Xylopia monticola D. M. Johnson & N. A. Murray, PhytoKeys 97: 190-193. 2018

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 : 474-475

Xylopia monticola D. M. Johnson & N. A. Murray, PhytoKeys 97: 190-193. 2018

Map 18E

Type.

Nigeria. Taraba [" N. E. State "] State, Sardauna Province, Kurmin Kugapa , below Kurmin Dodo below the western edge of Cabbal Wade ["Chappal Waddi"], ca. 5500 ft, 28 Feb 1975, Chapman J.D. 3755 Holotype: K .

Description.

Tree up to 10 m (-20 m) tall, d.b.h. unknown; stilt roots and buttresses absent. Old branches glabrate, young branches pubescent with erect dull gray to brown hairs 0.1-1.2 mm long. Leaves: petiole 3.5-9 mm long, pubescent, grooved; blades 7.8-10.9 cm long, 2.7-5.1 cm wide, lanceolate, lanceolate-oblong, elliptic to oblong or oblong-oblanceolate, apex blunt-acuminate, acumen 0.4-1.6 cm long, base broadly cuneate to nearly rounded, papyraceous to subcoriaceous, below sparsely pubescent to glabrate, above glabrous, concolorous; midrib flat, above pubescent, below pubescent; secondary veins 7-13 pairs; tertiary venation conspicuously reticulate. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous on young foliate branches, axillary, peduncle absent. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 1 per inflorescence; pedicel 5.2-8.1 mm long, 1-1.3 mm in diameter; in fruit 6-8.7 mm long, 1.5-2.8 mm thick, sparsely pubescent, sometimes with bracts or sepals persistent; bracts 3-4, evenly spaced, 2-3.1 mm long, ovate; sepals 3, valvate, basally fused, 2.7-3.5 mm long, 2.9-3.1 mm wide, triangu-lar to ovate, apex acute, pubescent outside; outer petals 3, (15-) 36-52 mm long, 2.7-3.6 mm wide at base, linear, apex acute, base concave, cream, pubescent inside, sericeous outside; inner petals 3, valvate, (15.5-) 29-37 mm long, 2-2.6 mm wide at base, linear, apex obtuse, base concave, cream, pubescent on both surfaces except for glabrous base; stamens 160-200, 1.8-2.2 mm long, narrowly oblong, connective apex shield-like, glabrous; carpels 7 to 8, ovary 1.2-1.3 mm long, stigma loosely connivent, linear, 2-3.4 mm long, glabrous except for apical hair tuft. Monocarps stipitate, stipe 8-13 mm long, 2.1-2.6 mm in diameter, monocarps 4 to 8, 34-40 mm long, 6-10 mm wide, narrowly oblong and slightly falciform, torulose, apex obtuse or with a beak 0.5-2 mm long, glabrate, verrucose, green outside, endocarp red; seeds up to 5 per monocarp, in a single row, 11-13.1 mm long, 5.8-6.5 mm wide, oblongoid; sarcotesta "glaucous “glaucous”; aril absent.

Distribution.

Easternmost Nigeria and adjoining Cameroon (South-West region).

Habitat.

A rare species; in gallery forest along streams and in understory of lower montane forests. Altitude 650-1670 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

None recorded.

IUCN conservation status.

Vulnerable (VU) ( Cosiaux et al. 2019b b).

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Xylopia monticola is similar to X. thomsonii in having 1-flowered inflorescences and multiple (3 to 4) bracts, but may be distinguished by the more conspicuous abaxial vein reticulum of the leaves, the longer outer petals, and the relatively small monocarps with a proportionally longer stipe. Xylopia monticola is always a tree, while X. thomsonii is usually a scandent shrub and only rarely an upright tree. Xylopia monticola seems to be restricted to higher elevations than X. thomsonii but closer comparison of the two taxa in the South-West Region and adjoining areas is needed.

Specimens examined.

South-West Region: Near Aguosho 10 km SSW of Akwaya, 6.3°N, 9.466°E, 20 March 1985, Thomas D.W. 4558 (MO); Takamanda Forest Reserve along footpath from Malishi to Kalu 6.15°N, 9.433°E, 01 May 1987, Thomas D.W. 7400 (B,K,MO) .

Figures

Map 18. A Xylopia katangensis B Xylopia letestui C Xylopia longipetala D Xylopia mildbraedii E Xylopia monticola F Xylopia paniculata G Xylopia phloiodora H Xylopia pynaertii I Xylopia quintasii. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).