Ochna afzelioides N.Robson (Robson 1962: 23)

Shah, Toral, Mashimba, Fandey H., Suleiman, Haji. O., Mbailwa, Yahya S., Savolainen, Vincent, Larridon, Isabel & Darbyshire, Iain, 2023, A taxonomic revision of the ecologically important Ochna holstii (Ochnaceae) complex using molecular and morphological data, Plant Ecology and Evolution 156 (2), pp. 174-200 : 174

7. Ochna afzelioides N.Robson (Robson 1962: 23)

Figs 3C , 12

Type.

TANZANIA • Kasulu , Kigoma province; Oct. 1930; Rounce B 3; holotype: K! [K000431153]; isotype: EA! [EA000002033] .

Description.

Shrub or small tree, 4-5 m tall. Bark grey-white or grey-brown with pale white lenticels or linear markings. Stems brown or purple with prominent white lenticels and sometimes with white peeling bark; young new growth green-brown densely lenticellate and densely puberulous with stiff pale brown hairs, or green-brown without lenticels and glabrous, usually later or in fruit. Stipules brown-pale brown, tapering with wide base or linear, deciduous, 1-2.5 mm. Leaves green, thin, glabrous, ovate to lanceolate-oblanceolate, 2-9 cm long, 2-4 cm wide; leaf base cuneate to rounded, acute to obtuse or sometimes retuse at apex, margins densely spinulose-serrate, teeth prominently curving inwards, sometimes teeth up to 0.7 mm long; lateral veins numerous> 20, tertiary vernation reticulate on both sides, midrib prominent above and below; petiole 0.8-2.5 mm long; buds small green-brown, glabrous. Flowers arranged in racemes 8-10 flowered, or fascicles 6-8 flowered; rachis 2-11 mm long; pedicels 1.3-4 cm long, articulated 1-5(-8) mm from base, puberulous with stiff white hairs, usually glabrous above articulation or sometimes glabrous throughout, brown-green. Sepals green, elliptic to oblong, 5.5-9 mm long, 1.4-3 mm wide, turning red in fruit 6-9 mm long, 2.5-3.5 mm wide. Petals yellow, obovate to oblanceolate, 8-20 mm long, 4-7 mm wide. Anthers dehiscing by longitudinal slits, 1-1.8 mm long; filaments 2.5-5 mm long. Carpels 5-7; style capitate at apex, 4.5-6 mm long. Drupelets black, ellipsoid, 4-5.5 mm long, up to 3 mm wide, attached at the base.

Distributio n.

Tanzania, Rwanda, and Zambia (Fig. 12 ).

Habitat.

Miombo woodlands and riverine forests. Altitude: 1000-1450 m.

Phenology.

Flowering and fruiting from October to March.

Preliminary IUCN conservation assessment.

Ochna afzelioides is found in woodland and forest habitats in Tanzania, Rwanda, and Zambia, with an estimated EOO of 44,725 km2 and AOO of 36 km2, which falls within the limits of EN under criterion B2. Furthermore, only known seven locations are known, with at least four locations outside of protected areas. Species occurring in north-western Tanzania and Rwanda are particularly prone to habitat destruction. Therefore, with the limited AOO and fewer than 10 locations, with observed decline in the quality of the habitat, the species is assessed as Vulnerable: VU B2ab(iii).

Additional material examined.

TANZANIA - Bukoba District • Kiamawa ; Sep.-Oct. 1935; fl.; Gillman 458; EA, K [K001383044] . - Kigoma District • near Tubila Railway station ; Nov. 1956; fl.; Procter 588; EA, K [K001383042] .

ZAMBIA - Northern Province • Mporokoso district, Choma, Mweru-Wantipa ; 1000 m; 16 Dec. 1960; fr.; Richards 13726; K [K001387605] • Grassy top near Kambole Escarpment; Richards 10835; K [K001387606] . - Lusaka Province • Lusaka Waterworks, Iolanda, Muchuto River gorge; 15°47.6'S, 28°14.9'E; 1000 m; 4 Dec. 1996; fl.; Bingham 11234; K [K000073089, K000073088] . - Central Province • Serenje district in Kasanka National Park ; 12°29 ’47” S, 30°11 ’41” E; 1250 m; 13 Jan. 2000; fr.; Zimba, Smith, Fisher NBZ 1176; K [K001387607] .

RWANDA - Bugesera Ditstrict • Gashora ; 1450 m; Sep. 1972; fl.; Auquier 2889; BM, K [K001391608] .

Bibliography.

Robson (1963: 242); Verdcourt (2005: 28).

Figures

Figure 3. Species of Ochna, habit and leaf margin. A. Ochna maguirei (from Story 5935). B. Ochna puberula (from Fanshawe 2648). C. Ochna afzelioides (from Richards 13726). D. Ochna polyneura (from Vollesen 4298). Drawn by Andrew Brown.

Figure 12. Distribution map for Ochna afzelioides in Tanzania, Rwanda, and Zambia.