Monanthotaxis diclina (Sprague) Verdc., Kew Bull. 25(1): 31, 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 : 185-188

Monanthotaxis diclina (Sprague) Verdc., Kew Bull. 25(1): 31, 1971

Figs 52 , 53 ; Map 7A

≡ Popowia diclina Sprague, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 2: 53 1908, pro parte, quoad specim. ♂; Popowia diclina Sprague emend. Chipp, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew, 5: 182, 1923; Clathrospermum mannii Oliv., Fl. Trop. Afr 1: 25, 1868 pro parte, quoad specim. ♂; Popowia mannii (Oliv.) Engl. & Diels, Monogr. Afrik. Pflanzen.-Fam. 6: 49, pro parte, quoad specim. ♂ non Baill. Adansonia 8: 320, 1868.

= Popowia caulantha Exell, J. Bot. 70(Suppl. 1): 208, 1932. Type. Angola. Cabinda, BucoZau-Maiombe, Gossweiler J. 6721, 29 Sep 1916: holotype: BM[BM000553848]; isotypes: COI[COI00004904]; LISC[LISC000104, LISC000264, LISC000265, LISC000266]; LISU.

Type.

Gabon. Estuaire; Gaboon River , Mann G. 960, Jul 1861: lectotype, chosen by Le Thomas (1969b), p. 216: K[K000198989] .

Description.

Liana, 25 m tall, d.b.h. unknown. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate branches densely pubescent with dense pubescence of erect to curling yellow-brown hairs 0.4-0.6 mm long. Leaves: petiole 3-5 mm long, ca. 2 mm in diameter, densely pubescent, weakly grooved adaxially, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 8.5-18.5 cm long, 3.5-7 cm wide, oblong to obovate, apex acute to rounded, base rounded to subcordate, papyraceous to subcoriaceous, below densely pubescent when young and old with erect yellow hairs, above sparsely pubescent when young and old, discolorous, whitish below; midrib depressed, above densely pubescent when young and old, below densely pubescent when young and old; secondary veins 15 to 19 pairs, glabrous above; tertiary venation percurrent. Individuals unisexual, monoecious, dimorphic, male inflorescences ramiflorous and axillary, female ones cauliflorous. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, male inflorescence with a solitary to a few-flowered fascicle, sometimes a rhipidium with up to 25 flowers per inflorescence, female a many-flowered panicle-like rhipidia; male flowers: pedicel 2-5 mm long, ca. 0.5 mm in diameter, densely pubescent; basal bract ca. 0.5 mm long, 0.5 mm wide; upper bract ca.1 mm long, ca. 0.5 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, shortly basally fused, ca. 0.5 mm long, ca. 0.5 mm wide, ovate, apex obtuse, base truncate, densely pubescent outside, densely pubescent inside, margins flat; petals free, outer petals longer than inner, inner petals entirely covered in bud; outer petals 3, ca. 1.6 mm long, ca. 2 mm wide, broadly ovate, apex obtuse, base truncate, yellow, margins flat, densely pubescent outside, pubescent inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 0.5-0.8 mm long, 0.3-0.4 mm wide, broadly elliptic, apex rounded, base truncate, margins flat, pubescent outside, pubescent inside; stamens 6, in 1 row, ca. 1 mm long, oblong; connective truncate, pubescent; staminodes 12, in one whorl externally to the stamens, 0.2-0.3 mm long, sparsely pubescent. Female flowers: pedicel 15-25 mm long, ca. ca. 1 mm in diameter, densely pubescent with erect yellowish brown hairs; in fruit 15-45 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter; bracts 2, one basal and one upper towards the lower half of pedicel, basal bract not seen; upper bract 1-2 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, basally fused, 1.2-1.7 mm long, 1.3-1.4 mm wide, broadly ovate to broadly elliptic, apex acuminate, base truncate, densely pubescent outside, densely pubescent inside, margins flat; petals free, outer petals longer than inner, inner petals entirely covered in bud; outer petals 3, 3-5 mm long, 3.5-5.4 mm wide, broadly ovate to circular, apex obtuse or rounded, base truncate, margins flat, densely pubescent with brown hairs outside, pubescent with very short yellowish hairs inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 1.3-1.7 mm long, 0.6-0.7 mm wide, elliptic, apex obtuse, base truncate, margins flat, pubescent with very short yellowish hairs outside, pubescent with very short yellowish hairs inside; carpels free, 80 to 100, ovary 1-2 mm long, stigma elongate, glabrous. Monocarps stipitate, stipes 6-14 mm long, 2-3 mm in diameter; monocarps up to 14, 23-55 mm long, 7-8 mm in diameter, moniliform, ellipsoid, apex apiculate, pubescent, verrucose, constricted around seeds when more than 1, green when ripe; seeds 1 to 5 per monocarp, 12-15 mm long, 6-9 mm in diameter, ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

A central African species, from Cameroon to the Republic of the Congo; in Cameroon known from the Littoral and South regions.

Habitat.

An uncommon species; in primary or old secondary rain forests, swamp and gallery forests. Altitude 50-300 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.

cosmestics: seeds(?) for essential oils and exudates

Notes.

Monanthotaxis diclina is distinguished by its dense pubescence of ascending to erect yellowish brown hairs to 0.5 mm long on the young foliate branches and lower side of the leaves, and its unisexual flowers with the female ones being cauliflorous and the male ones ramiflorous.

Specimens examined.

Littoral Region: Ebo Wildlife Reserve Djuma permanent camp On east trail, 4.36°N, 10.25°E, 15 February 2013, Couvreur T.L.P. 629 (WAG,YA). South Region : 27 km on an exploitation track leading from Ipono towards Dipikar island Bongala river, 2.28°N, 11.13°E, 26 June 1975, de Wilde J.J.F.E 8330 (BR,MO,P,WAG,YA); Besou 45 km E of Gross Batanga, 2.85°N, 10.3°E, 22 July 1911, Mildbraed G.W.J. 6059 (HBG); Bipindi, 3.05°N, 10.25°E, June 1899, Zenker G.A. 2102 (B,G,K) .

Figures

Map 7. A Monanthotaxis diclina B Monanthotaxis dielsiana C Monanthotaxis elegans D Monanthotaxis enghiana E Monanthotaxis ferruginea F Monanthotaxis filamentosa G Monanthotaxis foliosa H Monanthotaxis glaucifolia I Monanthotaxis gracilis. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).

Figure 52. Monanthotaxis diclina A male flowering branch B male flower with one outer petal removed C male flower inner petal inner side view D stamen, outer and inner side view E male flower staminode F female flower, outer petal inner side view G female flower inner petal, inner side view H carpel and longitudinal section of carpel I fruits A-E from Klaine 2881 F-H from Klaine 1382 I from Klaine 404. Drawings by Helene Lamourdedieu, Publications Scientifiques du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris; modified from Le Thomas (1969 b, pl. 38, p. 213).

Figure 53. Monanthotaxis diclina A detail of base of leaf blades, upper view B leaf, upper view C leaf, lower view D detail of female flower receptacle, note the two small inner petals (yellow) at base of carpels, the larger petals are the outer ones (one removed) E cauliflorous inflorescences with female flowers and fruits F fruits, moniliform in shape. Monanthotaxis enghiana G leaves, top view H leaves, upper and lower views, note whitish lower side of leaves I detail of base of leaf base with erect pubescence, upper view J detail of base of leaf base with erect pubescence, lower view A-F Couvreur 537, Gabon G-J Couvreur 1121, Gabon. Photos Thomas L. P. Couvreur.