Piptostigma calophyllum Mildbr. & Diels., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 53(3-5): 443, 1915

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 : 279-281

Piptostigma calophyllum Mildbr. & Diels., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 53(3-5): 443, 1915

Figs 85 , 86 ; Map 10H

Type.

Cameroon. South Region; Ebolowa, Mildbraed G.W.J. 5791, 4 Jul 1911: holotype: B[B100154077]; isotypes: HBG[HBG502525, HBG502527, HBG50252 ]; L[L0196773]; P[P00363307, P00363307]; YA[YA0002833] .

Description.

Tree, 8-10 m tall, d.b.h. 6-20 cm; stilt roots or buttresses absent. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate branches tomentose. Leaves: petiole 4-11 mm long, 3-6 mm in diameter, tomentose, cylindrical, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 30-66 cm long, 14-34 cm wide, obovate, apex emarginate to mucronate, acumen 0.7-0.8 cm long, base cordate to acute, coriaceous, below densely pubescent when young, densely pubescent when old, above glabrous when young and old, discolorous, whitish below; midrib impressed, above pubescent when young, sparsely pubescent when old, below pubescent when young, glabrous when old; secondary veins 30 to 40 pairs, sparsely pubescent above; tertiary venation percurrent. Individuals bisexual; inflorescence cauliflorous, 2-2.5 cm long, peduncle like base 5-9 mm, axial internodes 2-4 mm long, compact, sympodial rachis 10-15 mm long. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 3 to 6 per inflorescence; pedicel ca. 6 mm long, ca. 3 mm in diameter, tomentose; in fruit 9-11 mm long, 3-4 mm in diameter, tomentose; bracts 2, one basal and one upper towards the lower half of pedicel, basal bract ca. 7 mm long, ca. 7 mm wide; upper bract ca. 7 mm long, ca. 7 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, free, 4-5 mm long, 4 mm wide, ovate, apex acute, base truncate, brown, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; petals free, outer petals shorter than inner; outer petals 3, 5-7 mm long, 3-4 mm wide, ovate, apex acuminate to obtuse, base truncate, light yellow, margins flat, pubescent outside, glabrous inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 50-60 mm long, 6-8 mm wide, ovate, apex acute, base truncate, pink to yellow, margins wavy, pubescent outside, pubescent inside; stamens 70 to 150, in 5 to 6 rows, 1 mm long, broad; connective discoid, glabrous, red; staminodes absent; carpels free, 8 to 10, ovary ca. 3 mm long, stigma globose, densely pubescent. Monocarps sessile, 2 to 5, 12-35 mm long, 10-28 mm in diameter, obovoid, apex cuspidate, tomentose, smooth, not ribbed, brown when ripe; seeds number not counted, ca. 15 mm long, ca. 10 mm in diameter, ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

From Cameroon to Gabon; in Cameroon known from the Central, South and Littoral regions.

Habitat.

An uncommon species; in lowland rain forests on non-inundated soils. Altitude 0-400 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

None recorded.

IUCN conservation status.

Vulnerable B2ab(iii) ( Cosiaux et al. 2019a f).

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Piptostigma calophyllum is characterized by its large obovate and coriaceous leaf blades (> 30 cm) with a broadly cordate base, tomentose petioles and young foliate branches, compact inflorescences, and tomentose smooth monocarps. It is a lowland species. It is morphologically close to P. submontanum , but the latter has a decurrent to cuneate leaf blade base, muricate and glabrous monocarps, and occurs in submontane areas (> 900 m a.s.l.).

Specimens examined.

Central Region: Edea ( Mangombé), 3.8°N, 10.13°E, 01 January 1963, Letouzey R. s.n. (P) . Littoral Region: Mapubi 30 km before Edea on Yaoundé-Edea road On forestry road 5 km direction to Sanaga river , 3.84°N, 10.39°E, 28 February 2018, Couvreur T.L.P. 1167b (K,MPU,P,WAG,YA); Bassin du Mungo, 4.17°N, 9.52°E, 01 June 1917, Fleury F. 33400 (P); Edea Mangombe, 3.86°N, 10.14°E, 01 January 1956, Letouzey R. 1936 (P,YA); Route Douala-Edéa près du km 28, 4.05°N, 9.689°E, 18 January 1962, Letouzey R. 4011 (P,YA) . South Region: Ngovayang , 3.23°N, 10.57°E, 01 June 2015, Kamdem N. 295 (YA); Près Akak 10 km W Sangmeli 2.96°N, 11.88°E, 11 March 1970, Letouzey R. 10157 (P,YA); Piste Meyo Ntem-Evouzok 75 km W Ambam Entre 1er et 3e bras du Ntem, 2.28°N, 10.52°E, 28 November 1979, Letouzey R. 15272 (P,YA); Ebolowa Cameroon, 2.76°N, 10.91°E, 04 July 1911, Mildbraed G.W.J. 5791 (B,L,P) .

Figures

Map 10. A Monodora myristica B Monodora tenuifolia C Monodora undulata D Monodora zenkeri E Neostenanthera myristicifolia F Neostenanthera neurosericea G Neostenanthera robsonii H Piptostigma calophyllum I Piptostigma fugax. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).

Figure 85. Piptostigma calophyllum A detail of leaf apex B detail of leaf base C detail of pubescence (lower portion of leaf) D detail of inflorescence with old flower (sepals and petals fallen), note compact nature of the inflorescence E flower, whole F flower, top view G longitudinal section of receptacle H stamen, front view I carpel side view and detail of ovules A-I from Halle, N. 2263. Drawings by Helene Lamourdedieu, Publications Scientifiques du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris; modified from Le Thomas (1969 b, pl. 36, p. 195 and fig. 19, p. 115).

Figure 86. Piptostigma calophyllum A habit B base of leaf blade, lower side, note numerous secondary veins C base of leaf blade, upper side D base of leaf blade, lower side E flowering branch F detail of receptacle, note numerous carpels G detail of lower part of flower. Piptostigma fugax H habit I flower, note single flowered inflorescence A-G Couvreur 1167 b, Mapubi, Cameroon H, I Couvreur 681, Campo Ma'an, Cameroon. Photos Thomas L. P. Couvreur.