Uvariopsis pedunculosa (Diels) Robyns & Ghesq., Ann. Soc. Sci. Bruxelles, Ser. B 53: 321 1933

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 : 427-431

Uvariopsis pedunculosa (Diels) Robyns & Ghesq., Ann. Soc. Sci. Bruxelles, Ser. B 53: 321 1933

Figs 136 , 137 ; Map 16F

≡ Tetrastemma pedunculosum Diels, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 53(3-5): 441. 1915.

= Uvariopsis vanderystii Robyns & Ghesq., Ann. Soc. Sci. Bruxelles, Ser. B 53: 64, 1933. Syn. nov. Type. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bandundu; Kikwit, Vanderyst H. 9973, 1921: holotype: BR[BR0000008824387].

Type.

Cameroon. South Region, Bipindi, Zenker G.A. 3868, Mar 1906: B[B 10 0153122]; isotypes: BM[BM000554078]; BR[BR0000008824196, BR0000008824226]; HBG[HBG502486]; K[K000199041]; M [M0107937]; P[P00362599, P00362601] ; US [ US 00098850].

Description.

Shrub to tree, 3-8 m tall, d.b.h. 1.5-5 cm; stilt roots or buttresses absent. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate branches glabrous to pubescent. Leaves: petiole 2-3 mm long, 1-3 mm in diameter, pubescent, slightly grooved, blade inserted on the side of the petiole; blade 17.2-29 cm long, 5.7-11 cm wide, elliptic to obovate, apex acuminate, acumen 0.3-2.3 cm long, base acute, coriaceous, below glabrous when young and old, above glabrous when young and old; midrib sunken or flat, above glabrous when young and old, below glabrous when young and old; secondary veins 8 to 15 pairs per side, glabrous above; tertiary venation reticulate. Individuals unisexual, monoecious; inflorescences cauliflorous. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 2 whorls, globose in bud, 1 to 5 per inflorescence, male and female inflorescences dimorphic; male pedicels 25-130 mm, 1-2 mm in diameter, sparsely pubescent to glabrous; bracts 2, one basal and one upper towards the lower half of pedicel, both bracts 1.5 mm long, ca. 2 mm wide; female pedicels 80-320 mm long, 2-4 mm in diameter; in fruit mm long, mm in diameter; bracts 2, one basal and one upper towards the lower half of pedicel, both bracts 2.5-6 mm long, 5-6 mm wide; male sepals 2, valvate, basally fused, 7 mm long, 7 mm wide, very broadly ovate, apex acute, base truncate, brown, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; female sepals 2, valvate, basally fused, 7-17 mm long, 13-15 mm wide, very broadly ovate, apex acute, base truncate, fleshy, brown, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; male petals 4, basally fused, tube ca. 3 mm long, 10-15 mm long, 8-10 mm wide, broadly ovate to broadly elliptic, apex acute, base truncate, wine-brown outside, white cream inside, margins flat, shortly tomentose outside, glabrous inside; female petals 4, basally fused, tube 2.5-3 mm long, 14-16 mm long, 8-12 mm wide, broadly ovate, apex acute, base truncate, fleshy, wine-brown outside, white cream inside, margins flat, pubescent outside, glabrous inside; male flowers: stamens 150 to 250, in 10 to 12 rows, ca. 1 mm long, oblong; connective reduced or absent, glabrous, cream; staminodes absent; female flowers: carpels free, 50 to 140, ovary 2-4 mm long, stigma globose, glabrous. Monocarps sessile, 4 to 9, 10-17 mm long, 7-11 mm in diameter, cylindrical, apex rounded, sparsely pubescent, verrucose, longitudinally 1 ribbed, brown when ripe; seeds 6 to 10 per monocarp, 7-10 mm long, 5-7 mm in diameter; aril absent.

Distribution.

A central African species from Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea Gabon and Democratic Republic of the Congo; in Cameroon known from South, South-West and Littoral regions.

Habitat.

In primary or secondary lowland rain forests. Altitude: 200-1100 m a.s.l.

IUCN conservation status.

assessed under the name U. vanderystii , Least Concern (LC) ( Cheek 2014e).

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Uvariopsis pedunculosa is easily distinguished in flower by the combination of globose flower buds and basally fused petals. Le Thomas (1969b) had not seen any fruiting material of the species (as U. vanderystii ), but it has since become available.

Uvariopsis pedunculosa was placed in synonymy with U. dioica in the second edition of the Flora of West Tropical Africa ( Keay 1952). However, after careful examination of the type materials of both names, we conclude that U. pedunculosa is in fact conspecific with U. vanderystii . Indeed, the type of U. pedunculosa (Zenker 3868) has long flowering pedicels (up to 130 mm) and clearly globose flowers (as seen in the BR specimen [BR0000008824226]), while U. dioica has pedicels up to 50 mm long and ovoid-conical flower buds ( Robyns and Ghesquière 1933; Kenfack et al. 2003). Given the priority rule, the name U. pedunculosa (1915, as Tetrastemma pedunculosum Diels) should be retained over U. vanderystii (1933).

Specimens examined.

Littoral Region: Mapubi 30 km before Edea on Yaounde-Edea road On forestry road 5 km direction to Sanaga river , 3.84°N, 10.38°E, 28 February 2018, Couvreur T.L.P. 1173 (MPU,P,WAG,YA). South Region : Elephant Mont, 2.79°N, 10.02°E, 16 October 2001, Tchouto Mbatchou G.P. ELEX_15 (WAG); Campo-Ma’an area Onoyong, 2.52°N, 10.69°E, 18 March 2001, Tchouto Mbatchou G.P. ONOX_182 (WAG); Campo-Ma’an area Onoyong, 2.52°N, 10.69°E, 18 March 2001, Tchouto Mbatchou G.P. ONOX_274 (WAG); Campo-Ma’an area Mamelles Massif, 2.56°N, 9.949°E, 23 April 2001, Tchouto Mbatchou G.P. 3242 (KRIBI,WAG); Bipindi, 3.08°N, 10.41°E, 01 January 1909, Zenker G.A. 3868 (B,BM,BR,K,L,P). South-West Region : on forest trail north of Ngomboku village , 4.91°N, 9.724°E, 06 April 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 1063 (WAG,YA); on forest trail north of Ngomboku village , 4.91°N, 9.730°E, 06 April 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 1066 (WAG,YA); on trail through palm oil plantation 3 km before lava flow and Seme Beach hotel when coming from Limbe, 4.07°N, 9.085°E, 18 October 2013, Couvreur T.L.P. 517 (WAG,YA); Ajang saprophyte plot, 4.76°N, 9.683°E, 01 December 1999, Gosline W.G. 244 (K,MO,P,WAG,YA); Crète du Nta Ali (1266 m) entre côtes 1009 et 1202 30 km SE Mamfe, 5.59°N, 9.502°E, 19 June 1975, Letouzey R. 13849 (P,YA); Likomba-Pflanzung 15-35 km NE von Victoria [Limbe], 4.1°N, 9.333°E, 03 December 1928, Mildbraed G.W.J. 10745 (B,K); Environs de Matene RF Takamanda 32 km SW Akwaya, 6.25°N, 9.372°E, 30 April 1987, Satabié B. 873 (YA); Forest on the southern slope of Mount above Batoke , 4.08°N, 9.1°E, 29 December 1983, Thomas D.W. 2756 (MO,YA); Takamanda Forest Reserve, 6.21°N, 9.433°E, 30 April 1987, Thomas D.W. 7364 (P); Massif du Ntali crête sommitale 30 km SE Mamfe, 5.58°N, 9.510°E, 14 June 1982, Villiers J.-F. 1427 (P,YA) .

Figures

Map 16. A Uvariopsis conge nsis B Uvariopsis dicaprio C Uvariopsis dioica D Uvariopsis etugeana E Uvariopsis korupensis F Uvariopsis pedunculosa G Uvariopsis sessiliflora H Uvariopsis solheidii I Uvariopsis submontana. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).

Figure 136. Uvariopsis solheidii A male inflorescence B detail of female flower, 1 petal removed C petal of female flower, inner view D carpel, side and front views, detail of ovules E male flower, 1 petal removed F petal of male flower, inner view G stamen, front and side views. Uvariopsis letestui Pellegr. (not present in Cameroon) H flower I petal of female flower, inner view J female flower, all 4 petals removed K carpel, front view and detail of ovules L male flower, one petal removed M stamen, front view N fruits O longitudinal section of a monocarp. Uvariopsis pedunculosa (as U. vanderystii) P female inflorescence Q female flower, one petal removed R petal of female flower, inner view S carpel, side view and detail of ovules A from Tisserant 2242 B-G from Tisserant 804 H-M from Halle 3060 N-O from Halle 2975 P-S from Le Testu 8525. Drawings by Helene Lamourdedieu, Publications Scientifiques du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris; modified from Le Thomas (1969 b; pl. 54, p. 299).

Figure 137. Uvariopsis pedunculosa A base of trunk, note flower on long pedicel on ground B leaf, upper side C leaf base, upper side D leaf base, lower side E female inflorescence on trunk F female flower G male flower H flower buds I fruiting pedicel J fruit A, F Couvreur 594, Gabon B-D Couvreur 1066, Cameroon E, G Couvreur 878, Gabon H Couvreur 1173, Mapubi, Cameroon I, J Couvreur 885, Gabon. Photos Thomas L. P. Couvreur.