Uvaria baumannii 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 : 358-343

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

Fig. 104 ; Map 13D

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

= Uvaria verrucosa Eng. & Diels, Notizbl. Königl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 2: 294, 1899 (non Scheff. Ann. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg 2: 3, 1885). 10; Uvaria engleriana (Engl. & Diels) Exell, J. Bot. 73 (Suppl.): 4, 1935. Type. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Haut-Uélé, "Kambele “Kambele”, Schweinfurth G.A. 3683, 19 Apr 1870: holotype: B[B 10 0153069]; isotype: K[K000198771].

Type.

Togo. Plateaux; Misahöhe, Baumann E. 527, 19 Apr 1895: holotype: B[B 10 0153070] .

Description.

Scrambling shrub to liana, 5-m tall, d.b.h. 6 cm. Indumentum of small stellate hairs; old leafless branches pubescent to glabrous, young foliate branches tomentose to densely pubescent. Leaves: petiole 2-4 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, pubescent, cylindrical, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 4.5-19 cm long, 2.5-6.5 cm wide, oblong to obovate, apex acuminate, acumen 1-1.5 cm long, base rounded to subcordate, papyraceous to subcoriaceous, below covered with a persistent continuous layer of small stellate hairs intermingled with sparser larger stellate hairs, whitish, above sparsely pubescent with stellate hairs when young, sparsely pubescent with stellate hairs to glabrous when old; midrib sunken or flat, above densely pubescent when young and old, below densely pubescent when young and old; secondary veins 17 to 25 pairs, pubescent above; tertiary venation indistinct or percurrent. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous on young foliate branches and less often on old leafless branches, leaf opposed or extra axillary. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 1 per inflorescence; pedicel 10-15 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, tomentose; in fruit 20-25 mm long, 2-3 mm in diameter, tomentose; bracts 2, one basal and one towards the lower half of pedicel, soon falling, basal bracts 1-2 mm long, 1 mm wide; upper bracts 2-3 mm long, 3-5 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, completely fused, covering in bud, tearing at anthesis, 5-10 mm long, 8-10 mm wide, ovate, apex acuminate, base truncate, pubescent with two layers of stellate hairs outside, pubescent with a single layer of minute stellate hairs inside, margins flat; petals free, sub equal; outer petals 3, 12-20 mm long, 9-15 mm wide, ovate, apex rounded, base truncate, yellow, margins flat, tomentose outside, tomentose inside; inner petals 3, imbricate, 12-20 mm long, 10-18 mm wide, ovate, apex rounded, base ungulate, yellow, margins flat, tomentose outside, tomentose inside; stamens 100 to 130, in 5 to 6 rows, 2-3 mm long, linear; connective discoid, pubescent; staminodes absent; carpels free, 15 to 20, ovary ca. 6 mm long, stigma conical, pubescent. Monocarps stipitate, stipes 30-40 mm long, 2-3 mm in diameter, inserted laterally; monocarps 30 to 48, 6-12 mm long, 6-10 mm in diameter, globose, apex generally shortly apiculate, red-tomentose, warty to verrucose, not ribbed, bluish-green when ripe; seeds 4 to 6 per monocarp, 8-10 mm long, 4-5 mm in diameter, flattened ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

A widely distributed species in West and Central Africa, from Sierra Leone to Benin and from Cameroon to the Democratic Republic of the Congo; in Cameroon known from the East, South and South West (?) regions (see notes).

Habitat.

An uncommon species in Cameroon; in swampy regions on sand soils. Altitude 400-750 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 baumannii is characterized by having the lower side of the leaf blades completely covered with a layer of small minute stellate hairs together with a second layer of larger stellate hairs more sparsely dispersed (as in U. anisotricha , see notes under that species), sepals that are completely fused in bud and tearing at anthesis (see notes under U. angolensis ), and long stipitate monocarps with stipes inserted laterally.

In Cameroon this species is restricted to the East and South regions. One collection (Mukete W. 47, K) was identified as U. baumannii from the South West region, but we were unable to see that specimen, and highly doubt it is correct (could probably be U. anisotricha ).

Specimens examined.

East Region: A 14 km de Ntan (80 km ENE de Lomie), 2.7°N, 15.13°E, 09 August 1963, Letouzey R. 5584 (P,YA). South Region : Campo-Ma’an area Ipono, 2.33°N, 9.841°E, 18 April 2002, Elad M. 1535 (KRIBI,WAG); Campo-Ma’an area Mamelles Massif, 2.55°N, 9.944°E, 23 April 2001, Tchouto Mbatchou G.P. 3238 (KRIBI,WAG); Campo-Ma’an area Bibabimvoto, 2.28°N, 9.950°E, 16 August 2002, Tchouto Mbatchou G.P. 3404 (KRIBI,WAG) .

Figures

Map 13. A Uvaria angolensis B Uvaria anisotricha C Uvaria anonoides D Uvaria baumannii E Uvaria bipindensis F Uvaria buchholzii G Uvaria chamae H Uvaria comperei I Uvaria heterotricha. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).

Figure 104. Uvaria baumannii A flowering branch B detail of lower side of leaf, note the minute stellate hairs mixed with very large stellate hairs C flower bud, top view, note spepals tearing when flower opening D flower, bottom view, note sepals three, after flower opened E flower, top view F stamen G carpel, front view and detail of ovules H fruit branch I longitudinal section of monocarp J seeds A, B from Le Testu 1421 C-G from Le Testu 8334 H-J from Halle & Le Thomas 11. Drawings by Helene Lamourdedieu, Publications Scientifiques du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris; modified from Le Thomas (1969 b, pl. 9, p. 63).