Annickia chlorantha (Oliv.) Setten & Maas, Taxon 39(4): 676, 1990

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 : 34-35

Annickia chlorantha (Oliv.) Setten & Maas, Taxon 39(4): 676, 1990

Fig. 7 ; Map 1C

≡ Enantia chlorantha Oliv., J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 9: 175, 1867.

Type.

Nigeria. Cross River State; Old Calabar, Thomson W.C 130, Dec 1863: holotype: K[K000380204] .

Description.

Tree, 9-25 m tall, d.b.h. to 5 cm; stilt roots or buttresses absent, slash yellow. Indumentum of simple, bifid trifid, and fasciculate hairs; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate branches sparsely pubescent to pubescent. Leaves: petiole 2-9 mm long, ca. 2 mm in diameter, pubescent, slightly grooved, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 7-28 cm long, 2-9.5 cm wide, elliptic to obovate, apex acuminate, acumen ca. 1 cm long, base narrowly cuneate to shortly attenuate, coriaceous to papyraceous, below densely pubescent when young, sparsely pubescent when old, hairs simple, bifid or trifid hairs pointing in all directions, above glabrous when young and old, concolorous; midrib sunken or flat, above densely pubescent (pilose) to pubescent at least towards base when young, densely pubescent to pubescent at least towards base when old (rarely glabrous), below pubescent when young and old; secondary veins 8 to 12 pairs, glabrous below; tertiary venation intermediate. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous on young foliate branches, leaf opposed or extra axillary. Flowers bisexual with 6 perianth parts in 2 whorls, 1 per inflorescence; pedicel 5-11 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, densely pubescent; in fruit 10-15 mm long, ca. 2 mm in diameter, densely pubescent; bracts 1-2, one basal and one upper towards the middle of pedicel, basal bract 4-8 mm long; sepals 3, valvate, free, 8-12 mm long, 4-6 mm wide, triangular, apex acute, base truncate, green, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; petals free; outer petals absent; inner petals 3, valvate, 15-29 mm long, 6-14 mm wide, elliptic to inversely Y-shaped ridged, apex acute, base broad and concave, greenish yellow, margins flat, pubescent outside, pubescent in a small triangle at the base inside; stamens 145 to 160, in 5 to 6 rows, 2 mm long, linear; connective flattened, glabrous, yellow; staminodes absent; carpels free, 20 to 35, ovary ca. 2 mm long, stigma cylindrical, pubescent. Monocarps stipitate, stipes 6-20 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter; monocarps 3 to 27, 10-16 mm long, 4-9 mm in diameter, ellipsoid to obovoid, apex mucronate, sparsely pubescent, smooth, glossy, green turning red to black when ripe; seed 1, ca. 20 mm long, ca. 10 mm in diameter, ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

Known from Nigeria (one collection); in Cameroon known from the East, South, Center and South-West regions.

Habitat.

Locally common when present but rare overall, in lowland and premontane rain forests, mainly in primary habitats. Altitude 150-850 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

Otou han (dial. bulu, Bos 6894), Otoungué (dial. Ewondo, Chevalier 33132).

IUCN conservation status.

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

Uses in Cameroon.

medicine: bark as an antisepctic, against fever, malaria prophylaxis; construction: house building, furniture; dyes and tannins: as a yellow dye.

Notes.

Annickia chlorantha is distinguished by having sparsely pubescent branches and petioles and the lower side of the leaf blades pubescent with simple, bifid, trifid or fasciculate hairs pointing in all directions. The midrib is generally densely pubescent (pilose) at least towards the base, but some specimens are reported to be glabrous ( Versteegh and Sosef 2007). See notes under A. affinis for confusions surrounding this name. Annickia chlorantha also closely resembles A. letestui , but differs by its sparsely pubescent young branches versus tomentose in A. letestui .

Specimens examined.

Central Region: Nkolbisson shrubby low forest on summit of Mt Akockdoue Yaounde , 3.88°N, 11.45°E, 23 May 1970, Bos J.J. 6894 (BR,MO,P,WAG); Mont Mbam Minkon on trail 3 km from Nkol Nyada village , 3.96°N, 11.40°E, 21 March 2013, Couvreur T.L.P. 414 (WAG,YA); Colline Akok Ndoue près Nkolbisson 5 km WSW Yaoundé, 3.88°N, 11.45°E, 23 May 1970, Farron C. 7335 (P,YA); Yaoundé, 3.86°N, 11.51°E, Feburary 1895, Zenker G.A. 726 (P). Littoral Region : Foret de Ye Youme , 3.48°N, 12.3°E, 01 June 1917, Chevalier A.J.B. 33132 (P). South-West Region: Bambuko FR, 4.43°N, 9.116°E, 16 September 1951, Olorunfemi J. 30760 (K); Korup National Park, 5.28°N, 9.083°E, 03 April 1988, Thomas D.W. 7555 (MO) .

Figures

Map 1. A Afroguatteria discostigma B Annickia affinis C Annickia chlorantha D Annickia letestui E Annickia polycarpa F Annona senegalensis G Annona senegalensis subsp. oulotricha H Anonidium brieyi I Anonidium mannii. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).

Figure 7. Annickia affinis A detail of the yellow bark B lower side of leaf, petiole and branch C upper side of leaf, petiole and branch D flower E detail of receptacle F and G fruits. Annickia chlorantha H lower side of leaf, petiole and branch I upper side of leaf, petiole and branch J flowers, side view, one petal removed showing receptacle K flower, top view showing the three sepals in front of the petals A no voucher B-C Couvreur 1123, Gabon D, E Couvreur 469, Lele, Cameroon F Couvreur 519, Mt Etinde, Cameroon G Couvreur 591, Gabon. Photos Thomas L. P. Couvreur.