Uvariodendron mbagoi Dagallier & Couvreur, PhytoKeys 174: 109 (2021)

Dagallier, Leo-Paul M. J., Mbago, Frank M., Couderc, Marie, Gaudeul, Myriam, Grall, Aurelie, Loup, Caroline, Wieringa, Jan J., Sonke, Bonaventure & Couvreur, Thomas L. P., 2023, Phylogenomic inference of the African tribe Monodoreae (Annonaceae) and taxonomic revision of Dennettia, Uvariodendron and Uvariopsis, PhytoKeys 233, pp. 1-200 : 1

Uvariodendron mbagoi Dagallier & Couvreur, PhytoKeys 174: 109 (2021)

Figs 31 , 32

Type.

Tanzania - Tanga • L.-P.M.J. Dagallier 39 (holotype: MPU! (MPU1375316); isotypes: DSM!, MPU! (MPU1375317), P! (P00948145, P00948146); also distributed to K, MO, WAG); Handeni District, Kwedijela forest , ~ 8 km Kwamsisi village ; 5°54'50.38'S, 38°36'12.35'E; alt. 156 m; 13 Nov. 2019.

Description.

Tall shrubs to trees 3-6 m tall, D.B.H. 5-10 cm; young branches sparsely pubescent to glabrous, old branches glabrous; slash with strong bergamot smell (the citrusy smell of Citrus bergamia Risso). Leaves stiff, greyish green, with margin slightly revolute. Petiole 3-6.5 mm long, 1.2-3 mm wide, sparsely pubescent to glabrous. Leaf lamina 76-157 mm long, 31-59 mm wide, length:width ratio 2.2-3.5, narrowly elliptic to elliptic to obovate, between coriaceous and cartilaginous, base acute to slightly decurrent (sometimes cuneate), apex acute to shortly acuminate, acumen 5-10 mm long; surface above glabrous, surface below sparsely pubescent to glabrous when young, glabrous when old; midrib impressed above, raised below, glabrous above, sparsely pubescent to glabrous when young, glabrous when old below; secondary veins 10-13 pairs, weakly brochidodromous, indistinct to slightly impressed above, (slightly) raised below; tertiary veins reticulate. Inflorescences borne on trunk and old branches, composed of 1-2 (3) sessile flowers. Flower pedicel 0-0.6 mm long, ca 2 mm in diameter, velutinous. Flowers bisexual, buds globose, 5-9 mm high, 5-9 mm in diameter, velutinous, falling off very easily. Only flower buds and old fallen flowers seen. Bracts 2 to 5 at base of the pedicel, upper bract 4-8 mm long, 10-15 mm wide, appressed, enclosing the bud, pubescent outside, glabrous inside. Sepals 3, ca. 7-8 mm long, ca. 7-12 mm wide (measures taken from bud), imbricate, enclosing the petals in bud, velutinous outside, glabrous inside, brown. Outer petals 3, 4.5-5.5 mm long, 4.5-5 mm wide (measures taken from bud), length:width ratio ca. 1, ovate, shortly velutinous outside, glabrous inside, color unknown. Inner petals 3, 3.5-4.5 mm long, 4-4.5 mm wide (measures taken from bud), length:width ratio ca. 1, ovate, glabrous outside, glabrous inside, color unknown. Stamens 400 to 500, mature length unknown, anthers linear, connective prolongation truncate. Carpels 12 to 16, ca. 1.5 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide (measures taken from old flower), velutinous, free; stigma mature length unknown, coiled. Fruiting pedicel 0-6 mm long, ca. 4 mm in diameter, pubescent. Monocarps 1 to 7, 20-50 mm long, 10-12 mm wide, length:width ratio 2-4.5, cylindrical, generally curved, longitudinally ridged and slightly constricted between the seeds, tomentose with regular tufts of high hair density, green-grey; sessile to shortly stipitate, stipe 0-1.5 mm long, ca. 5 mm wide, tomentose. Seeds 4-17 per monocarp, uniseriate to biseriate, 8 to 8.5 mm long, 5.5-6 mm wide, ellipsoid.

Distribution.

Endemic to Somalia-Masai Region: Tanzania.

Habitat and ecology.

Lowland rain forest or dry forest. Soil: coral rag. Altitude: 90-340 m a.s.l.

Phenology.

Flowers collected from August to December. Fruits collected from August to November.

Vernacular names.

Tanzania: ‘Mkenene’ in Chizigua (Bloesch s.n.; Couvreur 3; Dagallier 39, 40).

Uses.

The bark is used as spice for tea or meat meals (Dagallier 39).

Notes.

This species differs from the other Uvariodendron species by the strong bergamot scent of crushed fresh and dry leaves and bark, by having stiff greyish-green leaves with slightly revolute margins, and by its globose flower buds easily falling off and its tomentose fruits having regular tufts of higher hair density.

Preliminary conservation status.

Following IUCN criterion B, this species has been previously assigned a preliminary status of EN B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv)+2ab(i,ii,iii,iv) ( Dagallier et al. 2021).

Additional specimens examined.

Tanzania - Morogoro • L.-P.M.J. Dagallier 50 (DSM, K, MPU, P, WAG) ; Morogoro Rural District, Kimboza forest ; 7°01'18.38"S, 37°48'32.13"E; alt. 267 m; 15 Nov. 2019 - Pwani • L.-P.M.J. Dagallier 1 (DSM, K, MPU, P, WAG), Msata Hill , 30 km North of Chalinze; 6°22'17.78"S, 38°21'49.97"E; alt. 317 m; 06 Nov. 2019 • L.-P.M.J. Dagallier 3 (WAG), Msata Hill , 30 km North of Chalinze; 6°22'17.09"S, 38°21'50.23"E; alt. 328 m; 06 Nov. 2019 • L.-P.M.J. Dagallier 6 (WAG), Msata Hill , 30 km North of Chalinze; 6°22'17.93"S, 38°21'49.94"E; alt. 323 m; 06 Nov. 2019 • T.L.P. Couvreur 3 (DSM, WAG); Bagamoyo District, Mazizi hill, on road between Chilinze and Wami River; 6°22'14.4"S, 38°21'51"E; alt. 100 m; 09 Nov. 2006 • U. Bloesch s.n (WAG), Kwedijela Coastal Forest , T3; 5°55'S, 38°36'E; 18 Sep. 2004 - Tanga • C.M. Kisena 3039 (MO); Handeni District, T3; Collected from Kwedivikilo sacred forest near Manga Village ; 5°06'S, 38°37'E; 17 Nov. 1997 • F.M. Mbago 3323 (DSM, K); Handeni District, Kwedijela forest , 8 km Kwamsisi village; 5°51'S, 38°33'E; 07 Oct. 2004 • G.A. Peter 52283 (B, K, WAG); Pangani District, Useguha. Inseln des Pangani bei Hale ; 5°17'34.8"S, 38°36'14.06"E; alt. 340 m; 31 Jan. 1915 • L.-P.M.J. Dagallier 40 (DSM, K, MO, MPU, P, WAG); Handeni District, Kwedijela forest , ~ 8 km Kwamsisi village; 5°54'50.77"S, 38°36'13.27"E; alt. 155 m; 13 Nov. 2019 • T.C.E. Congdon 532 (K); Pangani District, Mkwaja Ranch ; 5°48'50.76"S, 38°47'40.92"E; alt. 90 m; 04 Dec. 1998 • W.D. Hawthorne 1420A (K), Mkulumuzi river, karst river valley, Steinbruch reserve ; 5°06'S, 39°01'00.12"E; 12 Aug. 1982 .

Figures

Figure 31. Uvariodendron mbagoi Dagallier & Couvreur A trunk with old or fallen flowers B young branch with leaves, upper side C leaf, lower side D leaf, upper side E bract remaining from A fallen flower (top) and flower bud (bottom) F detail of A moncarp, note the hair pattern G fruit, semi-top view H tangential (left) and longitudinal (right) cuts of A monocarp. A, C Dagallier 40 B, D-H Dagallier 39 (type). Photos Leo-Paul Dagallier.

Figure 32. Distribution map of Uvariodendron mbagoi. Shades of grey represent elevation, from white (sea level) to darker grey (higher elevation). The inset shows the extent of the map over Africa.