Xylopia katangensis De Wild., Ann. Mus. Congo Belge, Bot. Ser . 4, Bot. 1(2): 32-33, 1902

Map 18A

Type.

Democratic Republic of the Congo. Katanga; Lukafu, Verdick E. 503, May 1900: holotype: BR[BR0000024941556] .

Description.

Tree, up to 13 m tall, d.b.h. 60 cm; buttresses present. Old branches glabrous, young branches sparsely pubescent, the hairs ca. 0.2 mm long. Leaves: petiole 4-9 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide, glabrous, slightly grooved, blade inserted on the side of the petiole; blade 7.1-9.4 cm long, 2.4-3.3 cm wide, lanceolate to lanceolate-elliptic, apex acuminate to acute, acumen 0.4-1.1 cm long, base cuneate, subcoriaceous, below glabrous, rarely sparsely pubescent when young, glabrous when old, above glabrous when young and old, slightly discolorous; midrib slightly raised or flat, above glabrous when young and old, below glabrous when young, glabrous when old; secondary veins 10 to 15 pairs, glabrous above; tertiary venation reticulate. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous on young foliate or old leafless branches, axillary, peduncle 1-3.5 mm long. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 1 to 12 per inflorescence; pedicel 6-9 mm long, 0.5-1 mm in diameter, pubescent to sparsely pubescent; in fruit 8-14 mm long, 2-3 mm in diameter, glabrous; bracts 2 to 4, several basal and one upper towards the upper half of pedicel, bract 1-2 mm long, 1-2 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, basally fused, 1-2 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, triangular to ovate, apex acute to obtuse, base truncate, pubescent outside, glabrous inside; petals free, subequal; outer petals 3, 19-37 mm long, 2.7-3.2 mm wide at base, linear, apex obtuse, base broad and concave, yellow-green and red at the base, sparsely pubescent outside, pubescent inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 11.4-29 mm long, 2.3-2.9 mm wide at base, linear and rigid, apex acute, base broad and concave, yellow-green and red at the base, pubescent outside, pubescent, base glabrous inside; stamens ca. 90, in 6 to 7 rows, 1 mm long, oblong; connective apex shield-like, glabrous; carpels 3 to 4, ovary 1 mm long, stigmas loosely connivent with tips free, linear, 2.5-4.4 mm long, glabrous. Monocarps stipitate, stipe ca. 4 mm long, 3-4 mm in diameter; monocarps 2 to 4, 19-34 mm long, 12-15 mm wide, oblongoid, apex obtuse, glabrous, weakly torulose, verrucose and longitudinally wrinkled when dried, green outside, endocarp red; seeds 1 to 5 per monocarp, in a single or two irregular rows, 9-11 mm long, 7-8 mm wide, ellipsoid; sarcotesta gray or light green in vivo; aril absent.

Distribution.

From north-central Nigeria to southern Democratic Republic of the Congo and south to northeastern Zambia; in Cameroon known from a single collection in the Central region.

Habitat.

A very rare species in Cameroon, not re-collected since 1962; in riparian inundated habitats and swamp forests (the collection from Cameroon was made along the Nyong). Altitude 470 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

None recorded.

IUCN conservation status.

Least Concern (LC) (Harvey-Brown 2019k).

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

In its exceedingly narrow petals and long stigmas Xylopia katangensis is most similar to X. longipetala, but has proportionately longer petioles, more flowers per inflorescence, and petals that are more rigid and narrower at the base.

Specimen examined.

Central Region: Près de Mbeuga (entre Ayos et Akonolinga), 3.9°N, 12.52°E, 08 March 1962, Letouzey R. 4498 (P,YA).