Neostenanthera myristicifolia (Oliv.) Exell, J. Bot. 73 (Suppl.): 6, 1935

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 : 266-269

Neostenanthera myristicifolia (Oliv.) Exell, J. Bot. 73 (Suppl.): 6, 1935

Figs 80 , 81 ; Map 10E

≡ Oxymitra myristicifolia Oliv., Fl. Trop. Afr. 1: 33, 1868; Stenanthera myristicifolia (Oliv.) Engl. & Diels, Notizbl. Königl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 3: 57, 1900.

= Stenanthera pluriflora De Wild., Ann. Mus. Congo Belge, Bot. sér. 5, 1(1): 45, 1903. Type. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bas Congo, Kisantu, Gillet J. 168, 1899: lectotype, designated by Boutique (1951b), p. 339, sheet here designated: BR[BR0000008802712]; isotypes: BR[BR0000008802040, BR0000008801715].

Type.

Nigeria. Cross River State; Old Calabar, Thomson W.C. 134, no date: holotype: K[K000199047] .

Description.

Tree to shrub or scandent shrub, 3-5 m tall, d.b.h. 6-20 cm; stilt roots or buttresses absent. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate branches sparsely pubescent to glabrous. Leaves: petiole 4-6 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, pubescent, slightly grooved to cylindrical, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 8.5-25.5 cm long, 3.7-9 cm wide, oblong to elliptic, apex acuminate to acute, acumen 0.2-1.8 cm long, base rounded to obtuse, papyraceous, below pubescent with short appressed straight hairs when young and old, above glabrous to pubescent when young, glabrous to pubescent when old, discolorous, whitish below; midrib impressed, above glabrous when young and old, below glabrous when young and old; secondary veins 10 to 18 pairs, glabrous below; tertiary venation percurrent. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous, on foliate or leafless branches, leaf opposed or extra axillary. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, (1)2 to 4 per inflorescence; peduncle 1-2 mm long, unbranched; pedicel 12-38 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, pubescent; in fruit 20-40 mm long, 3-4 mm in diameter, sparsely pubescent; bract 1, basal, 1-3 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, free, 1-4 mm long, 1-3 mm wide, triangular to ovate, apex acute to acuminate, base acute, brown-green, pubescent outside, pubescent inside, margins flat; petals free, outer petals longer than inner; outer petals 3, 6.5-29 mm long in total, 2-5(6) mm wide above the claw, narrowly triangular, apex attenuate, base suborbicular, basal part 4-6 mm wide, light green to light yellow, margins flat, pubescent to glabrous outside, pubescent inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 3.4-10.9 mm long, 1-3 mm wide, triangular, apex acute, base broad and concave, 3-5 mm wide, margins flat, pubescent to glabrous outside, pubescent inside; stamens 135-156, in 4 to 5 rows, ca. 2 mm long, linear; connective tongue shaped, glabrous, red; staminodes absent; carpels free, 67 to 109, ovary ca. 1 mm long, stigma cylindrical, glabrous. Monocarps stipitate, stipes 17-23 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter; monocarps 15(22) to 48(60), 9-20 mm long, 6-13 mm in diameter, ellipsoid, apex shortly apiculate, sparsely pubescent to glabrous, smooth, not ribbed, brown turning wine red when ripe; seed 1 per monocarp, 4-18 mm long, 2-10 mm in diameter, ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

From Nigeria to Democratic Republic of the Congo; in Cameroon known from East, South, Central, South-West and South West regions.

Habitat.

A common species across its range; in secondary forests and along roads and swampy areas. Altitude 300-1000 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

None recorded.

IUCN conservation status.

Least Concern (LC) ( Cosiaux et al. 2019a d).

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Neostenanthera myristicifolia is distinguishable by its fasciculate inflorescences (rarely solitary flowers), flowers and pedicels not tomentose and long stipitate monocarps.

Specimens examined.

Central Region: Between Somalomo and Milon 69 km SE Akonolinga, 3.77°N, 12.25°E, 18 June 1981, Asonganyi J.N. 310 (P,YA); NE of Ndangan I on logging trail into Mefou NP, 3.62°N, 11.59°E, 23 March 2004, Cheek M. 11965 (BR,K,K,MO,P,WAG,YA); Méfou National Park just after Ape Action Africa center along road, 3.62°N, 11.58°E, 24 April 2013, Couvreur T.L.P. 422 (WAG,YA); Banlieu de Yaoundé au bord de l’étang Atemengue, 3.87°N, 11.52°E, 14 April 1960, Endengle E. 116 (P,YA); Goura, 4.55°N, 11.4°E, 01 November 1938, Jacques-Félix H. 2340 (P); Yaoundé, 3.87°N, 11.52°E, 01 August 1939, Jacques-Félix H. 4803 (P); Kourou (Yoko), 5.03°N, 12.42°E, 10 July 1959, Letouzey R. 2373 (P,YA); Près de Mendong (25 km N Akonolinga), 3.77°N, 12.25°E, 07 March 1962, Letouzey R. 4486 (P,YA); Issandja (Ntui), 4.77°N, 11.77°E, 19 December 1969, Letouzey R. 9726 (P); Ngolep Mt, 4.95°N, 11.38°E, 27 April 1978, Ngameni B.K. 44 (P,YA); Près rivière Malo non loin de Ndikinimeki, 4.77°N, 10.83°E, 08 November 1983, Nkongmeneck B.A. 518 (P,YA); Mefou National Park, 3.61°N, 11.56°E, 27 March 2004, Onana J.M. 2870 (BR,G,K,YA); Ngoro (28 km NE Bafia Cameroun), 4.95°N, 11.38°E, 29 March 1963, Raynal A. 10569 (P,WAG,YA); Nkolbison (8 km W Yaoundé Cameroun), 3.88°N, 11.45°E, 10 February 1963, Raynal J. 9560 (P,YA). East Region: 7 km along road to Batouri and Bétaré Oya, 4.58°N, 13.68°E, 16 March 1961, Breteler F.J. 1220 (A,BR,K,M,P,SL,UC,WAG,YA); Bertoua, 4.58°N, 13.68°E, 13 August 1961, Breteler F.J. 1799 (BR,K,P,WAG,YA); Bertoua, 4.58°N, 13.68°E, 08 November 1960, Breteler F.J. 644 (BR,K,P,WAG,YA); Doumé, 4.23°N, 13.45°E, 12 November 1960, Breteler F.J. 684 (BR,K,M,P,WAG,YA); Piste Mpoundou-Seglendon marécages, 4.1°N, 13.05°E, 16 February 1960, Letouzey R. 3021 (P,YA); Près Goyoum, 5.22°N, 13.38°E, 01 February 1961, Letouzey R. 3350 (P,YA); 70 km route Bertoua-Ndemba I, 4.75°N, 13.43°E, 18 July 1955, Nana P. 171 (P,YA); Bertoua, 4.58°N, 13.68°E, 27 August 1955, Nana P. 240 (P); route Esseleke, 4.58°N, 13.68°E, 13 February 1956, Nana P. 474 (P); 8 km de Deng Deng, 5.23°N, 13.46°E, 10 February 2002, Sonké B. 2671 (BR,BRLU,K,WAG,YA). South Region: At Bissombo 59 km SE Akonolinga, 3.28°N, 12.47°E, 12 June 1981, Asonganyi J.N. 275 (YA); Biyi (Ambam), 3.02°N, 12.37°E, 12 February 1963, Raynal J. 9806 (P). South-West Region: Korup National Park, 5.33°N, 9.42°E, 18 September 1990, Harris D.J. 2516 (P,YA). West Region: Touladen en bas du versant oriental du Mbepit 15 km E Foumbot et 25 km SSW Foumban, 5.52°N, 10.78°E, 26 October 1974, Letouzey R. 13025 (P,WAG,YA).

Figures

Map 10. A Monodora myristica B Monodora tenuifolia C Monodora undulata D Monodora zenkeri E Neostenanthera myristicifolia F Neostenanthera neurosericea G Neostenanthera robsonii H Piptostigma calophyllum I Piptostigma fugax. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).

Figure 80. Neostenanthera myristicifolia A flowering branch B outer petal, inner view C inner petal, inner view D receptacle, all petals removed E stamen, front view, note septate anthers F carpel, side view and detail of single basal ovule G fruit H longitudinal section of seed A-H from Halle & Le Thomas 382. Drawings by Helene Lamourdedieu, Publications Scientifiques du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris; modified from Le Thomas (1969 b, pl. 35, p. 191).

Figure 81. Neostenanthera myristicifolia A leaf with young flower B base of leaf blade, upper view C flowering and fruiting branches D detail of mature flower E detail of flower, one outer and one inner petal removed, note blue stamens F fruit G detail of stipitate monocarp, showing longitudinal section of the single seed A Couvreur 422, Mefou, Cameroon B-G Couvreur 841, Gabon. Photos Thomas L. P. Couvreur.