Monanthotaxis submontana P.H.Hoekstra, Blumea 66 (1): 200, 2021

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 : 232-235

Monanthotaxis submontana P.H.Hoekstra, Blumea 66 (1): 200, 2021

Fig. 69 ; Map 9B

= Monanthotaxis cauliflora sensu Cheek et al. (2004): 238.

Type.

Cameroon. Littoral Region; Nlonako, Letouzey R.G. 14476, 17 Mar 1976: holotype: WAG[WAG0053953]; isotypes: MO[2 sheets]; P[P01982361] .

Description.

Liana, 6-10 m tall, d.b.h. up to 5 cm. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrescent, young foliate branches pubescent with short 0.1-0.2 mm long appressed to half-erect yellowish hairs. Leaves: petiole 6-10 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, pubescent, weakly grooved adaxially, blade inserted on the side of the petiole; blade 7.2-14.1 cm long, 2.1-3.5 cm wide, oblong to narrowly oblong or elliptic to narrowly elliptic, apex acuminate to acute, acumen ca. 1.5 cm long, base cuneate, papyraceous, below sparsely pubescent when young, sparsely pubescent to glabrous when old, above glabrous when young and old, discolorous, whitish below; midrib sunken or flat, above glabrous when young and old, below sparsely pubescent when young and old; secondary veins 11 to 18 pairs, glabrous above; tertiary venation percurrent. Individuals bisexual [although fertile stamens can be absent leading to a female flower, thus possibly individuals gynodioecious], inflorescences cauliflorous, a condensed panicle with many flowers; peduncle up to ca. 70 mm, densely pubescent with appressed to erect reddish brown hairs; Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, pedicel 7-55 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, densely pubescent with reddish hairs; in fruit 17-55 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter; basal bract 1-2 mm long, 1-2 mm wide; upper bract 1-2 mm long, 1-2 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, free, 3-2 mm long, ca. 2 mm wide, ovate, apex acute, base truncate, golden brown, densely pubescent outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; petals free, outer petals longer than inner, inner petals entirely covered in bud; outer petals 3, 3.6-5 mm long, 3.6-5.7 mm wide, broadly ovate to circular, apex obtuse, base truncate, golden green outside, yellowish inside, margins flat, densely pubescent outside, pubescent inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 0.4-1.3 mm long, 0.3-1.1 mm wide, broadly elliptic to circular, apex obtuse, base truncate, margins flat, pubescent outside, pubescent inside; stamens 0 to 2, in 1 row near the inner petals, ca. 1 mm long, clavate to oblong; connective reduced hidden by the thecae, pubescent; staminodes 0 to 14; carpels free, 65 to 85, ovary ca. 1 mm long, stigma globose, glabrous. Monocarps stipitate, stipes 7-14 mm long, 2 mm in diameter; monocarps up to 18, 23-45 mm long, 7-9 mm in diameter, moniliform, ellipsoid, apex apiculate, pubescent, smooth to slightly verrucose, constricted around seeds when more than 1, green when ripe; seeds 1 to 4 per monocarp, 13-14 mm long, 6-8 mm in diameter, ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

endemic to Cameroon, known from the South-West and Littoral regions.

Habitat.

In sub-montane or montane rain forests and swamp forests. Altitude 800-1700 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

None recorded.

Preliminary IUCN conservation status.

Endangered (EN) ( Hoekstra et al. 2021).

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Monanthotaxis submontana is distinguished by its oblong to elliptic leaves with a cuneate base, cauliflorous inflorescences with a peduncle up to 70 mm long, flowering pedicels ranging from 7 to 55 mm long and flowers with 65 to 85 carpels.

Specimens identified as Monanthotaxis cauliflora in Cheek et al. (2004) are in fact redetermined as M. submontana ( Hoekstra et al. 2021).

Specimens examined.

Littoral Region: Nlonako Mt, 4.90°N, 9.943°E, 17 March 1976, Letouzey R. 14476 (MO,P,WAG). South-West Region : Ridge on S side of LOH Mt, 5°N, 9.683°E, 23 January 1998, Cheek M. 9067 (K,WAG,YA); Kodmin to Nzee Mbeng trail at N’dib river crossing, 5°N, 9.716°E, 14 February 1998, Cheek M. 9202 (K,WAG,YA); Bakossi Mountains 1-8 km NNE of Menyum Village, 5.05°N, 9.612°E, 22 May 1987, Doumenge C. 554 (MO,P); Nzimbeng road, 5.93°N, 9.716°E, 04 February 1998, Etuge M. 4122 (K,WAG,YA); Kodmin road towards Mahusom, 5°N, 9.683°E, 12 November 1998, Etuge M. 4442 (K,WAG,YA); Bakossi Mountains west of Bangem, 5.08°N, 9.7°E, 01 January 1986, Thomas D.W. 5274 (MO,P,YA) .

Figures

Map 9. A Monanthotaxis sterilis B Monanthotaxis submontana C Monanthotaxis tripetala D Monanthotaxis vogelii E Monanthotaxis vulcanica F Monanthotaxis whytei G Monanthotaxis zenkeri H Monodora angolensis I Monodora crispata. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).

Figure 69. Monanthotaxis submontana A habit B inflorescence C flower bud D flower bud with one outer petal removed E inner petal, inner and outer views F carpel G stamen front and side views H fruiting branch A-H from Letouzey 14476. Drawings by Esmee Winkel (Hoekstra et al. 2021, fig. 31, p. 204).