Mischogyne gabonensis (Pellegr. ex Le Thomas) Gosline, Kew Bull. 74(2)-28: 13, 2019

Fig. 45; Map 6C

≡ Mischogyne elliotiana (Engl. & Diels) Le Thomas var. gabonensis Pellegr. ex Le Thomas, Flore du Gabon 16: 291, 1969.

Type.

Gabon. Nyanga; Mayumba, Le Testu G.M.P.C. 1768, 26 Aug 1914: lectotype, designated by Gosline et al. (2018), p. 28 [P00315820]; isolectotypes BM[BM000547338]; BR[BR0000008801661, BR0000008802330]; LISC[LISC000379]; P[P00315817, P00315818]; WAG[WAG0175098, WAG0175099, WAG0247284, WAG0247285, WAG0247286] .

Description.

Tree, 3-25 m tall, d.b.h. up to 25 cm; stilt roots or buttresses absent. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate branches shortly pubescent. Leaves: petiole 5-10 mm long, ca. 2 mm in diameter, sparsely pubescent to glabrous, cylindrical, blade inserted on the side of the petiole; blade 8-16 cm long, 4-7 cm wide, obovate, apex acuminate, acumen 1-3 cm long, base cuneate, papyraceous to subcoriaceous, below glabrous when young and old, above glabrous when young and old, concolorous; midrib impressed, above glabrous when young and old, below glabrous when young and old; secondary veins 6 to 9 pairs, glabrous above; tertiary venation reticulate. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous on old or young foliate branches, extra-axillary. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 1 per inflorescence; pedicel 5-12 mm long, 0.5-1 mm in diameter, pubescent; in fruit 7-15 mm long, 2-3 mm in diameter, glabrous; bracts few, reduced to a tuff of hairs, all basal; sepals, valvate, completely fused in bud, tearing at anthesis into 2 or 3 parts, 7-13 mm long, 3-5 mm wide, triangular, apex acute, base truncate, green, tomentose on both sides, margins flat; petals free, equal; outer petals 3, valvate, 14-16 mm long, 3-5 mm wide, narrowly elliptic, apex acute, base truncate, bright white, margins flat, densely pubescent outside, tomentose inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 14-16 mm long, 3-5 mm wide, narrowly elliptic, apex acute, base truncate, bright white, margins flat, densely pubescent outside, tomentose inside; stamens 50 to 60, in 3 to 4 rows, 1-3 mm long, elongated; connective tongue shaped, pubescent, cream; staminodes absent; carpels free, 3-7, ovary 5-6 mm long, stigma bilobed, densely pubescent. Monocarps sessile, 1 to 3, 60-65 mm long, 28-32 mm in diameter, cylindrical, apex rounded, glabrous, smooth, 1-ribbed, yellow when ripe; seeds 6 per monocarp, ca. 20 mm long, ca. 15 mm in diameter, ellipsoid, covered with an indumentum of fine white hairs; aril absent.

Distribution.

Cameroon, Gabon and Bioko island (Equatorial Guinea); in Cameroon known from the South and South-West regions.

Habitat.

A rare species in Cameroon (or at least uncommonly collected); in lowland primary or old secondary rain forests. Altitude 0-500 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

None recorded.

IUCN conservation status.

Endangered (EN) (Texier and Stévart 2021a).

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Mischogyne gabonensis is morphologically similar to the West African endemic M. elliotiana (of which it was formerly regarded as a variety) in the shape and size of its flowers and monocarps (Gosline et al. 2018). However, M. gabonensis is a large tree up to 25 m tall and 25 cm in d.b.h. with sepals completely fused and tearing at anthesis and has 3-7 carpels, whereas M. elliotiana is a smaller tree or shrub 3-10 m tall, with 3 sepals that are free with reduplicate-valvate margins, and 7-12 carpels.

Specimens examined.

South Region: Environs de Nko'olong 30 km E Campo, 2.40°N, 10.03°E, 21 November 1992, Satabié B. 978 (YA) . South-West Region: Mount Cameroon National Park Bakinguili trail above Bakinguili village, 4.09°N, 9.054°E, 02 April 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 1033 (WAG,YA); Fako Njonji Njonji along path to the lake Low canal forest, 4.15°N, 9.066°E, 26 September 2001, Kenfack D. 1545 (MO) .