Uvariodendron schmidtii Q.Luke, Dagallier & Couvreur, PhytoKeys 174: 116 (2021)

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

Uvariodendron schmidtii Q.Luke, Dagallier & Couvreur, PhytoKeys 174: 116 (2021)

Figs 44 , 45

Type.

Kenya - Coast • W.R.Q. Luke 3087 (holotype: EA! (EA000008814), isotypes: K!, MO, US) ; Kwale District , Shimba hills, Longo-Magandi; 4°14'S, 39°25'E; alt. 380 m; 20 Apr. 1992 .

Description.

Tree 10-12 m tall, D.B.H. unknown; young branches sparsely pubescent to glabrate, old branches glabrous; leaf bud ‘eragrostiform’, composed of 5-7, ca. 10 mm long, 10 mm wide, distichous, longitudinally folded, velutinous scales. Petiole 4.5-7 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide, sparsely puberulent to glabrate. Leaf lamina 159-188 mm long, 49-71 mm wide, length:width ratio 2.4-3.3, narrowly elliptic to elliptic, coriaceous, base acute to decurrent, apex attenuate to acuminate, acumen 16-20 mm long; surface above glabrous, surface below sparsely pubescent to glabrate when young, glabrous when old; midrib impressed above, raised below, glabrous above, pubescent to glabrous when young, glabrous when old below; secondary veins 10-14 pairs, brochidodromous to weakly brochidodromous, impressed above, raised below; tertiary veins reticulate. Inflorescences borne on trunk and branches, composed of 1-2 flowers. Flower pedicel 10-15 mm long, 2.5 mm in diameter, densely velutinous. Flowers bisexual, buds globose, subsessile to pedicellate, ca. 6 mm high, ca. 7 mm in diameter, pubescent. Bracts 1 to 2 between the lower 20-70% of the length of the pedicel, upper bract ca. 5 mm long, ca. 10 mm wide, depressed ovate, adpressed, semi-clasping the pedicel, velutinous outside, glabrous inside. Sepals 3, 5.5-7 mm long, 7-9 mm wide, fused at base for more than 50% of the length, forming a ring around the fruit pedicel, densely velutinous to velutinous outside, glabrous inside, brown outside, green inside. Outer petals 3, 11-12 mm long, 9-11 mm wide, length:width ratio 1.1-1.3, broadly obovate, velutinous to densely velutinous outside, glabrous inside, brown outside, cream with a bright reddish-pink streak at base inside. Inner petals 3, ca. 10 mm long, 8-9 mm wide, length:width ratio 1.1-1.3, broadly obovate, connivent at apex over ca. 50 % of the petal length, densely velutinous outside, glabrous inside, orangish-brown with cream margins and a bright reddish-pink streak at base outside, cream with a bright reddish-pink streak at base inside. Stamens 500 to 700, length and shape unknown. Carpels ca. 7, ca. 1.5 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide, velutinous, free; stigma coiled. Fruiting pedicel ca. 16 mm long, ca. 2.5 mm in diameter, pubescent. Monocarps 3 to 5, ca. 32 mm long, ca. 20 mm wide, length:width ratio ca. 1.6, rounded to ellipsoid, longitudinally ridged, sparsely pubescent, green turning orange; sessile, stipe ca. 0 mm long. Seeds unknown.

Distribution.

Endemic to Somalia-Masai Region. Only known from one locality in Kenya: the Shimba Hills.

Habitat and ecology.

Lowland rain forest. Soil: deep red. Altitude: 380-450 m a.s.l.

Phenology.

Flowers collected in September and October. Fruits collected in April.

Notes.

This species differs from other Uvariodendron species by its flowers that are small (petals <13 mm long), velutinous, on a 10-15 mm long pedicel, with fused sepals forming a ring around the fruit pedicel, and fewer than 10 carpels.

Preliminary conservation status.

Following IUCN criterion D, this species has been assigned a preliminary status of Vulnerable VU ( Dagallier et al. 2021).

Additional specimens examined.

Kenya - Coast • S.A. Robertson 7556 (EA, K, WAG); Kwale District, Shimba Hills NR, Longomandi forest ; 4°14'S, 39°25'E; alt. 450 m; 04 Jun. 2005 • W.R.Q. Luke 2919 (EA); Kwale District, Shimba hills, Longo-Magandi; 4°14'S, 39°25'E; alt. 390 m; 15 Oct. 1991 • W.R.Q. Luke 4717 (EA, P); Kwale District, Shimba hills, Longo-Magandi; 4°14'S, 39°25'E; alt. 380 m; 12 Sep. 1997 .

Figures

Figure 44. Uvariodendron schmidtii Q. Luke, Dagallier & Couvreur A branch with leaves, upper side B detail of branch apex, note the ' eragrostiform' buds C two-flowered inflorescence, side view, bottom flower has no petals, note the sepals fused in A cup-shaped calyx D flower, top view E loose monocarps, side view. A, B, E Luke 4717 C, D unknown material. Photos A, B, E Leo-Paul Dagallier C, D Quentin Luke.

Figure 45. Distribution map of Uvariodendron schmidtii. Shades of grey represent elevation, from white (sea level) to darker grey (higher elevation). The inset shows the extent of the map over Africa.