Piptostigma multinervium Engl. & Diels, Monogr. Afrik. Pflanzen.-Fam. 6: 55, 1901

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 : 299-302

Piptostigma multinervium Engl. & Diels, Monogr. Afrik. Pflanzen.-Fam. 6: 55, 1901

Figs 90 , 91 ; Map 11H

Type.

Cameroon. South Region; Bipindi, Zenker G.A. 2263, Mar 1901: holotype: B[B100460901]; isotypes: BM[BM000553960]; G[G00442259]; GOET[GOET005683]; HBG[HBG502522]; K[K000199004, K000199005]; P[P02031265, P00363277]; WAG[WAG0065102]; WU[WU0038180] .

Description.

Tree, 8-10 m tall, d.b.h. 10-15 cm; stilt roots or buttresses absent. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches sparsely pubescent, young foliate branches densely pubescent. Leaves: petiole 2-4 mm long, 2-3 mm in diameter, pubescent, cylindrical, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 13-21 cm long, 3-8 cm wide, obovate, apex acuminate, acumen 0.5-1 cm long, base cuneate to obtuse, papyraceous, below pubescent when young and old, above glabrous when young and old, concolorous or discolorous, whitish below; midrib impressed, above glabrous when young and old, below pubescent when young and old; secondary veins 15 to 31 pairs, glabrous above; tertiary venation percurrent. Individuals bisexual; inflorescence cauliflorous and ramiflorous on old leafless branches, axillary, peduncle like base 8-20 mm long, axial internodes 5-40 mm long, lax or sublax, sympodial rachis 15-70 mm long. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, up to 6 per inflorescence; pedicel 9-12 mm long, ca. 2 mm in diameter, pubescent; in fruit ca. 20 mm long, ca. 5 mm in diameter, pubescent; basal bract 5-8 mm long, 4-5 mm wide; upper bract 5-7 mm long, 1-2 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, free, ca. 5 mm long, ca. 4 mm wide, triangular, apex acute, base truncate, brown, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; petals free, outer petals shorter than inner; outer petals 3, ca. 8 mm long, ca. 4 mm wide, ovate, apex acute, base truncate, light yellow to red, margins flat, pubescent outside, glabrous inside; inner petals 3, valvate, ca. 35 mm long, ca. 12 mm wide, ovate, apex acute, base truncate, pink, margins wavy, pubescent to pubescent towards base outside, pubescent inside; stamens 70 to 90, in 4 to 5 rows, 1-2 mm long, broad; connective discoid, glabrous, red; staminodes absent; carpels free, 4 to 6, ovary ca. 2 mm long, stigma globose, pubescent. Monocarps sessile, 1 to 4, ca. 40 mm long, ca. 28 mm in diameter, ellipsoid, apex rounded, glabrous, verrucose to muricate, not ribbed, white when ripe; seeds 7 to 8(9) per monocarp, ca. 17 mm long, ca. 11 mm in diameter, ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

Known from Cameroon and Gabon, and probably present in Equatorial Guinea; in Cameroon known from South, Central and Littoral regions.

Habitat.

A common species within its range; in the understory of old secondary or primary lowland rain forests, often on swampy soils. Altitude 200-900 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

None recorded.

IUCN conservation status.

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

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Piptostigma multinervium is morphologically close to P. glabrescens by the shape and the size of the leaf blade. By the external aspect of the monocarps, it is also close to P. macrophyllum . See notes of both species for more details on the differences.

Specimens examined.

Central Region: Nkolmylon 20 km route Yaoundé-Douala, 3.84°N, 11.31°E, 30 March 1984, Achoundong G. 893 (YA); Colline Nkoldjobe dans le massif Mbaminkom, 3.95°N, 11.36°E, 15 March 1978, Dang D. 681 (P,YA) . Littoral Region: Ebo Forest Reserve Djuma permanent camp on Djashaka trail, 4.35°N, 10.23°E, 13 February 2014, Couvreur T.L.P. 616 (WAG,YA); Mambe Massif above Boga village 100 km along road from Yaoundé to Ed 3.90°N, 10.77°E, 19 June 2014, Couvreur T.L.P. 649 (WAG,YA); Ebo proposed national park Hospital trail 1430 m from Ndogbayembe trail, 4.14°N, 10.18°E, 23 March 2006, Mackinnon L.E. 52 (YA) ; Near Lac Tissongo Mouanko Region, 3.62°N, 9.93°E, 21 February 1975, McKey D.B. 47 (P,YA); Bekob , 4.61°N, 10.70°E, 19 February 2006, Tchiengue B. 2555 (K) . South Region: 13 km from Kribi S of Lolodorf road, 2.98°N, 9.983°E, 23 May 1969, Bos J.J. 4625 (BR,MO,P,WAG,YA); 21 km from Kribi Lolodorf road, 3.1°N, 10.05°E, 16 June 1969, Bos J.J. 4793 (BR,K,LD,LM,MO,P,POZG,WAG,YA); Kribi-Lolodorf, 3.17°N, 10.48°E, 28 July 1970, Bos J.J. 7163 (BR,P,WAG); Mvini 35 km east of Campo , 2.37°N, 10.09°E, 27 February 1982, Hoshino J. 359 (YA); Lolodorf , 3.23°N, 10.73°E, 18 April 1928, Lolo 6 (P); Bipindi, 3.08°N, 10.41°E, 01 January 1914, Zenker G.A. 2079 (WAG); Bipindi, 3.08°N, 10.41°E, 01 January 1918, Zenker G.A. 21 (U); Bipindi, 3.08°N, 10.42°E, 01 January 1900, Zenker G.A. 2263 (L,P,WAG); Bipindi, 3.08°N, 10.42°E, 01 March 1901, Zenker G.A. s.n. (P) .

Figures

Map 11. A Piptostigma glabrescens B Piptostigma goslineanum C Piptostigma longepilosum D Piptostigma macranthum E Piptostigma macrophyllum F Piptostigma mayndongtsaeanum G Piptostigma mortehanii H Piptostigma multinervium I Piptostigma oyemense. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).

Figure 90. Piptostigma multinervium A leaf B inflorescence C receptacle, inner petals removed D stamen E carpel side view and detail of ovules F monocarp. Piptostigma mortehanii G leaves H details of leaf, lower side I inflorescence J flower, inner petals removed A-F from Lolo 6 G-J from Foury C. 73. Drawings by Helene Lamourdedieu, Publications Scientifiques du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris; 1 - 6 modified from Le Thomas (1969 b, pl. 21, p. 123).

Figure 91. Piptostigma multinervium A habit, note numerous cauliflorous inflorescences along the trunk B base of leaf blade, upper side C base of leaf blade, lower side D flower, one inner petal removed E inflorescence with numerous flowers. Piptostigma oyemense F habit, note single flowered inflorescence G base of leaf blade, upper side H base of leaf blade, lower side I flower, note single flowered inflorescences J detail of receptacle, note 4 carpels K fruit, note white echinate to muricate monocarps A-E Couvreur 616, Ebo, Cameroon F, I-K Couvreur 917, Gabon G, H Couvreur 1139, Gabon. Photos Thomas L. P. Couvreur.