Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A.Rich., Hist. phys. Cuba, Pl. vasc. 1: 53, 1841

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 : 445-449

Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A.Rich., Hist. phys. Cuba, Pl. vasc. 1: 53, 1841

Figs 141 , 142 ; Map 17B

≡ Unona aethiopica Dunal, Monogr. Anonac.: 113, 1817; Uvaria aethiopica (Dunal) A. Richard; Fl. Senegamb. Tent. 1: 9, 1831; Habzelia aethiopica (Dunal) A. DC., Mém. Soc. Phys. Genève 5: 207. 1832, nom. illeg.; Xylopicrum aethiopicum (Dunal) Kuntze, Revis. gen. pl. 1: 8, 1891.

= Xylopia eminii Engl., Pflanzenw. Ost-Afrikas C: 179, 1895. Type. Uganda. Western Province, Bugo, Stuhlmann F.L. 1233: holotype: B[100153132].

= Xylopia dekeyzeriana De Wild., Ann. Mus. Congo Belge, Bot. ser. 5, 3[1]: 4, 1903. Type. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kongo Central Province, Sanda, Gillet J. 2258, 1902: lectotype, designated by Johnson and Murray (2018), p. 76: BR[BR0000024941525]; isolectotypes: BR[BR0000008824257, BR0000008824264].

= Xylopia gilletii De Wild., Ann. Mus. Congo Belge, Bot. sér. 5, 1[1]: 42, 1903. Type. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kongo Central, Inkisi-Kisantu["Kisantu “Kisantu”], Gillet J. 207, 1899: holotype: BR[BR0000024941532].

Type.

Sierre Leone. without definite locality, Smeathman H. s. n., no date: lectotype, designated by Verdcourt (1971a), p. 77: G, secondary lectotype, designated here: G-DC[00201441 on 2 sheets]; isolectotypes: BM[BM000510763, branch on right-hand side of sheet]; FI-W[005603].

Description.

Tree, up to 46 m tall, d.b.h. 30-58 cm; plank buttresses present. Old branches glabrous, young branches glabrous to sparsely pubescent, the hairs 0.1-0.4 mm long. Leaves: petiole 4-9 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide, glabrous to sparsely pubescent, slightly grooved, blade inserted on the side of the petiole; blade 7.3-16.3 cm long, 2.1-6.6 cm wide, lanceolate-ovate to elliptic, occasionally oblong, narrowly elliptic, oblanceolate, or ovate, apex acuminate, acumen 0.6-2.0 cm long, base cuneate to broadly cuneate, short-decurrent, sometimes asymmetrical, subcoriaceous, below glabrous to sparsely pubescent when young, glabrous when old, above glabrous when young and old, discolorous, whitish below; midrib sunken, above glabrous when young and old, below glabrous when young and old; secondary veins 9 to 13 pairs, glabrous above; tertiary venation reticulate. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous on young foliate or old leafless branches, axillary, peduncle 1.5-2.8 (-4) mm long. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 1 to 7 per inflorescence; pedicel 5-15 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, pubescent; in fruit 10-18 mm long, 2-6 mm in diameter, glabrous; bracts 1 to 2, towards the middle of pedicel, 2-3 mm long, 3 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, basally to 2/3 fused, forming a cup, 2-4 mm long, 3-6 mm wide, triangular, apex acute to rounded, base truncate, greenish, glabrous to sparsely pubescent outside, glabrous inside; petals free, subequal; outer petals 3, 28-64 mm long, 3.8-6 mm wide at base, linear, apex obtuse, base broad and concave, yellow to light green or white, pubescent outside, pubescent inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 18.7-51 mm long, 3.8-6 mm wide at base, linear, apex acute, base broad and concave, cream to greenish yellow, pubescent, base glabrous outside, pubescent inside; stamens 140 to 300, in 5 to 6 rows, 1-2 mm long, oblong; connective apex shield-like, pubescent to glabrous, cream; carpels free, 45 to 50, ovary 1-2 mm long, stigmas connivent, linear, 3.5-4.7 mm long, pubescent to glabrous. Monocarps stipitate, stipe 2-8 mm long, 2-4 mm in diameter; monocarps 20 to 30(36), 32-82 mm long, 3-8 mm wide, narrowly oblong, weakly torulose, apex with a blunt beak 1.5-3.5 mm long ,, glabrous, verrucose and wrinkled when dried, green to red outside, endocarp red; seeds 4 to 12 per monocarp, in a single row, 5-6 mm long, 3-4 mm wide, ellipsoid; sarcotesta absent; aril flat, bilobed, orange to pale yellow.

Distribution.

A widespread species in West, Central and East Africa, from Senegal to Kenya and south to Angola and northern Mozambique; in Cameroon known from East, South, Central, Littoral, South-West, and West and regions.

Habitat.

A very common species (the most common species of Xylopia ) with a broad ecological amplitude, in Cameroon in lowland primary, old secondary or disturbed rain forests; sometimes cultivated or planted. Altitude 0-1600 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

ngwo (Bibaya); akwi ( Yaoundé); Poivre de Guinée (French).

IUCN conservation status.

Least Concern (LC) ( Harvey-Brown 2019g).

Uses in Cameroon.

Food: fruits and seeds used as a flavoring in foods and beverages ( Johnson and Murray 2018); medicine: fruit against cough, aches, bronchitis, dysentery; construction: bark for building materials ( Tessmann 1913).

Notes.

This common species is readily distinguished from all other African Xylopia species by the combination of distinctly fused sepals, the large number of narrowly oblong, weakly torulose monocarps, and the bilobed aril of the relatively small seeds. The leaf blades are often pale beneath and with an asymmetrical base. Among Cameroon species of Xylopia , X. rubescens has similar narrow and torulose monocarps, but the monocarps of that species are wider strongly torulose to moniliform, and have larger seeds. Xylopia aethiopica grows in a range of habitats, and it is difficult to determine from herbarium label data the extent to which its presence in secondary vegetation, and along riverbanks, is spontaneous or the result of deliberate planting and tending.

In Cameroon three species of monkeys eat and defecate the seeds (summarized in Johnson and Murray 2018).

Selected specimens examined.

Central Region: Ndanan 1 abandoned enclosure on river before bridge, 3.62°N, 11.58°E, 09 March 2004, Cheek M. 11579 (K,YA); NE of Ndangan I on logging trail into Mefou NP, 3.62°N, 11.59°E, 23 March 2004, Cheek M. 11999 (K,YA); East side of park, 3.60°N, 11.59°E, 16 October 2002, Gosline W.G. 423 (K,YA); 60 km S of Edéa S of Mboké 11 km E of km 58 of road Edea-Kribi, 3.47°N, 10.5°E, 22 April 1965, Leeuwenberg A.J.M. 5504 (BR,K,MO,P,WAG,YA). East Region : 64 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 , 3.09°N, 14.66°E, 07 March 2019, Couvreur T.L.P. 1223 (MPU,WAG,YA); Roue Mintom I (70 km E de Djoum-Alati (100 km SE de Djoum) PK 15, 2.83°N, 13.35°E, 01 January 1973, Letouzey R. 11773 (K,P,WAG,YA); Piste du massif de Fessimi sur la carte de Deng-Deng, 5.2°N, 13.52°E, 09 February 1961, Letouzey R. 3433 (YA); Deng Deng, 5.2°N, 13.52°E, 01 April 1914, Mildbraed G.W.J. 8826 (K). Littoral Region : Yabassi, 4.34°N, 10.41°E, 27 October 2007, Fenton E. 163 (K); Duala, 4.05°N, 9.71°E, 01 June 1917, Fleury F. 33338 (P); Olombé, 3.60°N, 9.958°E, 05 November 2014, Kamdem N. 177 (YA). South Region : Okala (Batanga), 3.2°N, 11.02°E, 20 September 1945, Aubréville A. 133 (P); Ebolowa , 2.96°N, 11.28°E, 20 November 1968, Bos J.J. 3341 (P,WAG,YA); ca 15 km from Kribi 1 km S of Ebolowa road, 3.1°N, 10.25°E, 20 February 1970, Bos J.J. 6382 (B,BR,C,K,LD,M,P,WAG,YA); 23 km east from Lele village , 2.28°N, 13.32°E, 08 September 2013, Couvreur T.L.P. 471 (WAG,YA); 16 km on the recently reconstructed road from Ebolowa to Minkok, 2.75°N, 11.25°E, 29 January 1975, de Wilde J.J.F.E 7931 (B,BR,K,MO,P,U,WAG,YA); Station de cacaoyer de N’koemvone 14 km on the road from Ebolowa to Ambam, 2.81°N, 11.13°E, 17 February 1975, de Wilde J.J.F.E 7970 (BR,K,MO,P,U,WAG,YA); 18 km S of the Lobe River along the road to Campo, 2.71°N, 9.866°E, 18 March 1975, de Wilde J.J.F.E 8085 (BR,MO,P,WAG,YA); Station de cacaoyer de N’koemvone 14 km On the road from Ebolowa to Ambam, 2.8°N, 11.13°E, 10 December 1975, de Wilde J.J.F.E 8707 (BR,K,MO,P,U,WAG); Mebemonko (20 km NO d’Oveng), 2.55°N, 12.17°E, 24 October 1966, Letouzey R. 8186 (YA); km 48 route Kribi-Ndjabilobi (village Elone), 3.1°N, 10.25°E, 23 July 1957, Mpom B. 282 (P,YA); Canon du Ntem 16 km SW de Nyabessan, 2.32°N, 10.28°E, 30 November 1982, Nkongmeneck B.A. 399 (P); Campo-Ma’an area Nsengou, 2.18°N, 10.58°E, 05 February 2001, Tchouto Mbatchou G.P. 3126 (KRIBI,WAG); Campo-Ma’an area Ebodje, 2.56°N, 9.833°E, 16 April 2001, van Andel T.R. 3343 (KRIBI,WAG,YA). South-West Region : Bayang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary before Mbu river , 5.34°N, 9.495°E, 27 March 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 1021 (WAG,YA); on trail through palm oil plantation 3 km before lava flow and Seme Beach hotel when coming from Limbe, 4.06°N, 9.078°E, 18 October 2013, Couvreur T.L.P. 516 (WAG,YA); Bakolle Bakossi on Kumba-Mamfe road, 5.01°N, 9.666°E, 24 May 1986, Etuge M. 148 (MO,WAG,YA); A 15 km au Sud Est de Molobo (village situé à 50 km au Sud de Batouri), 4.02°N, 14.32°E, 21 July 1963, Letouzey R. 5456 (P,WAG,YA) .

Figures

Map 17. A Uvariopsis zenkeri B Xylopia aethiopica C Xylopia africana D Xylopia aurantiiodora E Xylopia calva F Xylopia cupularis G Xylopia elliotii H Xylopia gilbertii I Xylopia hypolampra. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).

Figure 141. Xylopia aethiopica A flowering branch B outer petal, inner view C inner petal, inner view D receptacle, all petals removed E stamen, front view F staminode, outer whorl G staminode, inner whorl H carpel, side view and detail of ovules I fruit, with one monocarp opening via splitting J seed, front and side views A-H from Le Testu 7960 I, J from Halle & Le Thomas 581. Drawings by Helene Lamourdedieu, Publications Scientifiques du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris; modified from Le Thomas (1969 b; pl. 30, p. 167).

Figure 142. Xylopia aethiopica A base of trunk, note buttresses B leaf, lower side C leaf, upper side D monocarp longitudinally opening, note yellow aril E flowers, side view F flower with one outer petal removed, showing the base of inner petals G immature fruit. Xylopia africana H base of trunk, note the presence of stilt roots I base of leaf blade, upper side J base of leaf blade, lower side K monocarp, longitudinally splitting, note red aril L flowers M flower, side view, one outer petal removed N fruit, side view, one monocarp opened revealing seed with red aril A, D, G Couvreur 1223, Masea, Cameroon B Couvreur 471, Lele, Cameroon C, E, F Couvreur 543, Gabon H-J, M Couvreur 949 K Couvreur 967, Rumpi Mt, Cameroon L-N Couvreur 993, Mt Cameroon, Cameroon. Photos Thomas L. P. Couvreur.