Uvariopsis korupensis Gereau & Kenfack, Adansonia ser . 3, 22(1): 41 (2000)

Dagallier, Leo-Paul M. J., Mbago, Frank M., Couderc, Marie, Gaudeul, Myriam, Grall, Aurelie, Loup, Caroline, Wieringa, Jan J., Sonke, Bonaventure & Couvreur, Thomas L. P., 2023, Phylogenomic inference of the African tribe Monodoreae (Annonaceae) and taxonomic revision of Dennettia, Uvariodendron and Uvariopsis, PhytoKeys 233, pp. 1-200 : 1

Uvariopsis korupensis Gereau & Kenfack, Adansonia ser. 3, 22(1): 41 (2000)

Figs 67 , 68 , 69

Type.

Cameroon - South-West Region • D. Kenfack 1026 (holotype: YA! (YA0003173); isotypes: MO! (MO-022919), P! (P01817719), WAG! (WAG0358388)); Ndian, Korup National Park , Chimpanzee Camp; 5°04'N, 8°52'E; alt. 160 m; 03 Feb. 1998 .

Description.

Tree 3-15 m tall, D.B.H 5-14 cm; young branches pubescent to glabrous, old branches glabrous. Petiole 2-7 mm long, 3-6 mm wide, pubescent to glabrous. Leaf lamina 280-615 mm long, 83-165 mm wide, length:width ratio 2.9-4.3, obovate, coriaceous, base rounded to cordate, apex acuminate, acumen 18-32 mm long, surface above glabrous, surface below glabrous; midrib impressed above, raised below, glabrous above, glabrous below; secondary veins 13-26 pairs, brochidodromous, impressed above, raised below; tertiary veins reticulate. Flowers unisexual, male and female flowers dimorphic, on same individuals (plant monoecious, but individuals with only staminate flowers were also observed). Flower buds conical. Male inflorescences borne on thickenings of the trunk, mainly at the base of the trunk, towards up to 3.8 m, composed of 2 to 3 flowers. Peduncle inconspicuous. Flower pedicel 6-70 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, pubescent to sparsely pubescent. Bracts 1 to 3 at base and one towards the lower 10% of pedicel, upper bract 1-3.5 mm long, 1.5-5 mm wide, broadly ovate, adpressed, semi-clasping the pedicel, pubescent outside, glabrous inside. Sepals 2, 1-5 (7.5) mm long, 2-6.5 mm wide, broadly ovate, basally fused, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, dull yellowish-brown. Petals 4, 10-38 mm long, 4-10 mm wide, length:width ratio 2.5-7, narrowly ovate, fused at base, pubescent outside, glabrous and verrucose inside, cream to brownish outside, cream to pinkish inside. Stamens numerous (exact number unknown), 0.5-0.8 mm long, 0.1-0.3 mm wide, anthers linear, connective prolongation truncate. Female inflorescences borne on thickenings of the trunk, mainly at the base of the trunk, towards up to 3.8 m, composed of 2 to 3 flowers. Flower pedicel 20-50 mm long, 1.5-2.5 mm in diameter, pubescent to sparsely pubescent. Bracts 1 to 3 at base and one towards the lower 10% of pedicel, upper bract 1-3.5 mm long, 1.5-5 mm wide, broadly ovate, adpressed, semi clasping the pedicel, pubescent outside, glabrous inside. Sepals 2, 3-5 mm long, 4-5 mm wide, broadly ovate, basally fused, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, dull tan. Petals 4, 15-35 mm long, 7-12 mm wide, length:width ratio 2.2-5, narrowly ovate, fused at base, pubescent outside, glabrous and verrucose inside, cream to brownish outside, cream to pinkish inside. Carpels 25 to 120, 1.5-2.5 mm long, 0.5-1 mm wide, velutinous, free; stigma ca. 0.6 mm long, 0.8-1.3 mm wide, truncate pyramidal. Fruiting pedicel 45-90 mm long, ca. 3 mm in diameter, glabrous. Monocarps, 5-9, 29-45 mm long, 18-30 mm wide, length:width ratio 1.4-1.9, ellipsoid to cylindrical, smooth, glabrous, clear orangish yellow, sessile to shortly stipitate; stipe up to 5 mm long, ca. 2 mm wide, glabrous. Seeds 8-14 per monocarp, biseriate, 10-22 mm long, 5-14 mm wide, ellipsoid to oblong.

Distribution.

Endemic to Lower Guinean Domain of the Guineo-Congolian Region: Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon.

Habitat and ecology.

Lowland mature or secondary rain forests. Soil: sandy, rocky, volcanic. Altitude 90-160 m asl.

Phenology.

Flowers collected from January to March, in April and from July to November. Fruits collected from February to April and in October.

Notes.

This species resembles Up. bakeriana , Up. citrata and Up. submontana in having large obovate leaves (from 28 to 62 cm long), with rounded to cordate bases. Up. korupensis differs from Up. bakeriana and Up. citrata in having longer flower pedicel (6-70 mm vs. less than 8 mm), and differs from Up. bakeriana in having fused and cream petals (vs. free and pinkish red). It is harder to differentiate Up. korupensis and Up. submontana . Up. korupensis has generally larger leaves than Up. submontana (28-62 cm vs. 16-38 cm). The female flowers of Up. korupensis have smaller sepals (3-5 mm long vs. 6-8 mm long in Up. submontana ), and generally longer petals (15-35 mm long, vs. 15-17 mm long), which results in petals more than 3 times longer than the sepals (vs. petals less than 3 times longer than the sepals in Up. submontana ). Petals of Up. korupensis are cream to brownish outside and cream to pinkish inside whereas petals of Up. submontana are pinkish to dark red inside and outside (Table 5 ).

Conservation status.

This species has been assessed as Endangered EN under criteria B2ab(iii) ( Cheek 2014a).

Additional specimens examined.

Cameroon - Littoral • D. Kenfack 1620 (MO), Nkam, Yingui. Ekem River bank; 4°32'N, 10°18'E; alt. 500 m; 05 Mar. 2002 - South Region • G.A. Zenker 3971 (BM, E, G, G, K), Bipinde; 3°05'N, 10°25'E; 1911 • G.P. Tchouto Mbatchou BIFAX25 (WAG), Campo Ma'an area, Bifa , in the National Park ; 2°40'28'N, 10°16'54'E; alt. 60 m; 13 Oct. 2001 - South-West Region • A.H. Gentry 62456 (MO), Banyong, Batanga area, between Awong and Banyu , ca 15 km W of Manyemen. TRANSECT 3; 5°00'N, 9°10'E; alt. 420 m; 03 May. 1988 • D.W. Thomas 3182 (L, MO, P); Ndian , Cameroon. South-West, forest in the Korup National Park ; 5°03'N, 8°48'E; alt. 50 m; 28 Feb. 1984 • D.W. Thomas 631 (K); Ndian, Korup National Park , transect R; 5°06'N, 8°55'50'E; Jul. 1979 • G.P. Tchouto Mbatchou 675 (K, SCA, YA), Bomana forest. Transect OA, Plot OA0X; 4°15'N, 9°01'E; alt. 200 m; 05 Oct. 1993 • J. Nning 284 (K, MO, SCA, YA); Fako, Bakingili, along a hill`slope to drink gari Camp above the 6th plot; 4°05'N, 9°03'E; alt. 480 m; 16 Feb. 1997 • M.R. Cheek 5486 (K, SCA, YA), Low altitude forest above oil palm plantation. Reached after c. 40 minutes walk N then E from Njonji. Hunters path to ' Lake Njonji' ; 4°08'N, 9°01'E; alt. 300 m; 19 Nov. 1993 • M.R. Cheek 8258 (K, YA); Ndian, Korup National Park, Ekundu Kundu , Transect 9, c. 7.5 cm; 5°07'N, 8°50'E; alt. 170 m; 28 Apr. 1996 • M.R. Cheek 8815 (K, YA); Ndian, Korup National Park, path from village of Ekundu Kundu to top of Mt Juahan ; 5°09'N, 8°52'E; alt. 550 m; 09 Jan. 1998 • R.E. Gereau 5192 (MO, P, WAG), Ndian Division; NW of Mundemba and W of Fabe Village, less than 1 km NE of confluence of Six Cup Garri Creek with Ndian (Mana) River ; 5°03'N, 8°53'E; alt. 90 m; 05 Mar. 1993 • T.L.P. Couvreur 1039 (MPU, WAG, YA), Mount Cameroon National Park, Bakinguili trail, above Bakinguili village ; 4°05'47.97'N, 9°03'24.72'E; alt. 563 m; 02 Apr. 2016 • T.L.P. Couvreur 1052 (MPU, WAG, YA), Mount Cameroon National Park, on the Bomona trail, behind Bomona village, 10 km NW from Idenau ; 4°17'48.99'N, 9°04'43.07"E; alt. 688 m; 03 Apr. 2016 . Equatorial Guinea - Rio Muni, Litoral • C.M. Wilks 1784 (LBV, WAG), Monts de Cristal. 11 km ENE d'Okuamkos; 1°09'N, 10°14'E; 10 Aug. 1988 - Unknown major area • C.M. Wilks 1818 (LBV, P, P, WAG), Monts de Cristal. 15 km d'Okuamkos; 1°10'N, 10°16'E; 23 Aug. 1988 . Gabon - Estuaire • A.M. Louis 1863 (BR, K, LBV, MO, WAG), Andem, Kougouleu-Kango ± 10 km, 2 km N; 0°22'N, 9°57'E; 09 Oct. 1985 .

Figures

Figure 67. Uvariopsis korupensis Gereau & Kenfack A trunk B leaf, lower side C leaf base, upper side D leaf base, lower side E clumps of flowers and fruits at the base of the trunk F flower, side view G fruit, side view H monocarp, longitudinal cut. A-I Couvreur 1052. Photos Thomas Couvreur.

Figure 68. Uvariopsis korupensis Gereau & Kenfack A branch with leaves B female flower, side view C female flower, three petals removed, side view D carpel E male flower and male flower bud, side view F male flower, one petal removed, side view G male flower, bottom view H petal of male flower, inner view I fruit, with A single monocarp J longitudinal section of monocarp. A from Kenfack 1146 B-K from fresh material. Scale bars: 1 cm (A-C, E-K); 0.5 cm (D). Drawings by David Kenfack, from " Le genre Uvariopsis (Annonaceae) en Afrique tropicale, avec la description d'une espece nouvelle du Cameroun " Adansonia 22: 1, fig. 1, p. 42 (Gereau and Kenfack 2000), Publications Scientifiques du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris.

Figure 69. Distribution map of Uvariopsis korupensis. Shades of grey represent elevation, from white (sea level) to darker grey (higher elevation). The inset shows the extent of the map over Africa.