Uvariopsis submontana Kenfack, Gosline & Gereau, Novon 13(4): 444, 2003

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 : 434-437

Uvariopsis submontana Kenfack, Gosline & Gereau, Novon 13(4): 444, 2003

Figs 138 , 139 ; Map 16I

Type.

Cameroon. South-West Region; Rumpi Hills, Kenfack D. 1334, 6 Feb 2000: holotype: YA; isotypes: K[000683145]; MO; SCA .

Description.

Tree, 8-25 m tall, d.b.h. up to 30 cm; stilt roots or buttresses absent. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate branches glabrous to pubescent. Leaves: petiole 3-8 mm long, 3-5 mm in diameter, glabrous to sparsely pubescent, grooved, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 16-38 cm long, 5-11 cm wide, oblong to obovate, apex attenuate to acuminate, acumen 2-3 cm long, base rounded to subcordate, papyraceous to subcoriaceous, below glabrous when young and old, above glabrous when young and old; midrib sunken or flat, above glabrous when young and old, below sparsely pubescent when young, glabrous when old; secondary veins 9 to 18 pairs per side, glabrous above; tertiary venation reticulate. Individuals unisexual, monoecious; inflorescences cauliflorous, with hundreds (up to 500) of flowers packed at the base and then more sparsely distributed up to 6 m. Flowers unisexual, monoecious, with 6 perianth parts in 2 whorls, conical to pyramidal in bud, 6 to 50 per inflorescence, male and female inflorescences dimorphic; male pedicel: 25-50 mm, ca. 1 mm in diameter, pubescent; female pedicel: 30-60 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, pubescent; in fruit 25-90 mm long, 3-7 mm in diameter, glabrous; bracts 2 to 4, all basal, ca. 1 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide; male sepals 2, connate, splitting at maturity, 5-10 mm long, 6-12 mm wide, triangular, apex acute, base truncate, brown-red, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; female sepals 2, connate, splitting at maturity, 6-8 mm long, 6-9 mm wide, broadly ovate, apex acute, base truncate, brown-red, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; male petals, 4, basally fused, tube 4-9 mm long, 8-18 mm long, 5-8 mm wide, elliptic to narrowly elliptic, apex acute, base truncate, wine red, margins flat, tomentose outside, pubescent inside; female petals, 4, basally fused, tube 3-4 mm long, 15-17 mm long, 5-7 mm wide, elliptic to narrowly elliptic, apex acute, base truncate, wine red, margins flat, tomentose outside, pubescent inside; male flowers: stamens 700 to 1000, in 25 to 30 rows, 0.5-1 mm long, oblong; connective reduced or absent, glabrous, cream; staminodes absent; female flowers: carpels free, 60 to 100, ovary 15-24 mm long, stigma globose, pubescent. Monocarps shortly stipitate, stipes ca. 1 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter; monocarps 9 to 25, 17-80 mm long, 13-55 mm in diameter, ovoid to oblong, apex apiculate, sparsely pubescent to glabrous, smooth, slightly constricted over seeds in dried material, pale green turning dark yellow at maturity; seeds 6 to 12 per monocarp, 18-25 mm long, 8-13 mm in diameter, ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

endemic to Cameroon, known from the South, Littoral and South West regions.

Habitat.

A species restricted to submontane primary or old secondary rain forests. Altitude: [phone] m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

None recorded.

IUCN conservation status.

Endangered (EN) ( Cheek 2014d).

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Uvariopsis submontana is distinguished by the combination of conical flower buds and basally fused 4 petals, and the trunk base completely covered with hunders of flowers. It is very close to U. korupensis , but differs by its smaller leaves, longer sepals, and submontane habitat ( U. korupensis being found in the lowlands, generally below 700 m).

Specimens examined.

Littoral Region: Ebo Wildlife Reserve Djuma permanent camp On east trail, 4.36°N, 10.25°E, 15 February 2013, Couvreur T.L.P. 627 (WAG,YA); Ebo Bekob abandoned village CRES research station, 4.37°N, 10.41°E, 22 April 2005, Etuge M. 6482 (K); Nkam Yingui Bataba, 4.53°N, 10.24°E, 20 February 2002, Kenfack D. 1602 (MO). South Region : Campo Ma'an National Park 11 km on trail from Ebinanemeyong village on road 7 km from Nyabessan to Campo town , 2.49°N, 10.34°E, 12 February 2015, Couvreur T.L.P. 682 (WAG,YA). South-West Region : Nyasoso, 4.81°N, 9.7°E, 08 February 1995, Cable S. 1221 (K,MO,WAG,YA); Kupe village , 4.78°N, 9.716°E, 30 May 1996, Cable S. 2736 (K,WAG,YA); Esense river near farm of Philip Taza, 4.76°N, 9.683°E, 19 January 1995, Cheek M. 7034 (K,WAG,YA); Kupe village , 4.76°N, 9.683°E, 24 January 1995, Cheek M. 7131 (K,WAG); Nyasoso village on max’s trail to Mt 4.82°N, 9.692°E, 05 April 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 1059 (WAG,YA); Rumpi mountains forest trail ca 5 km after Dikome Balue village ca 40 km north of Kumba , 4.93°N, 9.241°E, 10 January 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 965 (WAG,YA); Below Kupe rock near Esense river , 4.78°N, 9.683°E, 23 January 1995, Elad M. 69 (K,YA); South of Nyasoso (end of village) Trail at the end of the village left hand side Nyasoso-Mbulle road, 4.81°N, 9.683°E, 03 July 1996, Etuge M. 2562 (K,YA); Rumpi Hills, 4.95°N, 9.033°E, 06 February 2000, Kenfack D. 1334 (K,MO,YA); Forest trail 2 km south from Etube-Tape village, 4.85°N, 9.7°E, 01 February 1995, Lane P. 490 (K,WAG,YA); Nyasoso, 4.82°N, 9.666°E, 23 October 1995, Sebsebe D. 5035 (K,YA); 7 km WNW of Bomana 34 km NW of Limbé, 4.27°N, 9.112°E, 15 December 1984, Villiers J.-F. 2490 (P,YA) .

Figures

Map 16. A Uvariopsis conge nsis B Uvariopsis dicaprio C Uvariopsis dioica D Uvariopsis etugeana E Uvariopsis korupensis F Uvariopsis pedunculosa G Uvariopsis sessiliflora H Uvariopsis solheidii I Uvariopsis submontana. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).

Figure 138. Uvariopsis submontana A branch with leaves B female flower in bud C male flower and male flower bud D male flower, one petal removed E inner surface of sepal F outer surface of sepal G female receptacle, all petals removed H detail of a single carpel, lateral view I fruit J longitudinal section of a single monocarp K transverse section of a single monocarp A-H from Kenfack 1334 I-K from Kenfack 1373. Drawings David Kenfack. Reproduced with permission from Kenfack et al. (2003, page 445).

Figure 139. Uvariopsis submontana A base of trunk, note base completely covered with large clusters of flowers B leaf, upper side C base of leaf blade, lower side D base of leaf blade, upper side E cluster of female flowers, note light yellow carpels F detail of male flower, one petal removed G detail of female flower, one petal removed H fruit. Uvariopsis zenkeri I leaf, upper side J base of leaf blade, upper side K base of leaf blade, lower side L flower in bud, note small dimension A-G Couvreur 627, Ebo, Cameroon H Couvreur 1052, Mt Cameroon, Cameroon I-L Couvreur 1027, Mt Cameroon, Cameroon. Photos Thomas L. P. Couvreur.