Polyceratocarpus parviflorus (Baker f.) Ghesq., Rev. Zool. & Bot. Afr. 32: 140, 1939

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 : 313-315

Polyceratocarpus parviflorus (Baker f.) Ghesq., Rev. Zool. & Bot. Afr. 32: 140, 1939

Figs 95 , 96 ; Map 12D

≡ Alphonseopsis parviflora Baker f., Cat. Pl. Oban: 3, 1913.

Type.

Nigeria. Cross River State; Oban, Talbot P.A. 1607, no date: holotype: K[K000199039] .

Description.

Tree, 5-12 m tall, d.b.h. up to 10 cm; stilt roots or buttresses absent. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate branches pubescent. Leaves: petiole 2-3 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, glabrous, cylindrical, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 9-23 cm long, 3-10 cm wide, oblong to obovate, apex acuminate, acumen 0.5-1 cm long, base acute to rounded, subcoriaceous, below densely pubescent when young, sparsely pubescent when old, above glabrous when young and old, discolorous, whitish below; impressed, above glabrous when young and old, below glabrous when young and old; secondary veins 9 to 11 pairs, glabrous above; tertiary venation percurrent. Individuals andromonoecious, male and hermaphrodite inflorescences similar, ramiflorous on old leafless branches, axillary. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 1 to 2 per inflorescence; pedicel 5-6 mm long, 3-4 mm in diameter, pubescent; in fruit 5-15 mm long, 4-7 mm in diameter, glabrous; bract 2-3 mm long, 2-3 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, basally or entirely fused, cup shaped, 1-2 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, ovate, apex acute, base truncate, green to brown-red, tomentose outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; petals free, outer petals longer than inne r; outer petals 3, 10-15 mm long, 6-8 mm wide, ovate, apex acute, base truncate, white, margins flat, densely pubescent outside, pubescent and glabrous towards base inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 5-7 mm long, 3-4 mm wide, obovate, apex acute, base truncate, white, margins flat, tomentose outside, glabrous inside; male flowers: stamens 80 to 90, in 6 to 10 rows, 2-6 mm long, linear to clavate; connective discoid, glabrous, white; stamens in hermaphrodite flowers: 50 to 60, in 4 to 6 rows, 4-6 mm long, connective elongate, glabrous; staminodes absent; carpels free, 2 to 4, ovary 3-4 mm long, stigma cylindrical, glabrous. Monocarps sessile, 2 to 4, 35-40 mm long, 10-15 mm in diameter, oblong, apex rounded, glabrous, irregularly and transversally ribbed, otherwise smooth, light green to white when ripe; seeds 12 to 14 per monocarp, 8-10 mm long, 3-5 mm in diameter, flattened ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

A widespread species with a disjunct distribution in West Africa, and central Africa, from eastern Nigeria to Gabon. In Cameroon known from Littoral, South and South West regions.

Habitat.

A common species when present; in lowland or premontane primary rain forests. Altitude: 100-800 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 2019b).

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Polyceratocarpus parviflorus is hard to distinguish from P. microtrichus based on vegetative or flowering material. It differs by having shorter inner petals (5-7 mm long versus 10-14 mm long) and oblong irregularly ribbed green fruits, in contrast to obovoid and smooth white fruits in P. microtrichus .

Specimens examined.

Littoral Region: At Tissongo 16 km EES of Mouanko, 3.53°N, 9.909°E, 18 January 1984, Asonganyi J.N. 711 (P,YA); Mapubi 30 km before Edea on Yaounde-Edea road On forestry road 5 km direction to Sanaga river , 3.84°N, 10.38°E, 28 February 2018, Couvreur T.L.P. 1174 (MPU,P,WAG,YA); Ebo Wildlife Reserve Djuma permanent camp On Djuma-Djuma trail, 4.34°N, 10.23°E, 14 February 2014, Couvreur T.L.P. 623 (WAG,YA); Ebo Wildlife Reserve Djuma permanent camp On transect 5, 4.33°N, 10.23°E, 16 February 2013, Couvreur T.L.P. 632 (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. 645 (WAG,YA) . South Region: Mvini à Campo, 2.37°N, 10.09°E, 01 October 1983, Mitani M. 134 (P,YA); ca 7 km NE of Ebom, 3.11°N, 10.75°E, 01 August 1996, Parren M.P.E. 190 (KRIBI,WAG) . South-West Region: 43 km SE of Mamfe Kendem collines, 5.72°N, 9.66°E, 08 June 1985, Achoundong G. 1332 (YA); Kupe village , 4.78°N, 9.716°E, 30 May 1996, Cable S. 2721 (K,MO,WAG,YA); Ekundu Kundu, 5.15°N, 8.883°E, 27 April 1996, Cheek M. 8244 (K,WAG,YA); Mount Cameroon National Park Bakinguili trail above Bakinguili village, 4.08°N, 9.050°E, 02 April 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 1032 (WAG,YA); Mount Cameroon National Park Bakinguili trail above Bakinguili village, 4.09°N, 9.057°E, 02 April 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 1036 (WAG,YA); on trail through palm oil plantation 3 km before lava flow and Seme Beach hotel when coming from Limbe, 4.06°N, 9.077°E, 18 October 2013, Couvreur T.L.P. 515 (WAG,YA); Parc National de Korup Mt Yuhan entre 700 et 850 m Forêt mature de terre ferme transition plaine-submontagnard, 5.15°N, 8.860°E, 06 March 2012, Droissart V. 1221 (BRLU,MO,YA); Below Kupe rock near Esense river , 4.78°N, 9.683°E, 25 January 1995, Elad M. 86 (K,YA); Kupe village , 4.77°N, 9.688°E, 28 November 1999, Gosline W.G. 236 (K); Kupe village , 4.77°N, 9.688°E, 28 November 1999, Gosline W.G. 237 (K,MO,P,WAG,YA); Pres Kendonge (Reserve forestiere de Bakundu) 13 km SSW Kumba, 4.54°N, 9.42°E, 20 April 1976, Letouzey R. 14647 (WAG,YA); Korup National Park collected between the Ndian River at Pamol field and 25 km on transect "P “P”, 5.01°N, 8.833°E, 12 April 1985, Thomas D.W. 4785 (YA); Cameroon Mountain, 4.12°N, 9.009°E, 20 June 2001, van Andel T.R. 3707 (U,WAG); Korup National Park, 5.01°N, 8.806°E, 22 March 2004, van der Burgt X.M. 675 (WAG,YA) .

Figures

Map 12. A Piptostigma pilosum B Piptostigma submontanum C Polyceratocarpus microtrichus D Polyceratocarpus parviflorus E Polyceratocarpus pellegrinii F Sirdavidia solannona G Sphaerocoryne gracilipes H Toussaintia hallei I Uvaria afzelii. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).

Figure 95. Polyceratocarpus pellegrinii A flowering branch B detail of bisexual flower, 6 petals removed C stamen D carpel, side view, and detail of ovules E detail of male flower. Polyceratocarpus parviflorus F bisexual flower, 4 petals removed G outer petal, inside view H inner petal, inside view I stamen J carpel, side view, detail of ovules K fruiting branch. Polyceratocarpus microtrichus L flowering branch M bisexual flower, 4 petals removed N stamen, side and from view A-E from Le Testu 7754 F-J from Le Testu 8549 K from Chevalier 21343 L-N from Halle 2279. Drawings by Helene Lamourdedieu, Publications Scientifiques du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris; modified from Le Thomas (1969 b, pl. 49, p. 279).

Figure 96. Polyceratocarpus microtrichus A leaf, upper side B leaf, lower side C fruits, note white smooth monocarps. Polyceratocarpus parviflorus D detail of bisexual flower showing receptacle, one outer petals and two inner petals removed E habit F flower, top view G fruits, note ribbed monocarps. Polyceratocarpus pellegrinii H fruit, note curved green and irregularly ribbed monocarps I base of trunk J leaf, lower side K base of leaf, upper side, note raised midrib L flower, top view A-C Droissart 1881 D-G Couvreur 1032 H, L Couvreur 575 I-K Couvreur 1178. Photos A-C Vincent Droissart D-L Thomas L. P. Couvreur.