Uvaria angolensis Welw. ex Oliv., Fl. Trop. Afr. 1: 23, 1868

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 : 331-334

Uvaria angolensis Welw. ex Oliv., Fl. Trop. Afr. 1: 23, 1868

Figs 103 , 113 ; Map 13A

= Uvaria bukobensis Engl., Pflanzenw. Ost-Afrikas C: 178, 1895. Type. Tanzania: Kagera region, Bukoba, Stuhlmann F.L. 1132, no date: lectotype, here designated: K[K000198760].

= Uvaria angolensis var. guineense Keay, Kew Bull. 8: 71, 1953. Type. Cameroon. Kunde, Mildbraed G.W.J. 9224, 3 May 1914: holotype: K[K000198772].

= Uvaria variabilis De Wild., Pl. Bequaert. I: 461, 1922. Type. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Orientale, bord de la Semliki, Lesse, Bequaert J. 4117, 7 May 1914: lectotype, sheet here designated: BR[BR0000009826274]; isotypes: BR[BR0000009826601]; K[K000198773].

Type.

Angola. Malanje; Pungo Andongo, Welwitsch F.M.J. 754, Apr 1857: lectotype, sheet here designated: LISU[LISU206054]; isotypes: B[B 10 0153065]; BM[BM000554044]; COI[COI00004859]; K[K000198826]; P[P00046766]; LISU[LISU206055] .

Description.

Liana, 2-6 m tall, d.b.h. unknown. Indumentum of mixed simple, fasciculate or stellate hairs; old leafless branches sparsely pubescent, young foliate branches densely to sparsely pubescent. Leaves: petiole 3-10 mm long, 2 mm in diameter, tomentose to very sparsely pubescent, cylindrical, blade inserted on the side of the petiole; blade 4-17 cm long, 2.5-7 cm wide, oblong to elliptic, apex acuminate, acumen 1-1.5 cm long, base rounded to subcordate, subcoriaceous, below densely to sparsely pubescent when young and old, above sparsely pubescent when young, sparsely pubescent to glabrous when old; midrib sunken or flat, above densely pubescent when young, densely to sparsely pubescent when old, below sparsely pubescent when young, densely to sparsely pubescent when old; secondary veins 6 to 12 pairs, pubescent above; tertiary venation reticulate. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous on young or old foliate branches, extra axillary. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 1 to 3 per inflorescence; pedicel 4-6 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, pubescent; in fruit 7-10 mm long, 2 mm in diameter, tomentose; bracts 2, one basal and one towards the lower half of pedicel, basal bract 1-2 mm long, 1 mm wide; upper bract 2-3 mm long, 4-5 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, completely fused, tearing at anthesis, 5-9 mm long, 4-7 mm wide, ovate, apex truncate, base truncate, green to yellow, tomentose outside, tomentose inside, margins flat; petals free, sub equal; outer petals 3, 12-20 mm long, 8-11 mm wide, ovate to obovate, apex obtuse, base truncate, green to yellow, margins flat, pubescent outside, pubescent inside; inner petals 3, imbricate, 12-19 mm long, 8-11 mm wide, obovate to ovate, apex rounded, base truncate, green to yellow, margins flat, pubescent outside, tomentose inside; stamens 190 to 210, in 8 to 9 rows, 3-5 mm long, linear; connective tongue shaped, pubescent, yellow to orange; staminodes absent; carpels free, 25 to 35, ovary 4-5 mm long, stigma bilobed, slightly capitate, glabrous. Monocarps stipitate, stipes 8-12 mm long, 2-5 mm in diameter, inserted laterally; monocarps ca. 20, 13-40 mm long, 6-20 mm in diameter, cylindrical, apex apiculate, tomentose, smooth and slightly constricted around the seeds, brown turning red when ripe; seeds 6 to 16 per monocarp, ca. 10 mm long, 4-5 mm in diameter, ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

A widespread tropical African species, occurring from Sierra Leone to Central African Republic, Sudan and Ethiopia, and from Kenya to Zambia, one of the few Annonaceae species with such a wide continental distribution ( Couvreur et al. 2008a); in Cameroon known from the Adamaoua, Central, East, North-west, South and West regions.

Habitat.

A common species in Cameroon; mainly occurring in gallery forests in drier regions of the country but also in rain forests. Altitude 500-1400 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

None recorded.

IUCN conservation status.

Least Concern (LC) (Botanic Gardens Conservation International and IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group 2019c).

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Uvaria angolensis belongs to a complex of species characterized by a calyx completely fused in bud and tearing into three distinct sepals at anthesis ( Verdcourt 1971b). In Cameroon, other species of Uvaria with that character are U. baumannii , U. chamae , and U. osmantha . These species are all quite close morphologically (although U. baumanii and U. osmantha are quite different) but can be differentiated by some distinctive characters in particular fruit shape (see Key). Uvaria angolensis is particularly close to U. versicolor (not in Cameroon), but is distinguished by the connective of the stamens being tongue shaped versus discoid in U. versicolor . Uvaria angolensis is also quite variable in its indumentum varying from densely pubescent to glabrous.

Specimens examined.

Adamaoua Region: Réserve forestière de Ngaoundéré, 7.32°N, 13.58°E, 21 July 1977, Fotius G. 2738 (P,YA); Beleldibi (35 km au SSE de Ngaoundéré), 7.32°N, 13.58°E, 22 July 1966, Letouzey R. 7486 (P,YA); Pentes NO de l’Hoséré Banyo entre 1100 et 1400 m, 6.75°N, 11.82°E, 09 June 1967, Letouzey R. 8565 (L,YA). Central Region : Yaoundé Mt Eloumden path from foot of mountain (ca 800 m) on Mendong side, 3.81°N, 11.43°E, 02 May 1996, Cheek M. 8307 (K,WAG,YA); Pentes orientales du mont Yangba (1473 m) près Nyafianga (42 km NNE de Bafia), 5.13°N, 11.35°E, 09 September 1966, Letouzey R. 7829 (P,YA); Pres Nyafianga à 46 km SW de Linté, 5.13°N, 11.35°E, 23 April 1982, Nkongmeneck B.A. 310 (P,YA). East Region : Kumbe , 6°N, 14.30°E, 01 January 1914, Mildbraed G.W.J. 9224 (COI,K). North Region : Wakwa , 7.23°N, 13.58°E, 07 October 1960, Breteler F.J. 432 (WAG); Near craterlake ' Lac Tison' ca 12 km SE of Ngaoundéré, 7.25°N, 13.58°E, 30 November 1964, de Wilde W.J.J.O 4361 (WAG). South Region : Rocher de Ako'okas 26 km southeast of Ebolowa , 2.7°N, 11.28°E, 21 February 1987, Huber H.F.J. 982 (YA). West Region : ca. 6 km NE of Bangangte, 5.15°N, 10.52°E, 11 May 1964, de Wilde J.J.F.E 2579 (B,BR,K,MO,P,WAG,YA); Mme Vilatte plantations caOca 5 km from Foumbot, 5.55°N, 10.61°E, 07 July 1972, Leeuwenberg A.J.M. 10160 (BR,K,MO,P,WAG,YA) .

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 103. Uvaria angolensis A lower side of foliate branch B fruits C flower, top view, note reflexed petals and tongue shape stamen connectives. Uvaria anisotricha D leaves, top view with a flower E close up of flower bud, note reflexed sepal margins F petals of flower (fallen on ground). Uvaria comperei (1 / 2) G leaf base, lower side H leaf base, upper side I flower A, B Bidault 3284, Guinea C Mas 1301, Guinea D-F Couvreur 959, Rumpi Montains, Cameroon G-I Couvreur 893, Gabon. Photos A, B Ehoarn Bidault. Tropicos. org, Missouri Botanical Garden C Cyrille Mas. Tropicos. org, Missouri Botanical Garden D-I Thomas L. P. Couvreur.

Figure 113. Uvaria muricata var. muricata (not in Cameroon) A habit B leaf base, upper side C fruit D leaf base, lower side E leaf base, upper side F flower bud. Uvaria obanensis G leaf base, lower side H leaf base, upper side I flower bud A-C Couvreur 571, Gabon D-F Couvreur 892, Gabon G-I Couvreur 1098, Gabon. Photos Thomas L. P. Couvreur.