Uvaria chamae P.Beauv., Fl. Oware 2: 43, 1816

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 : 348-349

Uvaria chamae P.Beauv., Fl. Oware 2: 43, 1816

Map 13G

≡ Uva chamae (P.Beauv.) Kuntze, Deutsche Bot. Monatsschr. 21: 173, 1903.

= Uvaria cylindrica Schumach., Beskr. Guin. Pl. 256, 1827. Type. Guinea. South Region, Thonning P. 44, no date: lectotype, sheet here designated: C[C10004675]; isotype: C[C10004674].

= Uvaria cristata R.Br. ex Oliv., Fl. Trop. Afr. 1: 23, 1868. Type. Sierra Leone. Purdie W. s.n., no date: holotype: BM[BM000843983].

= Uvaria nigrescens Engl. & Diels, Monogr. Afrik. Pflanzen.-Fam. 6: 15, 1901. Type. Sierra Leone. Afzelius A. s.n., no date: holotype: B[B 10 0153102].

= Uvaria echinata A.Chev., Explor. Bot. Afrique Occ. Franc. I: 6, 1920: nom. nud.

Type.

Nigeria. no region; no locality, Palisot de Beauvois A.M.F.J. s.n., no date: holotype: G[G00014882] .

Description.

Scrambling shrub to liana, 3-10 m tall, d.b.h. 3-10 cm. Indumentum of minute stellate hairs; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate branches very sparsely pubescent to glabrous. Leaves: petiole 4-10 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, glabrous, grooved, blade inserted on the side of the petiole; blade 9-12 cm long, 4-6 cm wide, elliptic, apex acuminate, acumen 0.7-0.9 cm long, base acute (obtuse), subcoriaceous, below sparsely pubescent to glabrous when young, glabrous when old, above glabrous or sparsely pubescent when young and old; midrib sunken or flat, above pubescent to glabrous when young and old, below glabrous when young and old; secondary veins 12 to 16 pairs, not prominent above, glabrous above; tertiary venation reticulate. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous on foliate branches, extra axillary or terminal. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 1 to 3 per inflorescence; pedicel 14-18 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, pubescent; in fruit 15-19 mm long, 2-3 mm in diameter, sparsely pubescent; bracts 2, one basal and one towards the lower half of pedicel, basal bract 2-4 mm long, 3-4 mm wide; upper bract 2-4 mm long, 3-4 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, completely fused, tearing at anthesis, 9-12 mm long, 9-12 mm wide, ovate, apex obtuse or acute, base truncate, light green, densely pubescent outside, sparsely pubescent inside, margins flat; petals free, sub equal, reflexed when opened; outer petals 3, 10-17 mm long, 5-10 mm wide, ovate, apex rounded, base truncate, green to yellow, margins flat, densely pubescent outside, densely pubescent towards margins, glabrous towards center inside; inner petals 3, imbricate, 9-15 mm long, 5-10 mm wide, ovate, apex rounded, base unguiculate, green to yellow, margins flat, densely pubescent outside, densely pubescent towards margins and glabrous towards center inside; stamens 150 to 200, in 6 to 7 rows, 2-3 mm long, linear; connective discoid, pubescent, yellow to cream; staminodes absent; carpels free, 20 to 30, ovary ca. 4 mm long, stigma coiled, glabrous. Monocarps stipitate, stipes 10-15 mm long, 2-3 mm in diameter, laterally inserted; monocarps 10 to 20, 22-27 mm long, 10-13 mm in diameter, cylindrical, apex rounded, pubescent with small stellate hairs, slightly constricted over seeds in dried material, otherwise smooth, brown turning orange when ripe; seeds 12 to 16 per monocarp, 8-10 mm long, 4-5 mm in diameter, flattened ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

A mainly west African species from Senegal to Cameroon, Central African Republic, and northern Democratic Republic of the Congo; in Cameroon known from the Central, Far-North, North and North-West regions.

Habitat.

Occurring in drier regions of the country; in dry forest, thickets and gallery forests. Altitude 100-800(1000) m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

None recorded.

IUCN conservation status.

Least Concern (LC) (Botanic Gardens Conservation International and IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group 2019c).

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Uvaria chamae is characterized by having (almost) glabrous leaf blades, secondary veins very weak (much more prominent in U. angolensis ), with sepals completely fused in bud and tearing at anthesis (see notes under U. angolensis ) and the petals clearly reflexed at anthesis. The monocarps are stipitate with the stipes shorter or as long as the monocarps which are cylindrical and pubescent. It is also one of the few species of Uvaria growing in the drier regions of Cameroon, together with e.g. U. muricata var. yalingensis .

Specimens examined.

East Region: Rives de la Kadei près de Moundia (15 km SSE de Batouri), 4.15°N, 14.61°E, 31 March 1962, Letouzey R. 4625 (P,YA). Far-North Region : Ziver, 10.8°N, 13.77°E, 17 May 1974, Fotius G. 1995 (P,WAG,YA); Mogode-Rhumsiki, 10.5°N, 13.58°E, 26 August 1976, Geerling C. 5666 (WAG). North Region : Koro ( Goré), 10.8°N, 13.77°E, 19 January 1946, Aubréville A. 628 (P); Mango, 8.42°N, 13.25°E, 25 July 1974, Fotius G. 2173 (P,YA); Parc National de la Bénoué Près du campement du buffle noir, 8.12°N, 13.83°E, 05 December 1995, Letouzey R. 11695 (P,YA); Parc national de Faro Campement, 8.36°N, 12.81°E, 05 March 1985, van der Zon A.P.M. 2542 (WAG); Benoué National Park near Buffle Noir Camp, 8.11°N, 13.83°E, 04 October 1974, Wit P. 2955 (BR,MO,WAG). North-West Region: Piste Munka (=Munkep) 45 km NNW Wum, 6.73°N, 9.95°E, 09 July 1975, Letouzey R. 13994 (K,P,YA); Munka (=Munkep) 45 km NNW Wum, 6.73°N, 9.95°E, 09 July 1975, Letouzey R. 13999 (K,P,YA) .

Figures

Map 13. A Uvaria angolensis B Uvaria anisotricha C Uvaria anonoides D Uvaria baumannii E Uvaria bipindensis F Uvaria buchholzii G Uvaria chamae H Uvaria comperei I Uvaria heterotricha. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).