Artabotrys jacquesfelicis Pellegr., Bull. Soc. Bot. Fr. 97: 15, 1950

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 : 69-71

Artabotrys jacquesfelicis Pellegr., Bull. Soc. Bot. Fr. 97: 15, 1950

Fig. 15 ; Map 2G

= Artabotrys robustus Louis ex Boutique Bull. Jard. Bot. Etat Brux. 21: 107, 1950. Type. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Orientale, Yangambi, Louis J.L.P. 6077, 16 Sep 1937: lectotype, sheet here designated: BR[BR0000008820686]; isotypes: BR[BR000000882072]; K[K000795930]; NY[NY00025831]; P[P00363357].

Type.

Cameroon. Central Region ; Nkidi forest, Jacques-Félix H. 2490, Nov 1938: lectotype, sheet here designated: P[P00363361]; isotypes: K; P[P00363359, P00363362] .

Description.

Liana, height unknown, d.b.h. unknown. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate branches glabrous. Leaves: petiole 4-7 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, glabrous, grooved, blade inserted on the side of the petiole; blade 8-13 cm long, 3-14 cm wide, oblong to elliptic, apex acute, acumen ca. 0.5 cm long, base decurrent to acute, coriaceous, below glabrous when young and old, above glabrous when young and old, shiny when dried, concolorous; midrib impressed, above glabrous when young and old, below glabrous when young and old; secondary veins 9 to 12 pairs, glabrous above; tertiary venation reticulate. Flowers bisexual with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous on old leafless branches, leaf opposed. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 3 to 6 per inflorescence, hook-shaped peduncle 15-20 mm long; pedicel 10-25 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, glabrous; in fruit 20-30 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, glabrous; bracts 1 to 2, all basal, basal bracts ca. 1 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, free, 1-2 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide, triangular, apex acute, base truncate, glabrous outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; petals free, sub equal; outer petals 3, 20-35 mm long, 1-2 mm wide, linear to narrowly ovate, apex rounded, base broad and concave, margins flat, pubescent outside, glabrous inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 15-25 mm long, 1-3 mm wide, linear, apex rounded, base broad and concave, margins flat, densely pubescent outside, glabrous inside; stamens 50 to 70, in 3 to 4 rows, 2-3 mm long, oblong; connective discoid, pubescent; staminodes absent; carpels free, 3 to 4, ovary 3-4 mm long, stigma cylindrical, glabrous. Monocarps stipitate, stipes 5-10 mm, ca. 6 mm in diameter, 1 to 4 monocarps, 20-40 mm long, 10-20 mm in diameter, ellipsoid, apex rounded, glabrous, warty to verrucose, faintly ribbed, color when ripe unknown; seeds 1 to 2 per monocarp, 20-25 mm long, 10-15 mm in diameter, flattened ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

A central African species, only known from Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo; in Cameroon known from the Central and South regions.

Habitat.

A rare species across its range, in primary lowland rain forests. Altitude 500-600 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

None recorded.

IUCN conservation status.

Not evaluated.

Uses in Cameroon.

None recorded.

Notes.

Artabotrys jacquesfelicis is distinguished by its entirely glabrous branches, petioles and leaves that are shiny above in herbarium material, narrowly ellipsoid flower buds, petals with a large concave base abruptly narrowing into an upper linear section, and ellipsoid monocarps with a warty to verrucose surface. In Cameroon, this species is only known from three old collections.

Specimens examined.

South Region: River Ja Bitya , 3.02°N, 12.37°E, 01 January 1922, Bates G.L. 1699 (K); Bipindi, 3.08°N, 10.42°E, 01 January 1909, Zenker G.A. 3834 (L,P) .

Figures

Map 2. A Artabotrys aurantiacus B Artabotrys aurantiacus var. multiflorus C Artabotrys congolensis D Artabotrys dielsianus E Artabotrys insignis F Artabotrys insignis var. batesii G Artabotrys jacques-felicis H Artabotrys rufus I Artabotrys thomsonii. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).

Figure 15. Artabotrys jacquesfelicis A flowering branch B outer petal, inner view C inter petal, inner view D floral receptacle, petals removed E stamens, front and back view F carpel with detail on ovules G fruiting branch H seed, section latitudinal section I seed, longitudinal section. Artabotrys velutinus J flowering branch K flower receptacle, outer petals removed L outer petal, inner view M inner petal, inner view N flowering receptical, petals removed O stamen P carpel, side view, detail of ovules A-F from Jacques Felix 2490 G-I from Tisserant 2405 J-P from Zenker 1222. Drawings by Helene Lamourdedieu, Publications Scientifiques du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris.