Piptostigma glabrescens Oliv., J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 8: 159, 1864

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 : 284-287

Piptostigma glabrescens Oliv., J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 8: 159, 1864

Figs 87 , 94 ; Map 11A

= Piptostigma preussii Engl. & Diels, Monogr. Afrik. Pflanzen.-Fam. 6: 54, 1901. Type. Cameroon. South-West Region, Barombi Station, Preuss P.R. 251, Apr 1890: holotype: B[B100154082]; isotype: K[K000105585].

= Piptostigma glabrescens Oliv. var. lanceolata Le Thomas, Fl. Gabon 16: 120, 1969. Type. Gabon. Ogooué-Ivindo, Bélinga, mines de fer, Hallé N. 4087, 12 Aug 1966: holotype: P[P00363300]; isotypes: P[P00323698, P00363299].

Type.

Equatorial Guinea. Rio Muni; Kongui River , Mann G. 1792, Aug.-Sep 1862: holotype: B[B100154078]; isotype: K[K000199000, K000199706]; P[P00363305] .

Description.

Tree, 8-10 m tall, d.b.h. 12-15 cm; stilt roots or buttresses absent. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate branches pubescent. Leaves: petiole 2-3 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, pubescent, cylindrical, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 12-30 cm long, 4-8.5 cm wide, obovate, apex acuminate, acumen 1.4-1.7 cm long, base obtuse to acute, papyraceous, below pubescent when young, glabrous when old, above glabrous when young and old, discolorous, whitish below; midrib impressed, above glabrous when young and old, below pubescent when young and old; secondary veins 19 to 27 pairs, glabrous above; tertiary venation percurrent. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences cauliflorous, peduncle like base 5-20 mm long, axial internodes 10-150 mm long, lax to panicle-like, sympodial rachis 20-70 mm long. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 10 to 28 per inflorescence; pedicel 11-13 mm long, 2 mm in diameter, pubescent; in fruit 16-20 mm long, 6 mm in diameter, densely pubescent; bracts 2, one basal and one upper towards the lower half of pedicel, basal bract 4-5 mm long, 3 mm wide; upper bract 2-5 mm long, 1-2 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, free, 4 mm long, 2 mm wide, triangular, apex acute, base truncate, brown, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; petals free, outer petals shorter than inner; outer petals 3, 5-6 mm long, 2 mm wide, ovate, apex acute, base truncate, red, margins flat, pubescent outside, glabrous inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 30-50 mm long, 5-10 mm wide, ovate, apex acute, base truncate, red, margins wavy, pubescent outside, sparsely pubescent inside; stamens 90 to 110, in 6 to 7 rows, ca. 1 mm long, broad; connective discoid, glabrous, red; staminodes absent; carpels free, 5 to 8, ovary ca. 1 mm long, stigma globose, pubescent. Monocarps sessile, ca. 8, 20-65 mm long, 9-21 mm in diameter, oblong to narrowly oblong, apex sometimes mucronate, glabrous or sometimes very sparsely pubescent, puncticulate (covered by small blister-like pimples or wards), irregularly and longitudinally ribbed, color unknown; seeds 1 to 7 per monocarp, ca. 15 mm long, ca. 10 mm in diameter, ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

From Cameroon to Gabon, one specimen from Republic of Congo; in Cameroon known from the South, Littoral and South-West regions.

Habitat.

A common species when present; in forests and plantations on black volcanic soils. Altitude 200-1000 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

nom otoungui (Dial. Boulou, Endengle, E. s.n.).

IUCN conservation status.

Near Threatened B2ab(iii) ( Cosiaux et al. 2019a h).

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Piptostigma glabrescens is morphologically similar to P. multinervium (also a common species in Cameroon). Piptostigma glabrescens however has glabrous older branches which are longitudinally striate (versus shortly or sparsely pubescent and non-striate), and monocarps which are puncticulate, and longitudinally ridged (versus muricate and not longitudinally ridged.

Specimens examined.

Littoral Region: Douala (route Razel), 4.05°N, 9.71°E, 01 January 1955, Endengle E. 2061 (P); Foret de Bakaka 3 km E of Eboné a village on km 11 Nkongsamba-Loum Road, 4.83°N, 9.9°E, 13 September 1971, Leeuwenberg A.J.M. 8354 (WAG,YA); Hikoa Mahouda (chaine de la L’Hikoa Mandeng- 30 km ENE Edea), 3.87°N, 10.39°E, 17 December 1973, Letouzey R. 12415 (K); Tissongo, 3.58°N, 9.9°E, 07 July 1976, McKey D.B. 103 (K). South Region : SE slopes of Mt elephant SE of Kribi, 2.78°N, 10.01°E, 26 February 1970, Bos J.J. 6415 (BR,C,K,LD,P,WAG,YA); ca 3 km N of Lolodorf road, 3.01°N, 10.05°E, 18 March 1970, Bos J.J. 6594 (BR,K,LD,LM,MO,P,WAG,YA); 15 km before Kribi on N7 road from Ed 3.14°N, 9.968°E, 27 February 2018, Couvreur T.L.P. 1158 (MPU,P,WAG,YA); Nkoemvone, 2.81°N, 11.13°E, 09 September 1975, de Wilde J.J.F.E 8453a (BR,K,MO,P,WAG); Près Bella (45 km NE de Kribi), 3.25°N, 10.2°E, 25 January 1962, Letouzey R. 4167 (P,YA); Bipindi, 3.08°N, 10.41°E, 01 January 1901, Zenker G.A. 2396 (B,BR,G,K,L,P,WAG); Bipindi, 3.08°N, 10.42°E, 01 January 1908, Zenker G.A. 3654 (BR,L,P); Bipindi, 3.08°N, 10.41°E, 01 January 1911, Zenker G.A. 4006 (K,P); Bipindi, 3.08°N, 10.41°E, 01 January 1912, Zenker G.A. 4472 (BR,L,P); Bipindi, 3.08°N, 10.41°E, 01 January 1914, Zenker G.A. 505 (B,G,P,WAG). South-West Region : mountain circular road S of Koto II and the Onge river, 4.32°N, 9.064°E, 21 October 1993, Cheek M. 5071 (K,YA); Korup National Park nature trail near suspension bridge, 4.98°N, 8.85°E, 01 February 1995, Cheek M. 7230 (K,YA); Pente septentrionale de Nta Ali (1266)m) descente de la cote 1009 à Mbio 30 km SE de Mamfe, 5.59°N, 9.503°E, 21 June 1975, Letouzey R. 13912 (P,YA); Barombi F R Station, 4.65°N, 9.4°E, 1890, Preuss P.R. 251 (K) .

Figures

Map 11. A Piptostigma glabrescens B Piptostigma goslineanum C Piptostigma longepilosum D Piptostigma macranthum E Piptostigma macrophyllum F Piptostigma mayndongtsaeanum G Piptostigma mortehanii H Piptostigma multinervium I Piptostigma oyemense. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).

Figure 87. Piptostigma glabrescens A leaves, upper side B leaves, lower side C cauliflorous inflorescence D fruits, top view E fruits, lower view, note verrucose monocarps. Piptostigma goslineanum F leaf, upper side G base of leaf blade, lower side H base of leaf blade, upper side I inflorescence J detail of stamens and few (7) carpels K fruit, note hairy smooth monocarps A-E Couvreur 1158, Kribi, Cameroon F-I Couvreur 983, Rumpi Mts, Cameroo; J Couvreur 1017, Mbayang Mbo, Cameroon. Photos Thomas L. P. Couvreur.

Figure 94. Piptostigma pilosum A leaf B inflorescence C flower D receptacle E stamens F carpel side view and detail of ovules. Piptostigma glabrescens G leaf H inflorescence I flower, side view J receptacle, petals and sepals removed A-F from Le Testu 8465 G-J from Letouzey 4167. Drawings by Helene Lamourdedieu, Publications Scientifiques du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris; modified from Le Thomas (1969 b, pl. 20, p. 119).