Uvariopsis congensis Robyns & Ghesq., Ann. Soc. Sci. Bruxelles, Ser. B 53: 322, 1933

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 : 411-413

Uvariopsis congensis Robyns & Ghesq., Ann. Soc. Sci. Bruxelles, Ser. B 53: 322, 1933

Figs 130 , 140 ; Map 16A

Type.

Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bandundu; Lusambo, van Kerkhoven E. s.n., 16 Aug 1913: lectotype, here designated: BR[BR0000008824318] .

Description.

Tree to shrub, 2-6 m tall, d.b.h. up to 6 cm; stilt roots or buttresses absent. Indumentum of simple hairs or glabrous; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate branches sparsely pubescent to glabrous. Leaves: petiole 2-6 mm long, 1-2.5 mm in diameter, glabrous, slightly grooved, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 8-17.7 cm long, 2.6-7.7 cm wide, elliptic, apex attenuate to acuminate, acumen 0.5-1.8 cm long, base acute to decurrent, papyraceous, below glabrous when young and old, above glabrous when young and old; midrib sunken or flat, above glabrous when young and old, below glabrous when young and old; secondary veins 7 to 12 pairs per side, glabrous above; tertiary venation reticulate. Individuals unisexual, monoecious; inflorescences sometimes cauliflorous, mainly ramiflorous on young foliate and old leafless branches, axillary. Flowers with 6 perianth parts in 2 whorls, globose in bud, 1 to 2 per inflorescence, male and female inflorescences dimorphic; male pedicels 2.5-6 mm long, 0.5-1 mm in diameter, pubescent; female pedicel: 3.5-8 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, pubescent; in fruit 5-15 mm long, 1-3 mm in diameter, pubescent to glabrous; male and female bracts 1 to 4, several basal and one upper towards the lower half of pedicel, similar in size, ca. 1 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide. Male and female sepals 2, valvate, free, 0.7-1.5 mm long, 1-2 mm wide, triangular, apex attenuate, base truncate, brown, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; male and female petals free, 4, 2.5-7 mm long, 3-5 mm wide, ovate, apex acute, base truncate, margins flat, pubescent outside, glabrous, pubescent towards margins inside, light red; male flowers: stamens 300 to 400, in 15 to 20 rows, 0.5 mm long, linear; connective reduced or absent, glabrous, cream; staminodes absent; female flowers: carpels free, 11 to 40, ovary 1.5-3 mm long, stigma globose, densely pubescent. Monocarps stipitate, stipes 0-4 mm long, 1-3 mm in diameter; monocarps 1 to 15, 13-45 mm long, 7-18 mm in diameter, cylindrical, apex rounded, glabrous, smooth, bumpy, green to orange to red when ripe; seeds 2 to 10 per monocarp, 9.5-14 mm long, 7-8 mm in diameter, ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

A widespread species with a disjunct distribution in West Africa from Ivory Coast and Ghana, and in Central Africa from eastern Nigeria to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan; in Cameroon known from the Central, South and South west regions.

Habitat.

An uncommon species, in lowland and premontane primary or old secondary rain forests, and in seasonally flooded forest along rivers. Altitude 500-1000 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

None recorded.

IUCN conservation status.

Least Concern (LC) ( Harvey-Brown 2019d).

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Uvariopsis congensis resembles U. zenkeri in being a small tree with small generally ramiflorous (more rarely cauliflorous, and then few flowered) flowers (in contrast to large mainly cauliflorous flowers in other species). However, U. congensis is glabrous or sparsely pubescent especially in the young foliate branches and petiole (versus very densely pubescent to pubescent in U. zenkeri ), has globose flower buds (versus conical), a longer pedicel (2.5-8 mm versus 0-7 mm), petals that are free (versus fused), and glabrous monocarps (versus tomentose).

Specimens examined.

Central Region: Mt Eloumden 6 km Sud ouest de Yaoundé, 3.81°N, 11.43°E, Achoundong G. 872 (YA); Ca 30 km S of Mbalmayo, 3.33°N, 11.5°E, 13 February 1964, de Wilde W.J.J.O 1914 (P,WAG). East Region : Village Nkolbisson 7 km West of Yaoundé, 4.16°N, 14.11°E, 15 April 1962, Breteler F.J. 2812 (K,P,WAG); West side of Sangha River , 2.21°N, 16.09°E, 01 November 1988, Harris D.J. 1512 (K,P); Bordure de la Sangha au sud de Lidjombo ( près de Libongo) à 110 km au N de Ouesso, 2.93°N, 16.04°E, 10 April 1971, Letouzey R. 10641 (P,YA); Près Ndongo à 45 km WNW de Moloundou, 2.58°N, 15.29°E, 15 March 1973, Letouzey R. 12086 (K,P,WAG,YA); Rive de la Doumé près Bimba (40 km SW de Batouri), 4.16°N, 14.11°E, 15 April 1962, Letouzey R. 4755 (K,P,YA); A 11 km au SSW de Kosso (village situé à 60 km au SSW de Batouri, 3.93°N, 14.17°E, 25 July 1963, Letouzey R. 5491 (K,P,YA); Myko-Malapa(Molundou), 2.05°N, 15.17°E, 21 April 1971, Villiers J.-F. 683 (P,YA). South Region : Rives du Ntem près du confluent de la Kye 16 km ESE d’Ambam, 2.30°N, 11.38°E, 07 February 1970, Letouzey R. 10024 (P,YA); Près de Ngomebae 70 km ESE d’Ebolowa sur route de Mvangan, 2.72°N, 11.73°E, 24 January 1970, Letouzey R. 9915 (P,YA). South-West Region: Johann-Albrechtshöhe [Kumba] area 4.16°N, 9.2°E, 1896, Staudt A. 556 (K,P) .

Figures

Map 16. A Uvariopsis conge nsis B Uvariopsis dicaprio C Uvariopsis dioica D Uvariopsis etugeana E Uvariopsis korupensis F Uvariopsis pedunculosa G Uvariopsis sessiliflora H Uvariopsis solheidii I Uvariopsis submontana. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).

Figure 130. Uvariopsis congolana A leaves, lower side B trunk with long flowering pedicels C flower bud D male pedicels and flower E detail of male flower, 2 petals removed F stamen G female pedicels and flower H lower view of female flower I longitudinal section of female flower J carpel, front view and detail of ovules A, G from Halle 3039 B-F, H-J from Halle 3039. Drawings by Helene Lamourdedieu, Publications Scientifiques du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris; modified from Le Thomas (1969 b; pl. 55, p. 305).

Figure 140. Uvariopsis zenkeri A leaf, upper side B male inflorescences C male flower, one petal removed D stamen E female flower, one petal removed F carpel, front and side view, detail of ovules. Uvariopsis congensis G flowering branch with male flower H male flower one petal removed I stamen J flowering branch with female flower K female flower, one petal removed L carpel, side view and detail of ovules M fruit A-E from Zenker 1117 F from Zenker 63 G-L from Tisserant 1363 M from Letouzey 5494. Drawings by Helene Lamourdedieu, Publications Scientifiques du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris.