Monodora tenuifolia Benth., J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot. 5: 72, 1860

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 : 256-259

Monodora tenuifolia Benth., J. Proc. Linn. Soc., Bot. 5: 72, 1860

Figs 76 , 77 ; Map 10B

= Monodora cabrae De Wild., Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belgique 40: 64 1902. Type. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Tchoa, Cabra A.F.F. 2, Dec 1896: holotype: BR[BR0000008801722]; isotypes: BR[BR0000008802385; BR000000880205].

Type.

Nigeria. Lagos State; Eppah, Barter C. 3298, no date: holotype: K[K000199032] .

Description.

Tree, 10-20 m tall, d.b.h. up to 60 cm; stilt roots or buttresses absent. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate branches glabrous. Leaves: petiole 2-7 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, glabrous, grooved, blade inserted on the side of the petiole; blade 6-21 cm long, 2-7.5 cm wide, ovate to elliptic, apex acuminate, acumen 0.5-1 cm long, base cuneate, coriaceous to papyraceous, below glabrous when young and old, above glabrous when young and old, concolorous; midrib raised above, above glabrous when young and old, below glabrous when young and old; secondary veins 9 to 15 pairs, glabrous below; tertiary venation intermediate. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous on old leafless branches, leaf opposed or extra axillary. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 1 per inflorescence; pedicel 25-75 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, glabrous; in fruit 30-70 mm long, 3-4 mm in diameter, glabrous; bracts 1, upper only, towards the upper half of pedicel, 55-65 mm long, 10-30 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, free, 10-35 mm long, 4-16 mm wide, ovate, apex rounded to attenuate, base truncate, green with red-brown markings, pubescent towards margins outside, pubescent towards margins inside, margins wavy; petals basally fused, tube 2-3 mm long, inner and outer whorl differentiated, outer petals longer than inner; outer petals 3, 30-90 mm long, 25-30 mm wide, ovate, apex acute to rounded, base truncate, yellow-greenish, streaked with red-brown, base shading into bright white, margins wavy, glabrous outside, glabrous inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 10-35 mm long, 6-10 mm wide, cochleate, with two small oblong and pubescent lateral appendages around mid-height, apex acute to rounded, base narrowed into a claw 1 mm long, green to white streaked with red brown, margins flat, pubescent towards margins on both sides; receptacle convex to flat; stamens 286 to 337, in 10 to 13 rows, ca. 1 mm long, broad; connective discoid, pubescent, white; staminodes absent; carpels fused into a single structure, 2-3 mm long, stigma bilobed, glabrous. Fruit syncarpous, 45-75 mm long, 20-30 mm in diameter, globose, apex rounded, glabrous, covered with a greyish wax when young, faintly ribbed, green when ripe; seeds 12-17 mm long, 10-13 mm in diameter, ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

A widespread species across West and central Africa, from Guinee-Bissau to the Democratic Republic of the Congo; in Cameroon known from Central, East, Littoral, South or South-West regions.

Habitat.

A common species with a wide ecological amplitude, in evergreen primary and secondary rain forests, gallery forests, and disturbed and deciduous forests, sometimes in gallery forest (Benin), on sandy soils. Altitude 0-800 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

Orchid tree, African nutmeg (English) ( Burkill 1985).

IUCN conservation status.

Least Concern (LC) ( Cosiaux et al. 2019a b).

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Monodora tenuifolia is characterized by unique cochleate inner petals with two small oblong hairy appendages at the middle. The young fruits are covered by a greyish wax.

Specimens examined.

Central Region: Etwa 125 km NO Jaunde, 4.63°N, 12.3°E, 01 February 1914, Mildbraed G.W.J. 8301 (K). East Region : 60 km south of Yokadouma 30 km after Ngato 15 km after river ALPICAM 'base de vie’ then 40 km on forestry road starting 4 km before Masea village , 3.07°N, 14.65°E, 07 March 2019, Couvreur T.L.P. 1218 (MPU,WAG,YA); 69 km south of Yokadouma 30 km after Ngato 15 km after river ALPICAM 'base de vie’ then 40 km on forestry road starting 4 km before Masea village , 3.07°N, 14.64°E, 08 March 2019, Couvreur T.L.P. 1233 (MPU,WAG,YA); Somalomo , 3.33°N, 12.75°E, 17 March 2017, Kamdem N. 483 (YA). Littoral Region : Piste Sole-Koum 20 km NW de Yabassi, 4.52°N, 9.773°E, 14 March 1976, Letouzey R. 14426 (P,YA). South Region : ca 8 km W of Bipindi 59 km from Kribi near Madoungou , 3.06°N, 10.33°E, 16 February 1970, Bos J.J. 6365 (B,BR,L,L,M,MO,P,WAG,YA); N´Koemvone, 2.8°N, 11.13°E, 13 December 1974, de Wilde J.J.F.E 7836 (B,BR,K,MO,P,U,WAG,YA); Nkoemvone , 2.81°N, 11.13°E, 03 July 1975, de Wilde J.J.F.E 8399 (WAG); Pres Mekomo (8 km SW confluent Dja & Lobo), 3.21°N, 12.36°E, 19 March 1962, Letouzey R. 4578 (P,WAG,YA); Bipindi , 3.08°N, 10.42°E, 1899, Zenker G.A. 1938 (A,B,BM,BR,G,K,L,P,S,WAG); Bipindi , 3.08°N, 10.42°E, 01 January 1900, Zenker G.A. 2251 (A,B,BM,G,K,L,P,S,WAG); Bipindi , 3.08°N, 10.42°E, 01 January 1904, Zenker G.A. 2727 (BM,BR,K,L,M,P,S,WAG); Bipindi , 3.08°N, 10.41°E, 01 January 1908, Zenker G.A. 3793 (G,K); Bipindi , 3.08°N, 10.41°E, 01 January 1912, Zenker G.A. 4317 (B,BM,BR,G,K,L,MO,P,S). South-West Region : between 200-600 m alt above Bakingili, 4.08°N, 9.05°E, 21 December 1993, Cheek M. 5840 (K,YA); West of Kola , 4.83°N, 9.733°E, 27 October 1998, Cheek M. 9399 (K,WAG,YA); Bayang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary after Mbu river , 5.35°N, 9.503°E, 26 March 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 1019 (WAG,YA); A 11 km au Sud Est de Molobo (village situé à 50 km au Sud de Batouri), 4.02°N, 14.32°E, 21 July 1963, Letouzey R. 5459 (P,YA); Ambas Bay (Victoria NDLR), 4.01°N, 9.226°E, 1861, Mann G. 111 (K); Around Masaka-Batanga, 5.1°N, 9.17°E, 24 March 1988, Thomas D.W. 7750 (P,YA) .

Figures

Map 10. A Monodora myristica B Monodora tenuifolia C Monodora undulata D Monodora zenkeri E Neostenanthera myristicifolia F Neostenanthera neurosericea G Neostenanthera robsonii H Piptostigma calophyllum I Piptostigma fugax. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).

Figure 76. Monodora myristica A habit B Leaf, upper view C base of leaf blade, lower side, note pale greyish-green color D base of leaf blade, uppper side E flower, note long pedicel and undulate bract inserted in the middle of the pedicel F detail of flower, inner petal folded, showing petals fused at base and strongly convex receptacle G fruit. Monodora tenuifolia H leaf, upper view I base of leaf blade, upper view J flower K detail of inner petal, note small hairy lobe A Couvreur 514, Mt Etinde, Cameroon B-D Couvreur 1050, Mt Cameroon, Cameroon E, F Couvreur 608, Oveng, Cameroon G Couvreur 445, Ottotomo, Cameroon H, I Couvreur 1218, Masea, Cameroon J, K Couvreur 1019, Mbayang Mbo, Cameroon. Photos Thomas L. P. Couvreur.

Figure 77. Monodora tenuifolia A flowering branch B opened flower C sepal D inner petal E androecium and stigma F stamen G sectioned fruit, and seeds showing rumination A-G from Chevalier 18342. Drawings by Helene Lamourdedieu, Publications Scientifiques du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris; modified from Le Thomas (1969 a, pl. 62, p. 341).