Greenwayodendron suaveolens (Engl. & Diels) Verdc., Adansonia, n.s. 9: 90, 1969

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 : 113-117

Greenwayodendron suaveolens (Engl. & Diels) Verdc., Adansonia, n.s. 9: 90, 1969

Fig. 28 , 29 ; Map 4D

≡ Polyalthia suaveolens Engl. & Diels, Monogr. Afr. Pfl. 6: 42., 1901.

= Polyalthia mortehanii De Wild., Bull. Jard. Bot. État Bruxelles, 4: 384., 1914. Type. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kasaï-Oriental: Lekimi, De Giorgi S. 1576, Dec 1913: lectotype designated by Lissambou et al. (2018), p. 77: BR[BR8804408].

= Polyalthia aubrevillei Ghesquière ex Aubréville, Fl. For. Côte d’Ivoire, i. 114, 1936. Type. Cameroon. South Region: Bipindé, Urwaldgebiet, Zenker G. 1306, 1913: lectotype designated by Lissambou et al. (2018), p. 77: P[P01985238]; isolectotypes: L[L.1761577]; MO; P[P01985239]; WAG[WAG.1379971].

= Maba gossweileri Greves., J. Bot. 67 (Suppl. 2): 76., 1929. Type. Angola. Cabinda: Buco Zau - Maiombe, Gossweiler J. 6923, 8 Jan 1917: holotype BM[BM000547162]; COI[COI00004858].

= Xylopia otunga Exell., J. Bot. 69: 99, 1931. Type. Cameroon. Central: Bitye Yaoundé, Bates G.L. 1226, 1919: holotype: BM[BM000513697]; isotype LISC[LISC000385].

Type.

Gabon. Estuaire; Munda, Sibange Farm, Soyaux H. 218, 20 Feb 1881: holotype material presumably destroyed at B; lectotype, designated by Lissambou et al. 2018 (2018), p. 77: P[P00363356]; isolectotype K[K000580898] .

Description.

Tree, 8-45 m tall, d.b.h. 10-125 cm; stilt roots or buttresses absent. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate branches pubescent to sparsely pubescent. Leaves: petiole 2-8 mm long, 1-3 mm in diameter, pubescent to sparsely pubescent, grooved, blade inserted on the side of the petiole; blade 5.1-15.6 cm long, 2-6.7 cm wide, elliptic to oblong, apex acuminate to caudate, acumen 0.6-1.4 cm long, base cuneate to rounded, papyraceous, below pubescent when young, glabrous to pubescent when old, above densely to sparsely pubescent when young, sparsely pubescent when old, concolorous; midrib impressed, above pubescent at least basely when young and old, below densely pubescent when young, sparsely pubescent to densely pubescent when old; secondary veins 5 to 18 pairs, glabrous below; tertiary venation indistinct. Individuals androdioecious; male and bisexual inflorescences similar, ramiflorous on old leafless and young foliate branches, leaf opposed or extra axillary. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 1 to 4 per inflorescence, pedicel 3-6 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, pubescent; in fruit 6-12 mm long, 2-3 mm in diameter, glabrous; bracts 2, one basal and one upper towards the upper half of pedicel, basal bracts 1-2 mm long, 2 mm wide; upper bracts 1-3 mm long, 1-3 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, basally fused to free, 2-4 mm long, 2-4 mm wide, ovate, apex acuminate, base truncate, green, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; petals free, sub equal; outer petals 3, 8-18 mm long, 1.3-2.6 mm wide, oblong-elliptic to ovate, apex acuminate, base rounded, green to light yellow, margins flat, pubescent outside, glabrous inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 8-18 mm long, 1.3-2.6 mm wide, elliptic to ovate, apex acuminate, base rounded, green to light yellow, margins flat, pubescent outside, glabrous inside; stamens 16 to 25, in 4 to 5 rows, 1-2 mm long, elongated; connective tongue-shaped, glabrous, green; staminodes absent; carpels free, 12 to 20, ovary 1-2 mm long, stigma ovoid, pubescent. Monocarps stipitate, stipes 5-10 mm long, 1-3 mm in diameter; monocarps 2 to 8, 8-18 mm long, 7-16 mm in diameter, ellipsoid to globose, apex rounded, glabrous, smooth, green turning wine red when ripe; seeds 1 to 4 per monocarp, 3-11 mm long, 3-11 mm in diameter, ellipsoid to flattened ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

Known from Nigeria to the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo; in Cameroon known from the East, South, Central, Littoral and South-West regions.

Habitat.

A very common species across the forest zone of Cameroon (growing in sympatry with G. glabrum in the south) with a wide ecologically amplitude; in lowland premontane, and sometimes in montane non-inundated primary or secondary forests. Altitude 20-1600 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

Moabé noir (dial. Nzime), Otunga (dial. Fang), Otungui (dial. Ewondo), Ntoulen (dial. Bassa), Botounga, Botunga (dial. Baka).

IUCN conservation status.

Least Concern (LC) ( Harvey-Brown 2019c).

Uses in Cameroon.

medicine: leaves as pain-killers, against arthritis, rheumatism, fabrifuges, for menstrual cycle; bark for pregnancy, antiaborifacients, root for vermifuges, as genital stimulants/depressants, dropsy, swellings, oede gout; constructions: building materials; dyes and tannins: glycosides, saponims, steroids; products: fibre wood, farming, forestry, hunting and fishing apparatus.

Notes.

See under G. glabrum . The species is here treated in the narrow sense; the former varieties Greenwayodendron gabonicum Le Thomas and Greenwayodendron usambaricum Verdc. (not recorded from Cameroon) are now raised to specific rank, as G. gabonicum (Le Thomas) Lissambou & Couvreur and G. usambaricum (Verdc.) Lissambou, Hardy & Couvreur ( Lissambou et al. 2019).

Selected specimens examined.

Central Region: Ndanan 1, 3.62°N, 11.58°E, 21 October 2002, Cheek M. 11224 (K,YA); Mefou National Park , 3.61°N, 11.58°E, 13 March 2004, Cheek M. 27 (YA); Mefou National Park , 3.61°N, 11.58°E, 13 March 2004, Cheek M. 66 (YA); Ca 50 km S of Badjob ca 60 km SW Of Eséka Along the Njong-River , 3.68°N, 10.68°E, 19 March 1964, de Wilde W.J.J.O 2133 (B,BR,K,MO,P,WAG,YA); Yaoundé, 3.87°N, 11.52°E, 01 January 1935, Foury P. 129 (P); Ngoro , 5.06°N, 11.19°E, 29 April 2017, Kamdem N. 510 (YA); AYOS, 3.98°N, 12.36°E, 17 June 2017, Kamdem N. 560 (YA); Ossoéssam ( Mbalmayo ), 3.52°N, 11.5°E, 01 June 1965, Leeuwenberg A.J.M. 5755 (BR,K,P,WAG). East Region : Palisco forest consession 15 km along main road into consession, 3.48°N, 13.59°E, 27 March 2015, Couvreur T.L.P. 756 (WAG,YA); Deng Deng , 5.20°N, 13.13°E, 27 July 2014, Kamdem N. 166 (YA); Mindourou Alpicam , 4.12°N, 14.54°E, 11 December 2016, Kamdem N. 459 (YA); Colline à l’ENE de Mbalam (140 km ESE de Djoum près de Souanke-Congo, 2.22°N, 13.82°E, 20 January 1973, Letouzey R. 11866 (YA); A 6 km au Nord de Mwapak (km 43 piste Yokadouma-Lomié, 3.54°N, 14.71°E, 22 June 1963, Letouzey R. 5322 (YA). Littoral Region : 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. 1180 (WAG,YA); Mambe Massif above Boga village 100 km along road from Yaoundé to Ed 3.90°N, 10.77°E, 20 June 2014, Couvreur T.L.P. 658 (WAG,YA); Olombé, 3.60°N, 9.959°E, 05 November 2014, Kamdem N. 175 (YA); Chantier Bakaka km 4 Eboné-EkoMtolo road ( Eboné situated on km 11 of Nkongsamba-Loum road), 4.83°N, 9.9°E, 20 August 1971, Leeuwenberg A.J.M. 8164 (BR,K,L,MO,P,U,WAG,YA). South Region : 20 km from Kribi Lolodorf road, 3.03°N, 10.05°E, 09 June 1969, Bos J.J. 4769 (B,BR,K,LD,LM,MO,P,POZG,WAG,YA); Mt Elephant ca 18 km SE of Kribi, 2.81°N, 10.01°E, 08 January 1970, Bos J.J. 6100 (BR,C,K,LD,P,WAG,YA); hill above Nlonacko near village Ebianemeyong , 2.43°N, 10.35°E, 12 December 1998, de Wilde J.J.F. E 12163 (BR,KRIBI,MO,S,WAG); 16 km on the recently reconstructed road from Ebolowa to Minkok, 2.75°N, 11.25°E, 30 January 1975, de Wilde J.J.F.E 7940 (BR,K,MO,P,U,WAG,YA); Massif de Ngovayang village de Atog Boga, 3.25°N, 10.49°E, 30 August 2015, Droissart V. 2050 (BRLU); Massif de Ngovayang village de Atog Boga, 3.25°N, 10.49°E, 05 September 2015, Droissart V. 2159 (BRLU); A 13 km au N-NW de Djoum (UFA 09-007) vers "la tache verte" Forêt dense inondée et forêt secondaire, 2.77°N, 12.74°E, 25 April 2011, Droissart V. 834 (BRLU); Ebom, 3.1°N, 10.73°E, 20 February 1996, Elad M. 443 (KRIBI,WAG); Campo, 2.28°N, 9.950°E, 05 July 2015, Kamdem N. 329 (YA); Campo, 2.39°N, 10.02°E, 07 July 2015, Kamdem N. 349 (YA); Ma’an, 2.50°N, 10.76°E, 11 July 2015, Kamdem N. 397 (YA); Essam (Nanga Eboko), 4.68°N, 12.37°E, 13 February 1959, Letouzey R. 1106 (P); Essam (Nanga Eboko), 4.68°N, 12.37°E, 13 February 1959, Letouzey R. 1313 (P); 10 km environ à l’ESE de Campo à Kribi , 2.37°N, 9.82°E, 26 March 1968, Letouzey R. 9198 (YA); Campo-Ma’an National Park, 2.38°N, 10.06°E, 01 July 2001, van Andel T.R. 3794 (KRIBI,WAG,YA); Bipindi, 3.08°N, 10.41°E, 1897, Zenker G.A. 1278 (L,P,WAG); Bipindi, 3.08°N, 10.41°E, 1899, Zenker G.A. 2062 (L,P,WAG); Bipindi, 3.08°N, 10.42°E, 01 January 1900, Zenker G.A. 2166 (L,P,WAG). South-West Region : Bayang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary after Mbu river , 5.35°N, 9.501°E, 25 March 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 1002 (WAG,YA); Mokoko Forest Reserve Boa/Likinge (Bousa forest), 4.42°N, 8.972°E, 05 June 1994, Ekema S.N. 1208 (K,YA); Nguti, 5.34°N, 9.496°E, 03 June 2017, Kamdem N. 537 (YA).

Figures

Map 4. A Duguetia dilabens B Duguetia staudtii C Greenwayodendron glabrum D Greenwayodendron suaveolens E Hexalobus bussei F Hexalobus crispiflorus G Hexalobus monopetalus H Hexalobus salicifolius I Isolona campanulata. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).

Figure 28. Greenwayodendron suaveolens A flowering branch B flower bud C flower at anthesis D detail of male receptacle, petals removed E detail of hermaphrodite receptacle, petals removed F inside view of outer petal G stamen H stamen I carpel J longitudinal section of carpel K fruiting branch L lateral view of seed M seed N longitudinal section of a single monocarp showing two seeds and their ruminations A-D, F-H from Le Testu 9408; E, I, J. Gilbert 936 K-N Letouzey 5322. Drawings by Helene Lamourdedieu, Publications Scientifiques du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris; modified from Le Thomas (1969 b, pl. 37, p. 205).

Figure 29. Greenwayodendron suaveolens A trunk, note light grey color B leaf, upper view C flower D flower, side view E detail of fruit, with longitudinal section of one monocarp showing 2 seeds. Greenwayodendron glabrum F branch with fruit G fruit with longitudinal section of monocarp showing seed A, E Couvreur 476, Lele, Cameroon B Couvreur 1196, Masea, Cameroon C, D Couvreur 560, Gabon F, G Bidault 847, Gabon. Photos A-E Thomas L. P. Couvreur F, G Ehoarn Bidault, Tropicos. org, Missouri Botanical Garden.