigma ca. 0.5 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide. Fruiting pedicel 200-400 mm long, 1-3 mm in diameter, sparsely pubescent to glabrous. Monocarps, 1-5, 50-80 mm long, 12-32 mm wide, length:width ratio 2.5-3.7, cylindrical, with ca. 4 longitudinal ridge, sparsely pubescent to glabrous, reddish, stipitate; stipe 3-4 mm long, 3-4 mm wide, sparsely pubescent to glabrous. Seeds (2) 6-16 per monocarp, uniseriate to biseriate, ca. 13 mm long, ca. 11 mm wide, ellipsoid, with a longitudinal ridge.

Distribution.

Element of the Lower Guinean Domain and Congolia Domain of the Guineo-Congolian Region: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Republic of the Congo.

Habitat and ecology.

Lowland or premontane mature or old secondary rain forest, sometimes in swamp. Altitude: 200-1000 m asl.

Phenology.

Flowers collected in March and from August to December. Fruits collected in April, June and December.

Vernacular names.

Democratic Republic of the Congo: ‘Asweswe’ in Kimanga (Bokdam 3733), ‘Akobibi’ in Kibila (Ewango 617), ‘Tatakubisa’ (Hart 672).

Notes.

Without any flower, this species resemble Up. dioica , Up. guineensis , Up. pedunculosa and Up. solheidii in having oblong to obovate leaves, with acute to rounded base and attenuate to acuminate apex. However, when flowering, Up. congolana differs from all the other Uvariopsis species with flowers with 2 sepals and 3 petals (vs. 2 sepals and 4 petals in other Uvariopsis species). Its female flower pedicels and fruiting pedicels are longer comprised between 20 and 40 cm, which is longer than in the other Uvariopsis species (except Up. pedunculosa that has pedicels that can reach 33 cm). Up. congolana differs from Up. pedunculosa in having less 20 to 40 carpels (vs. 50-140 in Up. pedunculosa ), and monocarps marked with longitudinal ridges (vs. monocarps verrucose in Up. pedunculosa ).

Conservation status.

This species has been previously assessed as Least Concern LC ( Harvey-Brown 2019b).

Additional specimens examined.

Democratic Republic of the Congo - Bandundu • A. Flamigni 10273 (K, M); Mushie, Bolobo ; 2°39'03.16'S, 16°21'04.32'E; Mar. 1951 • R. Devred 2881 (K), Kwango, Kiyaka; 5°19'S, 18°56'E; 13 Mar. 1956 - Equateur • C.M. Evrard 5027 (K); Bolomba, Djoa ; 0°20'53.88'N, 19°13'44.04'E; alt. 327 m; 15 Oct. 1958 - Orientale • C. Domis 3345 (K); Isangi, Yangambi; 0°46'N, 24°27'E; alt. 470 m; 09 Jan. 1952 • J. Bokdam 3733 (KIS, MO, WAG); Banalia, 20 km along road from Kisangani to Bengamisa ; 0°42'N, 25°12'E; 12 Dec. 1972 • J.L.P. Louis 5762 (B, K); Isangi, Yangambi, Isolowe reserve flore; 0°46'N, 24°30'E; 12 Aug. 1937 • T.B. Hart 672 (MO); Mambasa, Epulu; 1°25'N, 28°35'E; alt. 750 m; 14 Aug. 1986 - Unknown major area • C.E.N. Ewango 617 (WAG), Epulu. Zone de Mambasa, Ituri Forest . Afarama; 1°33'N, 28°32'E; alt. 800 m. Gabon - Ogooué-Ivindo • A. Moungazi 234 (P), Bélinga; 1°08'27.49'N, 13°12'03.12'E; alt. 850 m • N. Hallé 2817 (K, P, P, U, WAG), Bélinga; 1°05'N, 13°08'E; alt. 850 m; 27 Oct. 1964 • N. Hallé 3039 (P), Bélinga; 1°05'N, 13°08'E; 06 Nov. 1964 • N. Hallé; A. Le Thomas 64 (K, P), Bélinga, mines de fer, route de Massaka ; 1°03'N, 13°12'E; 17 Jul. 1966 - Ogooué-Maritime • J.C. Arends 696 (LBV, MO, P, WAG), Doudou Mountains ; 2°15'S, 10°20'E; alt. 670 m; 08 Dec. 1984 • M.S.M. Sosef 1161 (LBV, MO, P, WAG), Monts Doudou, à ± 40 km au Nord-Ouest de Doussala , autour du campement II; 2°13'S, 10°24'E; alt. 425 m; 08 Apr. 2000 - Woleu-Ntem • M.E. Leal 2335 (MO, WAG), Crystal Mountains National Park. Mt. Mekie; 0°26'16'N, 11°13'38'E; alt. 951 m; 20 Nov. 2008 . Republic of the Congo - Lékoumou • P. Sita 3209 (P), District de Zanaga , forêt de Mouoni; 2°51'S, 13°50'E; 08 Dec. 1971 - Plateaux • P. Sita 3351 (WAG), région de N'Gouala ( Fort-Soufflay ); 2°01'S, 14°54'E; 05 Jun. 1972 .

Figures

Figure 57. Uvariopsis congolana (De Wild.) Fries A leaves, lower side B trunk with long flowering pedicels C flower bud, side view D male flower, side view, note the long pedicel E detail of male flower, two petals removed, side view F stamen G female flower, top view, note the long pedicel H female flower, bottom view, note the two sepals I longitudinal section of female flower J carpel, front view and detail of ovules A, G from Halle 3039 B-F, H-J from Halle 2817. Drawings by Helene Lamourdedieu, from Le Thomas (1969; pl. 55, p. 305), Publications Scientifiques du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris.

Figure 58. Distribution map of Uvariopsis congolana. Shades of grey represent elevation, from white (sea level) to darker grey (higher elevation). The inset shows the extent of the map over Africa.