Uvaria poggei Engl. & Diels, Notizbl. Konigl . Bot. Gart. Berlin 2: 294, 1899

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 : 367-369

Uvaria poggei Engl. & Diels, Notizbl. Konigl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 2: 294, 1899

Map 14F

≡ Uva poggei (Engl. & Diels) Kuntze, Kuntze, Deutsche Bot. Monatsschr. 21: 173, 1903.

Type.

Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kasaï Central; Mukenge, Pogge P. 622, 18 Sep 1882: lectotype, designated by Le Thomas (1969b), p. 73: B[B 10 0153109]; isolectotype: K[K000198768] .

Description.

Liana, 15-18 m tall, d.b.h. 3-10 cm. Indumentum of minute stellate or simple hairs; old leafless branches sparsely pubescent, young foliate branches tomentose. Leaves: petiole 2-3 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, densely pubescent to tomentose, slightly grooved, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 8-19 cm long, 5-9 cm wide, obovate to elliptic, apex acuminate, acumen ca. 1 cm long, base rounded to cordate, papyraceous to membranaceous, below rather densely pubescent with stipitate stellate hairs when young and old, above sparsely pubescent with simple hairs (soft to touch) when young and old; midrib sunken or flat, above sparsely pubescent when young and old, below densely pubescent when young and old; secondary veins 15 to 24 pairs, sparsely pubescent to glabrous above; tertiary venation percurrent. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous on young foliate branches, extra axillary. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 1 per inflorescence; pedicel 15-20 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, densely pubescent; in fruit 25-35 mm long, 2-3 mm in diameter, sparsely pubescent; bracts 2, one basal and one upper towards the lower half of pedicel, basal bract 2 mm long, 2 mm wide; upper bract 2-3 mm long, 3-5 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, free, not covering in bud, 4-7 mm long, 5-8 mm wide, triangular to ovate, apex obtuse, base truncate, tomentose outside, pubescent inside, margins reflexed; petals free, sub equal; outer petals 3, 15-20 mm long, 12-15 mm wide, ovate, apex attenuate, base truncate, margins flat, tomentose outside, sparsely pubescent to glabrous inside; inner petals 3, imbricate, 15-20 mm long, 12-15 mm wide, ovate, apex attenuate, base truncate, margins flat, tomentose outside, sparsely pubescent to glabrous inside; stamens 150 to 200, in 8 to 10 rows, ca. 2 mm long, linear; connective discoid, sparsely pubescent; staminodes absent; carpels free, 15 to 20, ovary 3-4 mm long, stigma coiled, pubescent. Monocarps stipitate, stipes 25-35 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, centrally inserted; monocarps 30 to 35, 7-15 mm long, 7-15 mm in diameter, globose, apex apiculate, densely to sparsely pubescent, smooth, not ribbed, green when ripe; seeds not counted, ca. 7 mm long, 4-6 mm in diameter, ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

A central African species, known from Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic and Angola; in Cameroon known from the East region.

Habitat.

A fairly rare species (or at least rarely collected) in Cameroon; in lowland secondary or primary rain forests. Altitude 400-600 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

None recorded.

IUCN conservation status.

Not evaluated.

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Uvaria poggei is distinguished by its leaves with numerous secondary veins (17 to 24), its lower leaf surface covered with an uniform indumentum of stellate hairs, and its globose monocarps with a long central stipes inserted centrally. This species only marginally reaches Cameroon ( Harris 2002) where it is known from two collections (Harris 6200, 6528) close to the Central African Republic border. The species is here regarded as monotypic; indeed, U. poggei var. anisotricha Le Thomas is raised to species rank, as U. anisotricha (see under that name).

Specimens examined.

East Region: Lobeke Reserve Terra firma forest 1 km east of Djangi Bai , 2.31°N, 15.76°E, 04 November 1998, Harris D.J. 6200 (E); Lobeke Reserve 3-4 km north of Djembe road 5 km northeast of Bolu Bai, 2.21°N, 15.78°E, 24 November 1998, Harris D.J. 6528 (E) .

Figures

Map 14. A Uvaria klaineana B Uvaria mollis C Uvaria muricata var. yalingensis D Uvaria obanensis E Uvaria osmantha F Uvaria poggei G Uvaria scabrida H Uvariastrum insculptum I Uvariastrum pierreanum. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).