Uvariopsis sp. nov. 2 'Tanzania'

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 sp. nov. 2 'Tanzania'

Fig. 88

Description.

Shrub to tree 4-6 m tall, D.B.H unknown; young branches glabrous, old branches glabrous. Petiole ca. 2 mm long, ca. 2 mm wide, glabrous. Leaf lamina 150-180 mm long, ca. 60 mm wide, length:width ratio ca. 3, elliptic to obovate, coriaceous, base rounded, apex attenuate, surface above glabrous, surface below glabrous; midrib impressed above, raised below, glabrous above, glabrous below; secondary veins ca. 13 pairs, brochidodromous to weakly brochidodromous, impressed above, raised below; tertiary veins reticulate. Flowers not seen (label on specimen Kyoto University Expedition 1039 says 5 petals). Fruiting pedicel ca. 51 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, pubescent. Monocarps, 1-2, ca. 30 mm long, ca. 15 mm wide, length:width ratio ca. 2, cylindrical to obpyriform, smooth, slightly constricted between the seeds, pubescent, subsessile; stipe 0-1 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide, pubescent.

Distribution.

Endemic to Somalia-Masai Region. Only known from the Kigoma region in eastern Tanzania.

Habitat and ecology.

Rain forests. Altitude ca. 900 m asl.

Phenology.

Fruits collected in December (flowers said to be collected too, but remained not found).

Vernacular names.

Tanzania: ‘Ntwelele’ in Tongwe (Kyoto University Expedition 1039).

Notes.

This species is very similar to Up. lovettiana having similar elliptic leaf shape, but differs by the leaf base being rounded (vs. acute to decurrent in Up. lovettiana ) and in having pubescent monocarps slightly constricted between the seeds (vs. sparsely pubescent to glabrous monocarps, strongly constricted between the seeds). The monocarps are also subsessile (stipe 0-1 mm long, vs. stipitate, stipe 2.5-14 mm long in Up. lovettiana ). Confirming the status of new species with molecular analysis is however essential in order to make sure these specimens are not a morphological variation of Up. lovettiana .

Specimens examined.

Tanzania - Kigoma • G.S. Bidgood 2783 (DSM, K, P, WAG) ; Kigoma Rural District, T 4 . Kigoma Distr.: Kasye Forest ; 5°41'S, 29°55'E; alt. 900 m; 18 Mar. 1994 - Kyoto University Expedition 1039 (EA) ; Kigoma Rural District ; 4°45'S, 30°30'E; 24 Dec. 1963 .

Figures

Figure 88. Distribution map of Uvariopsis sp. nov. 2 ' Tanzania'. Shades of grey represent elevation, from white (sea level) to darker grey (higher elevation). The inset shows the extent of the map over Africa.