Uvariopsis pedunculosa (Diels) Robyns & Ghesq., Ann. Soc. Sci. Bruxelles, Ser. B liii. 321 (1933)

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 pedunculosa (Diels) Robyns & Ghesq., Ann. Soc. Sci. Bruxelles, Ser. B liii. 321 (1933)

Figs 77 , 78 , 80P-S

≡ Tetrastemma pedunculosum Diels, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 53(3-5): 441 (1915). Type. Cameroon - South Region • G.A. Zenker 3868 (holotype: B! (B 10 0153122); isotypes: BM! (BM000554078), BR! (BR0000008824196, BR0000008824226), E! (E00718574), HBG! (HBG502486), K! (K000199041), M! (M0107937), P! (P00362601, P00362599), US! (US00098850)), Bipinde, Urwaldgebiet; 3°05'N, 10°25'E; 1909.

= Uvariopsis vanderystii Robyns & Ghesq., Ann. Soc. Sci. Bruxelles, Ser. B liii. 64 (1933). Type. Democratic Republic of the Congo - Bandundu • H.J.R. Vanderyst 9973 (holotype: BR! (BR0000008824387)), Kikwit; 5°02'S, 18°49'E; 1921.

Description.

Shrub to tree 2-8 m tall, D.B.H 1.5-6.5 cm; young branches pubescent to glabrous, old branches glabrous. Petiole 2-5 mm long, 1.8-3 mm wide, glabrous. Leaf lamina 172-290 mm long, 57-108 mm wide, length:width ratio 2.3-3.9, elliptic to obovate, coriaceous, base acute, apex acuminate, acumen 3-23 mm long, surface above glabrous, surface below glabrous; midrib impressed above, raised below, glabrous above, glabrous below; secondary veins 8-15 pairs, brochidodromous to weakly brochidodromous, impressed above, raised below; tertiary veins reticulate. Flowers unisexual, male and female flowers dimorphic, on same individuals (plant monoecious). Flower buds globose. Male inflorescences borne on trunk, composed of 1 flower. Peduncle inconspicuous. Flower pedicel 14-320 mm long, 0.9-3 mm in diameter, sparsely pubescent to glabrous. Bracts 1 at base and 1 towards the middle or lower half of the pedicel, upper bract ca. 2 mm long, ca. 2 mm wide, broadly ovate, adpressed, semi clasping the pedicel. Sepals 2, 2-7 mm long, 6-7.5 mm wide, very broadly ovate, basally fused, enclosing the petals in bud, sparsely pubescent outside, glabrous inside, dark purplish red. Petals 4, 9-12 mm long, 5-7 mm wide, length:width ratio 1.3-2.2, broadly elliptic to elliptic, fused at base over 20-40 % of their length, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, cream outside, orangish to reddish brown inside. Stamens 650 to 900, 0.5-1 mm long, 0.1-0.3 mm wide, anthers linear, connective prolongation truncate or absent. Female inflorescences borne on trunk, composed of 1 flower. Flower pedicel 80-325 mm long, 1-3 mm in diameter, sparsely pubescent. Bracts 1 at base and 1 towards the middle or lower half of the pedicel, upper bract ca. 2 mm long, ca. 2 mm wide, broadly ovate, adpressed, semi clasping the pedicel. Sepals 2, 6-18 mm long, 9-12 mm wide, very broadly ovate, basally fused, enclosing the petals in bud, sparsely pubescent outside, glabrous inside, dark purplish red. Petals 4, 8-14 mm long, 6-10 mm wide, length:width ratio 1.3-2.2, broadly elliptic to elliptic, fused at base over 20-40 % of their length, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, cream outside, orangish to reddish brown inside. Carpels 50 to 140, 2-4 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide, pubescent, free; stigma 0.2-0.5 mm long, 0.2-0.5 mm wide, globose. Fruiting pedicel 129-197 mm long, 2-2.2 mm in diameter, pubescent to glabrous. Monocarps, 4-9, 10-17 mm long, 7-11 mm wide, length:width ratio 1.3-1.6 (measures taken from unripe fruits), cylindrical, very verrucose, pubescent, blackish brown, sessile.

Distribution.

Endemic to Lower Guinean Domain of the Guineo-Congolian Region: Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon.

Habitat and ecology.

Lowland to submontane mature or secondary rain forests. Altitude: 200-1100 m asl.

Phenology.

Flowers collected in from February to June and from October to December. Fruits collected in from April to June and in November and December.

Notes.

Uvariopsis pedunculosa resembles Up. dioica , Up. guineensis and Up. solheidii in having elliptic to obovate leaves, with acute base and acuminate apex. It has female flower pedicels 80-325 mm long, which is longer than in all Uvariopsis species, except in Up. congolana (200-400 mm long) and Up. solheidii (up to 198 mm long). It differs from Up. congolana in having 4 petals (vs. 3 petals) and verrucose monocarps (vs. longitudinally ridged monocarps). It differs from Up. solheidii in having broadly elliptic to elliptic petals, fused at base over 20-40% of their length (vs. ovate to narrowly ovate and free petals). In the Revision of the Flora of West Tropical Africa, Keay ( Keay 1952) synonymised the name Uvariopsis pedunculosa (Diels) Robyns & Ghesq. with Up. dioica (Diels) Robyns & Ghesq. Based on the examination of many herbarium specimens (including the type specimen), we found that the specimens previously identified under the name Up. pedunculosa were morphologically very different from Up. dioica . Indeed, Up. dioica has free petals whereas Up. pedunculosa has basally fused petals. Rather, Up. pedunculosa is morphologically similar to specimens identified as Up. vanderystii Robyns & Ghesq. Thus, in the Annonaceae Flora of Cameroon ( Couvreur et al. 2022), we synonymized Uvariopsis vanderystii Robyns & Ghesq. with Uvariopsis pedunculosa (Diels) Robyns & Ghesq. Phylogenetically, our results show that the holotype of Up. pedunculosa (Zenker 3868) did not cluster with Up. dioica , but with the specimens previously identified as Up. vanderystii (e.g. Couvreur 602) (Fig. 1 , Suppl. materials 1, 2) confirming the synonymisation of the name Up. vanderystii with Up. pedunculosa .

Preliminary conservation status.

This species has already been assessed (as Uvariopsis vanderystii ) as Vulnerable VU under criteria B2ab(iii), mainly because of continuing decline in AOO due to the threat of agricultural expansion ( Cheek 2014c). Here, the EOO of Uvariopsis pedunculosa is estimated at 463,493 km2 and its AOO is estimated at 96 km2. It occurs in more than 20 locations. Based on AOO, it would qualify for Endangered EN B2b(iii), but do not meet any other subcriteria (a or c). Given the threat mentioned above, we assign a preliminary conservation status of Near Threatened NT.

Additional specimens examined.

Cameroon - Littoral • T.L.P. Couvreur 1173 (K, MPU, P, WAG, YA), Mapubi, 30 km before Edea on Yaoundé-Edea road. On forestry road, 5 km direction to Sanaga river ; 3°50'44.56'N, 10°23'21.98'E; alt. 219 m; 28 Feb. 2018 - South Region • G.P. Tchouto Mbatchou 3242 (KRIBI, SCA, WAG), Campo-Ma'an area, Massif des Mamelles, along the path to Mamelles highlands; 2°33'57'N, 9°56'58'E; alt. 280 m; 23 Apr. 2001 • G.P. Tchouto Mbatchou ELEX15 (WAG), Campo Ma'an area, Mont d' Elephant , Bidou area towards Hevecam , path to the summit; 2°47'52'N, 10°01'12'E; alt. 180 m; 16 Oct. 2001 • G.P. Tchouto Mbatchou ONOX182 (WAG), Campo Ma'an area, Onoyong , between plots ONO1 and 10; 2°31'39'N, 10°41'49'E; alt. 360 m; 18 Mar. 2001 • G.P. Tchouto Mbatchou ONOX274 (WAG), Campo Ma'an area, Onoyong , between plots ONO1 and 10; 2°31'39'N, 10°41'49'E; alt. 360 m; 18 Mar. 2001 - South-West Region • D.W. Thomas 2756 (K, MO), on the southern slope of Mount Cameroon, above Batoke; 4°05'N, 9°06'E; alt. 500 m; 29 Dec. 1983 • D.W. Thomas 7364 (P), Takamanda Forest Reserve ; 6°13'N, 9°26'E; alt. 500 m; 30 Apr. 1987 • G.K. Gottsberger 170307/11 (ULM, WAG), c. 2 km from Banyang Mbo Research Station ; 5°08'N, 9°30'E; 17 Mar. 2007 • G.W.J. Mildbraed 10745 (B, K), Likomba - Pflanzung , 15-35 km NE von Victoria; 4°06'N, 9°20'E; alt. 50 m; 03 Dec. 1928 • J.F. Villiers 1427 (P), Massif Ntali , crète sommitale, 30 km SE Mamfé; 5°33'53.69'N, 9°29'26.07'E; alt. 1100 m; 14 Jun. 1982 • R.G. Letouzey 13849 (MO, P), Crète de Nta Ali, entre cotes 1009 et 1202; 30 km SE Mamfe (feuille IGN 1/200.000 Mamfe ); 5°33'39.99'N, 9°30'09.81'E; alt. 1266 m; 19 Jun. 1975 • T.L.P. Couvreur 1063 (MPU, WAG, YA), on forest trail, north of Ngomboku village ; 4°54'48.49'N, 9°43'28.73'E; alt. 793 m; 06 Apr. 2016 • T.L.P. Couvreur 1066 (MPU, WAG, YA), on forest trail, north of Ngomboku village ; 4°54'38.74'N, 9°43'48.18'E; alt. 815 m; 06 Apr. 2016 • T.L.P. Couvreur 517 (MPU, YA); Fako, on trail trough palm oil plantation, 3 km before lava flow and Seme Beach hotel when coming from Limbe; 4°04'28.6'N, 9°05'06.64'E; alt. 479 m; 18 Oct. 2013 - Unknown major area • W.G. Gosline 244 (K, MO, P, WAG, YA), Kupe-Muanenguba Division, Ajang saprophyte plot; 4°46'N, 9°41'E; alt. 950 m; 01 Dec. 1999 . Equatorial Guinea - Centro Sur • B. Senterre 2989 (BRLU), SO du Parc National de Monte Alén, 2 km au NE du site de traversée du rio Uolo pour aller aux cataractas; 1°36'33.62'N, 10°05'32.96'E; alt. 750 m; 23 Jun. 2002 . Gabon - Estuaire • T.L.P. Couvreur 602 (MPU, YA), Crystal Mountains, on trail behind the dam at Tchimbélé; 0°37'02.43'N, 10°24'41.26'E; alt. 617 m; 16 Nov. 2013 • T.L.P. Couvreur 607 (MPU, YA), Crystal Mountains , on trail befind tunnel leading under dam; 0°36'47.64'N, 10°24'10.96'E; alt. 492 m; 16 Nov. 2013 - Nyanga • J.L.C.H. van Valkenburg 2940 (BR, LBV, WAG), Moukalaba Doudou, national park, south of the road to Kachimba ; 2°41'36'S, 10°27'06'E; alt. 500 m; 22 Feb. 2004 - Ogooué-Ivindo • E. Bidault 2300 (BR, BRLU, LBV, MO, MO, P, WAG), concession forestière Rougier-Ivindo ; 0°06'23.9'N, 12°21'06.3'E; alt. 380 m; 29 Oct. 2015 • M.S.M. Sosef 2241 (BR, K, LBV, MO, WAG), c. 30 km down the Ivindo River from the IRET Research Station , SW of Makokou; 0°21'30'N, 12°38'42'E; alt. 350 m; 07 Nov. 2005 - Ogooué-Lolo • G.M.P.C. Le Testu 8525 (P), region de Lastoursville, Lastoursville ; 0°50'N, 12°42'E; 18 Nov. 1930 - Woleu-Ntem • J.M. Reitsma 2554 (LBV, MO, WAG), Inventory Oveng ; primary rain forest, ca 25 km WSW of Mintsic; 0°44'N, 11°22'E; 08 Nov. 1986 • J.M. Reitsma 891 (LBV, MO, WAG), chantier Rougier-Océan, Oveng ; 0°40'N, 11°22'E; alt. 760 m; 08 May. 1985 • T.L.P. Couvreur 594 (MPU, YA), 40 km from Sam, on raod main road to Medouneu ; 0°42'14.82'N, 10°20'53.39'E; alt. 589 m; 14 Nov. 2013 • T.L.P. Couvreur 878 (LBV, WAG, YA), on road from Mitzic to Lalara (N2), just after the bridge over the Lara , c. 500 m in forest; 0°36'15.66'N, 11°29'12'E; alt. 574 m; 15 Nov. 2015 • T.L.P. Couvreur 885 (LBV, WAG, YA), c. 15 km south of Mitzic (N2), in Foreex logging conssession, 5 km after the bridge after the main base camp ( Saint Germain , c. 25 km from road N2), on abandoned logging road left to the main road; 0°41'51.34'N, 11°40'50.29'E; alt. 531 m; 16 Nov. 2015 .

Figures

Figure 1. Phylogenetic trees of the Monodoreae inferred with ASTRAL, based on 334 nuclear genes trees. The branch support is given as local posterior probability (LPP) in three shades of greys. For the details on the specimens see Suppl. material 3. Insets: flowers of A Ophrypetalum odoratum (Couvreur 82) B Sanrafaelia ruffonammari (Dagallier 31) C Asteranthe asterias (Dagallier 10) D Hexalobus crispiflorus (no specimen associated) E Uvariastrum zenkeri (no specimen associated) F Isolona hexaloba (no specimen associated) G I. cauliflora (Dagallier 44) H Monodora grandidieri (Dagallier 26) I M. myristica (living specimen at NY conservatory) J M. tenuifolia (Couvreur 1019) K Mischogyne elliotana (no specimen associated) L Uvariodendron gorgonis (Dagallier 38) M Ud. molundense (Bidault 2222) N Ud. connivens (Couvreur 1016) O Ud. var. fuscum (Couvreur 990) P Uvariopsis congensis (Lachenaud 1384) Q Up. lovettiana (Couvreur 97 b) R Up. bakeriana (Couvreur 1000) S Up. submontana (Couvreur 627) T Up. pedunculosa (Couvreur 878). Photos CC BY-NC 4.0 A, D-F, J, N, O, Q-T Thomas Couvreur B, C, G-I, L Leo-Paul Dagallier K Carel Jongkind M Ehoarn Bidault P Olivier Lachenaud.

Figure 77. Uvariopsis pedunculosa (Diels) Robyns & Ghesq A base of trunk with flower B leaf, lower side C base of leaf, upper side D base of leaf, lower side E male flower, top view F female flower, top view G inflorescence H flower, side view I fruit, top view. A, C, D, F, H Couvreur 594 B, G Bidault 2300 E Couvreur 878 I Couvreur 885. Photos A, C-F, H, I Thomas Couvreur B, G Ehoarn Bidault (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).

Figure 78. Distribution map of Uvariopsis pedunculosa. Shades of grey represent elevation, from white (sea level) to darker grey (higher elevation). The inset shows the extent of the map over Africa.

Figure 80. Uvariopsis solheidii (De Wild.) Robyns & Ghesq. - var. solheidii A male inflorescence B female flower, one petal removed, side view C petal of female flower, inner view D carpel, side and front views, detail of ovules E male flower, one petal removed, side view F petal of male flower, inner view G stamen, front and side views - var. Uvariodendron fuscum letestui (Pellegr.) Dagallier & Couvreur H flower bud I petal of female flower, inner view J female flower, all four petals removed, side view K carpel, front view and detail of ovules L male flower, one petal removed, side view M stamen, front view N fruit O longitudinal section of A monocarp Uvariopsis pedunculosa (Diels) Robyns & Ghesq P female inflorescence Q female flower, one petal removed, side view R petal of female flower, inner view S carpel, side view and detail of ovules. A from Tisserant 2422 B-G from Tisserant 804 H-M from Halle 3060 N, O from Halle 2975 P-S from Le Testu 8525. Drawings by Helene Lamourdedieu, from Le Thomas (1969; pl. 54, p. 299), Publications Scientifiques du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris.