Uvaria afzelii Scott Elliot, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 30(206): 70, 1895

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 : 330-331

Uvaria afzelii Scott Elliot, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 30(206): 70, 1895

Map 12I

Type.

Sierra Leone. Southern Province; between Kahreni and Port Lokko, Scott Elliot G.F. 5812, Apr 1891: holotype: K[K000198777] .

Description.

Liana, ca. 3 m tall, d.b.h. unknown. Indumentum of simple or fasciculate 4 or 3 branched hairs; old leafless branches sparsely pubescent to glabrous, young foliate branches hirsute. Leaves: petiole 3-4 mm long, 1 mm in diameter, densely pubescent erect hairs. Leaves: petiole 3-4 mm long, 1 mm in diameter, densely hirsute, slightly grooved, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 15-20 cm long, 4-6cm wide, oblong to ovate, apex acute, base cordate, subcoriaceous, below densely pubescent with fasciculate hairs when young, pubescent when old, above pubescent with simple hairs when young, sparsely pubescent to glabrous when old; midrib sunken or flat, above densely pubescent with simple hairs when young and old, below pubescent with fasciculate hairs when young and old; secondary veins 11-15 pairs, sparsely pubescent to glabrous above; tertiary venation reticulate. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous on old or young foliate branches, leaf opposed or extra axillary. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 1 per inflorescence; pedicel 35-50 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, densely pubescent; in fruit 40-55 mm long, 2 mm in diameter, densely pubescent; bracts 2, one basal and one upper towards the lower part of the pedicel, basal bract 3-8 mm long, 2-3 mm wide; upper bract 3-7 mm long, 2-3 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, basally fused, 8-10 mm long, 4-6 mm wide, ovate, apex obtuse, base truncate, pubescent outside, tomentose inside, margins flat; petals free, sub equal; outer petals 3, 17-22 mm long, 13-17 mm wide, ovate, apex obtuse, base truncate, yellow, margins flat, pubescent outside, densely pubescent inside; inner petals 3, imbricate, 13-20 mm long, 10-13 mm wide, ovate, apex obtuse, base attenuate, yellow, margins flat, pubescent outside, tomentose inside, hairs longer towards center; stamens 150 to 200, in 8 to 9 rows, 2-3 mm long, linear; connective tongue shaped, pubescent; staminodes absent; carpels free, 40 to 50, ovary 2-3 mm long, stigma conical, glabrous. Monocarps stipitate, stipes 35-45 mm long, 2-3 mm in diameter; monocarps 13 to 25, 13-18 mm long, 10-15 mm in diameter, club-shaped with the stipes inserted laterally, apex rounded or mucronate, densely pubescent with erect hairs, smooth, constricted around the seeds (2 or 3 bumps), yellow brown to pale orange when ripe; seeds 4 to 6 per monocarp, 12-15 mm long, 8-10 mm in diameter, flattened ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

A mainly west African species, just reaching into Cameroon with a single collection to date, in the North-West region.

Habitat.

A rare species in Cameroon (a single collection); along scrub vegetation near cultivation. Altitude 10-600 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 afzelii is easily recognized by the long golden erect hairs on the young foliate branches and petioles, leaf blades with the combination of simple hairs above and fasciculate hairs below, and especially by its unique club-shaped monocarps that are constricted around the seeds and densely pubescent with erect golden hairs.

Specimen examined.

North-West Region: Nser et Banji 50 km N Wum, 6.85°N, 10.12°E, 11 July 1975, Letouzey R. 14016 (P,YA).

Figures

Map 12. A Piptostigma pilosum B Piptostigma submontanum C Polyceratocarpus microtrichus D Polyceratocarpus parviflorus E Polyceratocarpus pellegrinii F Sirdavidia solannona G Sphaerocoryne gracilipes H Toussaintia hallei I Uvaria afzelii. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).