Cassipourea atanganae Kenfack, 2011

Kenfack, David, 2011, Cassipourea atanganae sp. nov., a new species of Rhizophoraceae from Lower Guinea, Adansonia (3) 33 (2), pp. 209-213 : 210-212

Cassipourea atanganae Kenfack , sp. nov.

( Fig. 1 )

Haec species quoad folia ad Cassipouream afzelii (Oliv.) Alston accedit, sed ab ea androecio diplostemono, filamentorum longitudinibus duabus atque ovario glabro recedit.

TYPUS. — Cameroon. Southwest Province, Korup National Park, 50 m, Thomas 2158 (holo-, YA; iso-, K, MO).

PARATYPES. — Cameroon. Korup National Park , 50 m, M. N . Sainge , Ekpe K . & Ituke 470 (fl) ( MO, YA); 05°02’N, 8°50’E , 60 m, D. Thomas 6860 (fl) ( MO); 05°02’N, 8°51’E , 80 m, C . Doumenge 401 (fl) ( MO) .

DESCRIPTION

A shrub to 2.5 m tall. Young twigs appressedpubescent to glabrescent. Stipules caducous, narrowly triangular, densely appressed-pubescent to glabrescent outside, glabrous within, 2-3 mm long, 0.8-1.5 mm at base. Leaves opposite; petiole (3-) 5-10 mm long, sparsely appressed-pubescent in young leaves; lamina 5-11 cm long, 1.5-3.5 cm wide, elliptic to oblong-elliptic, glabrous on both sides, base cuneate, margins entire, apex acuminate; midrib prominent on abaxial surface, sparsely appressed-pubescent to glabrous; secondary veins 4-8 pairs on each side of the midrib, brochidodromous, prominent on both surfaces. Flowers 5(6)- merous, in 1 to 3-flowered sessile inflorescences; bract ovate, less than 0.5 mm long, c. 1 mm wide, tomentose outside, glabrescent inside; pedicel green, puberulous or glabrescent, 1.5-2.8 mm long, with an articulation less than 1 mm below the apex; calyx campanulate, glabrous outside, densely tomentose inside, 3-4 mm high, about 2 mm diameter, 5- or 6-toothed, tooth acute to triangular, about 1.3 mm long, always shorter than the tube, tube 1.7-2.5 mm.

Petals 5 or 6, linear-spathulate, fimbriate, ciliate. Stamens 10 or 12, in two whorls of unequal filament length, outer whorl opposite the sepals, the filaments 3.5-5.5 mm long; inner whorl opposite the petals, the filaments 5-7.5 mm long, the base of both whorls united into a lobed ring; anthers oblong, glabrous, 1 mm long, 0.5-0.7 mm wide, longitudinally dehiscent. Ovary 3-locular, subglobose, less than 1 mm long, 1-1.3 mm diameter, glabrous; style 4-5.5 mm long, densely pubescent. Fruit elliptic to obovoid, 5-7 mm long, 2.3-5 mm diameter, glabrous, the petals and stamens persistent; seeds generally 2, obovoid, 3-3.5 mm long, 1-1.5 mm diameter, arillate.

HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION

Open rocky places on Mana river bed and banks, in Southwest Cameroon.

ETYMOLOGY

This species is dedicated to Dr. Atanga Ekobo of WWF-Cameroon, for his dedication to the conservation of the coastal forests of Cameroon.

CONSERVATION STATUS

The new species described here appears to be restricted to the banks of the Mana River in Southwest Cameroon, which constitutes the southeastern boundary of the Korup National Park. Although several botanical surveys have been conducted in the park and in other parts of Southwest Cameroon over the years, only a few collections have been made of Cassipourea atanganae sp. nov., which presumably is an indication of its rarity. Using the IUCN Red List categories and criteria version 3.1 ( IUCN 2001), a provisional conservation status of Vulnerable VU D1 is proposed for this species.

KEY TO AFRICAN SPECIES OF CASSIPOUREA SUBGENUS CASSIPOUREA

1. Calyx up to 6 mm long, flowers sessile, stamens c. 30, anthers apiculate, ovary 2-locular ......................................................................................................... C. plumosa Alston

— Calyx less than 6 mm long, flowers pedicellate to sub-sessile, stamens 10 or 15, anthers not apiculate, ovary 3-locular ..................................................................................... 2

2. Ovary glabrous, stamens 10 ........................................... C. atanganae Kenfack , sp. nov.

— Ovary pubescent, stamens 15 ..................................................................................... 3

3. Leaves 9-13.5 cm long, pedicel to 2.5 mm long .................................. C. afzelii Alston

— Leaves less than 9 cm long, pedicel to 1.5 mm long ........................... C. eketensis Baker

Figures

FIG. 1. — Cassipourea atanganae Kenfack, sp. nov.: A, fruiting branch; B, dorsal view of stamens in bud; C, lateral view of stamens in bud; D, stamens in developing bud; E, opened flower; F, dorsal view of petal; G, androcium and pistil; H, fruit with persistent calyx, petals and stamens; I, fruit with all floral parts removed; J, seed; K, cotyledons. A, Thomas 2158; B-K, Sainge 470 et al. Scale bars: A, 9 mm; B-D, F, G, K, 2 mm; E, H-J, 5 mm. Drawing Alba Albarez.