Monanthotaxis laurentii (De Wild.) Verdc., Kew Bull. 25(1): 26, 1971

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 : 217-218

Monanthotaxis laurentii (De Wild.) Verdc., Kew Bull. 25(1): 26, 1971

Figs 61 , 62 ; Map 8D

≡ Popowia laurentii De Wild., Enum. Pl. Laurent: 19, 1905.

= Unona congensis Engl. & Diels, Notizbl. Königl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 2: 296, 1899; Popowia congensis (Engl. & Diels) Engl. & Diels, Monogr. Afr. Pfl. 6. 44, 1901. Type. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Equateur, Bomongo, Bangala, Laurent E. s.n., 20 Feb 1896: holotype: BR[BR0000008804686].

Type.

Democratic Republic of the Congo. Equateur; Bikoro, Laurent E. 92, 20 Feb 1896: holotype: BR[BR0000008805010] .

Description.

Shrub to liana, 20 m tall, d.b.h. unknown. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrescent, reddish brown, young foliate branches sparsely pubescent with appressed to ascending yellowish hairs 0.2-0.3 mm long. Leaves: petiole 3-7 mm long, 1 mm in diameter, pubescent, slightly grooved, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 4.7-18.3 cm long, 2.4-7.2 cm wide, obovate to oblanceolate, apex acuminate to acute, acumen up to 2 cm long, base rounded to subcordate, papyraceous, below sparsely pubescent when young and old, above sparsely pubescent when young and old, discolorous, whitish below; midrib impressed, above pubescent when young and old, below pubescent when young and old; secondary veins 7 to 14 pairs, sparsely pubescent above; tertiary venation percurrent. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous on old leafless branches, leaf opposed or extra axillary. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 1 to 2 per inflorescence; pedicel 5-11 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, sparsely pubescent; in fruit 15-23 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter; basal bract ca. 1 mm long, ca. 0.5 mm wide; upper bracts 1-2 mm long, 1-2 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, shortly fused basally or free, 1-2 mm long, ca. 3 mm wide, ovate, apex rounded, base truncate, green, densely pubescent outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; petals free, outer petals longer than inner, inner petals entirely covered in bud; outer petals 3, 6-8 mm long, 5.2-8.1 mm wide, ovate, apex obtuse then shortly acuminate, base truncate, green, margins flat, densely to sparsely pubescent outside, glabrous but pubescent towards the margins inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 4.5-5.3 mm long, 3.5-3.9 mm wide, ovate to rhombic, apex obtuse but then shortly acuminate, base truncate, green, margins flat, densely pubescent outside, pubescent with a glabrous base inside; stamens 23 to 24, in 3 rows, ca. 1 mm long, obovate; connective truncate, glabrous; staminodes absent; carpels free, 9 to 12, ovary ca. 2 mm long, stigma elongate, glabrous. Monocarps stipitate, stipes 10-23 mm long, 2-3 mm in diameter; monocarps 3 to 11, 25-85 mm long, 5-6 mm in diameter, moniliform, cylindrical, apex apiculate, glabrous, verrucose, constricted around seeds when more than 1, yellow to orange when ripe; seeds 1 to 6 per monocarp, 14-19 mm long, 5-6 mm in diameter, subcylindrical; aril absent.

Distribution.

A widespread West and Central African species, from Sierra Leone to Nigeria and Cameroon to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola; in Cameroon known from the Central, North and South-West regions.

Habitat.

A common species when present; in primary or old secondary lowland or submontane forests, forest pockets in savanna and gallery forests. Altitude 300-1000 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

None recorded.

Preliminary IUCN conservation status.

Least Concern (LC) ( Hoekstra et al. 2021).

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Monanthotaxis laurentii is distinguished by its reddish brown branches with a pubescence of scattered short yellow hairs, 23 to 24 stamens in 3 whorls, glabrous carpels, and long subcylindrical seeds.

Specimens examined.

Central Region: Eloumden 10 km SW of Yaoundé, 3.49°N, 11.26°E, 06 February 1996, Nkongmeneck B.A. 1326 (MO) . North Region: Ngoussou , 6.03°N, 11.23°E, 01 February 1939, Jacques-Félix H. 3226 (P) . South-West Region: Nyasoso village on max’s trail to Mt 4.82°N, 9.694°E, 05 April 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 1056 (WAG,YA); on top of hill near Small Ekombe village 3 km after Kumba on road to Ekondo Titi town , 4.62°N, 9.376°E, 13 January 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 981 (WAG,YA); Ndabekim Hill to west of village, 4.91°N, 9.716°E, 15 December 1999, Etuge M. 4676 (K,MO,P,WAG,YA); Mt Cameroun south slope W of Victoria Transect 5, 4.07°N, 9.015°E, 16 November 1985, Gentry A.H. 52947 (MO) .

Figures

Map 8. A Monanthotaxis hexamera B Monanthotaxis hirsuta C Monanthotaxis klainei D Monanthotaxis laurentii E Monanthotaxis letouzeyi F Monanthotaxis montana G Monanthotaxis paniculata H Monanthotaxis pellegrinii I Monanthotaxis pynaertii. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).

Figure 61. Monanthotaxis klainei var. lastoursvillensis A leaves B flower bud seen from above C outer petal inner side view D inner petal, inner view E flower with petals removed F stamen, inner outter views G staminodes H carpel and longitudinal section of carpel. Monanthotaxis klainei var. klainei (not in Cameroon) I fruits. Monanthotaxis laurentii J flowering branch K outer petal inner side view L inner petal, inner view M flower with petals removed N stamens outer and inner views O carpel and longitudinal section of carpel A-H from Klaine 2662 I from Klaine 1539 J-O from Le Testu 4512. Drawings by Helene Lamourdedieu, Publications Scientifiques du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris; modified from Le Thomas (1969 b, pl. 39, p. 219).

Figure 62. Monanthotaxis klainei var. lastoursvillensis A leaf, lower side B base of leaf blade, upper side C base of leaf blade, lower side. Monanthotaxis laurentii D Leaf, upper side E base of leaf blade, lower side F base of leaf blade, upper side G outer petals, inner and outer views, and inner petals, lower part of photo H young fruit, sepals persistent A-C Couvreur 599, Gabon D-H Couvreur 1056, Mt Cameroon. Photos Thomas L. P. Couvreur.