Uvariopsis solheidii (De Wild.) 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 : 432-434

Uvariopsis solheidii (De Wild.) Robyns & Ghesq., Ann. Soc. Sci. Bruxelles, Ser. B 53: 321, 1933

Figs 135 , 137 ; Map 16H

≡ Tetrastemma solheidii De Wild., Ann. Mus. Congo Belge, Bot. sér. 5, 3(1): 85, 1909.

= Uvariopsis batesii Robyns & Ghesq., Ann. Soc. Sci. Bruxelles, Ser. B 53: 320 1933. Type. Cameroon. South Region, Bitye, Bates G.L. 1367, 1919: holotype: BM[BM000554077].

Type.

Type. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Orientale; Yambuya, Solheid A.F. 96, 1906: holotype: BR[BR0000008824240).

Description.

Shrub to tree, 3-8 m tall, d.b.h. 1.5-8 cm; stilt roots or buttresses absent. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrous to pubescent, young foliate branches tomentose to pubescent. Leaves: petiole 3-4 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, tomentose, slightly grooved, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 16.6-29 cm long, 5-9.5 cm wide, elliptic to obovate, apex acuminate to attenuate, acumen 0.4-2 cm long, base rounded to subcordate, papyraceous, below glabrous when young, sparsely pubescent when old, above glabrous when young and old; midrib sunken or flat, above glabrous when young and old, below sparsely pubescent when young, glabrous when old; secondary veins 8 to 13 pairs per side, glabrous above; tertiary venation reticulate. Individuals unisexual, monoecious; inflorescences cauliflorous. Flowers with 6 perianth parts in 2 whorls, long conical in bud, 2 to 3 per inflorescence, male and female inflorescences dimorphic; male pedicels up to 22 mm long, 0.5-1 mm in diameter, densely pubescent; female pedicels 80-160 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, densely pubescent; in fruit 53-165 mm long, ca. 2 mm in diameter; bracts 2, one basal and one upper towards the lower half of pedicel, basal bract ca. 1 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide; upper bracts 1-2 mm long, 1.5-3 mm wide, soon falling; male sepals 2, valvate, free, ca. 2 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, ovate, apex acute, base truncate, brown-red, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; female sepals 2, valvate, free, 2.5-4 mm long, 3-5 mm wide, ovate to elliptic, apex acute, base truncate, brown-red, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; male petals 4 (sometimes 5), free, 7-10 mm long, 2.5-4 mm wide, narrowly ovate to narrowly elliptic, apex acute, base truncate, wine-brown, margins flat, pubescent outside, glabrous and finely warty inside; female petals 4, free, 12-17 mm long, 4-7 mm wide, narrowly ovate to narrowly elliptic, apex acute, base truncate, wine-brown, margins flat, tomentose outside, glabrous and finely warty inside; male flowers: stamens 150 to 200, in 9 to 15 rows, ca. 0.5 mm long, oblong; connective reduced or absent, glabrous, cream; staminodes absent; female flowers: carpels free, 40 to 65, ovary 1.5-3.5 mm long, stigma coiled, densely pubescent. Monocarps stipitate, stipes 2-4 mm long, ca. 3 mm in diameter; monocarps 5 to 10, 30-70 mm long, 13-30 mm in diameter, ellipsoid to cylindrical, apex rounded to apiculate, sparsely pubescent to glabrous, longitudinally 4 to 6 ribbed, smooth, red when ripe; seeds 2 to 10 per monocarp, ca. 15 mm long, 8-13 mm in diameter, ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

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

Habitat.

A fairly uncommon species in Cameroon, in lowland or more rarely submontane, growing in primary or old secondary rain forests. Altitude: 0-1200 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

None recorded.

IUCN conservation status.

Least Concern (LC) (Botanic Gardens Conservation International and IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group 2019e).

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Uvariopsis solheidii is distinguished by its young foliate branches being tomentose to pubescent and by its long conical flower buds and narrowly ovate to narrowly elliptic free petals. In the shape of its petals it may resemble U. bakeriana , which has even narrower linear petals that are deep red and very verrucose, and U. etugeana , which has much shorter pedicels.

Specimens examined.

Central Region: Ndanan 1, 3.62°N, 11.58°E, 10 March 2004, Cheek M. 11606 (K,WAG,YA); Mont Ngoro à 38 km au Nord de Bafia (pied mont), 5.09°N, 11.26°E, 29 April 1978, Ngameni B.K. 109 (P,YA); Mont Ngoro à 58 km SW de Linté, 5.09°N, 11.26°E, 17 April 1982, Nkongmeneck B.A. 273 (P,YA); River N Didoumou, 3.61°N, 11.56°E, 26 March 2004, Onana J.M. 2848 (K). South Region: Zingui, 2.85°N, 10.98°E, 21 July 1975, de Wilde J.J.F.E 8373 (WAG); Ngongonjie (Akonetye), 2.67°N, 12.87°E, 30 August 1978, Koufani A. 154 (P); Efoulan, 2.74°N, 10.54°E, 06 December 2000, Tchouto Mbatchou G.P. ONOX_191 (WAG); Efoulan, 2.74°N, 10.53°E, 25 April 2000, Tchouto Mbatchou G.P. 2843 (KRIBI,WAG); Efoulan, 2.74°N, 10.54°E, 04 December 2000, Tchouto Mbatchou G.P. 3089 (KRIBI,WAG,YA); Campo-Ma’an area Akom II, 2.8°N, 10.53°E, 19 August 2001, van Andel T.R. 3951 (MO); Colline de Nkoltsia à 23 km NW de Bipindi, 3.17°N, 10.27°E, 27 April 1974, Villiers J.-F. 893 (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 135. Uvariopsis korupensis A trunk, note cluster of old flowers and fruits at base B leaves C base of leaf, lower side D base of leaf, upper side E old female flower on trunk F cluster of fruits at base of trunk. Uvariopsis solheidii G male flower and leaf base, lower side H male flowers, side view I detail of male flower A-F Couvreur 1052, Mt Cameroon, Cameroon G-I Couvreur 855, Gabon. Photos Thomas L. P. Couvreur.

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.