Xylopia cupularis Mildbraed, Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin-Dahlem 8: 56-57. 1921.

Johnson, David M. & Murray, Nancy A., 2018, A revision of Xylopia L. (Annonaceae): the species of Tropical Africa, PhytoKeys 97, pp. 1-252 : 128-131

28. Xylopia cupularis Mildbraed, Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin-Dahlem 8: 56-57. 1921. Fig. 37

Xylopia gilviflora Exell, J. Bot. 73: Suppl. 4. 1935. Type. ANGOLA ["Portuguese Congo"]. Cabinda Province, in the forests at Buco Zau, Mayumbe, 15 Jan 1917, J. Gossweiler 6933 (holotype: BM!, photos at GH! MO! NY!; isotypes: B! [100153140], COI! [00004882], LISC! [000308, 000309, 000310, 000311, 000312, 000313, 000314, 000315, 000316]).

Xylopia chrysophylla J. Louis ex Boutique, Bull. Jard. Bot. État 21: 108-109. 1951. Type. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO ["Belgian Congo"]. Tshopo Province, District Forestier Central, Yangambi, à 7 Km à l’Est du poste, alt ± 470 m, June 1937, J. Louis 4309 (holotype: BR!; isotypes: AAU! BR! [0000008824752], L! MO! [1639095, 3007016], NY! [00066781], US! [2091336]).

Type.

CAMEROON. East Region, weit nach Norden vorgeschobener Ausläufer des äquatorialen Waldgebietes südlich Deng-deng , etwa 250 km nordöstlich Jaunde , Mar 1914, J. Mildbraed 8649 (holotype: B! [100153141]; isotype: BM! [000511053]) .

Description.

Tree up to 35 m tall, d.b.h. up to 50 cm; bole cylindrical, with small buttresses at the base; bark light-colored, tinted with pink, gray, brown, or green, smooth. Twigs reddish brown, finely appressed-pubescent, the hairs 0.1-0.3 mm long, eventually gray brown to light gray, glabrate; nodes commonly with 2-3 axillary branches. Leaf with larger blades 4.6-7.8 cm long, 1.3-2.4 cm wide, chartaceous, discolorous, lanceolate to elliptic or elliptic-oblong, apex acuminate (sometimes minutely truncate), the acumen 6-11 mm long, base cuneate to broadly cuneate, often slightly oblique, with a few hairs on the midrib but otherwise glabrous adaxially, sparsely to densely golden-sericeous abaxially, becoming more sparsely so with age; midrib slightly raised adaxially, raised abaxially, secondary veins indistinctly brochidodromous, 10-15 per side, diverging at 45-60° from the midrib, these and higher-order veins slightly raised on both surfaces, less distinct abaxially; petiole 2-5 mm long, flat to shallowly canaliculate, sparsely pubescent. Inflorescences axillary, 1-2 (-3)-flowered, sparsely pubescent; peduncles rarely present, up to 4 mm long; pedicels usually not pedunculate, rarely up to 3 per peduncle, 4.5-12 mm long, 0.7-0.9 mm thick; bracts 2, both attached distal to pedicel midpoint, caducous, 1.5-1.9 mm long, semicircular, apex broadly acute to obtuse; buds linear-lanceolate, apex acute. Sepals erect to slightly spreading at anthesis, 1/2-3/4-connate, 2.1-3.3 mm long, 2.5-3.5 mm wide, coriaceous, broadly ovate, apex broadly acute to obtuse, pubescent abaxially. Petals cream-colored to yellow in vivo; outer petals appear spreading at anthesis, 15.5-36 mm long, 2.2-3.4 mm wide at base, 1.2-2.2 mm wide at midpoint, fleshy, linear-lanceolate, apex acute, densely pubescent adaxially, sericeous abaxially; inner petals appear spreading at anthesis, 13.5-17.7 mm long, 2.4-3.5 mm wide at base, 0.9-1.5 mm wide at midpoint, fleshy, linear, apex acute, base with undifferentiated margin, puberulent on both surfaces except for glabrous base. Stamens 160-200; fertile stamens 1.0-1.6 mm long, narrowly oblong, apex of connective 0.1-0.3 mm long, depressed-globose, overhanging the anther thecae, glabrous, anthers 9-10-locellate, filament 0.2-0.6 mm long; outer staminodes 1.3-1.4 mm long, oblong, apex obtuse to rounded; inner staminodes 0.9-1.0 mm long, oblong, apex truncate; staminal cone 1.7-2.3 mm in diameter, 0.7-1.0 mm high, partially concealing the ovaries, rim laciniate. Carpels 12-20; ovaries ca. 1 mm long, ellipsoid to oblong, densely pubescent, stigmas connivent, 2.5-2.8 mm long, filiform, with a tuft of hairs at the apex. Torus flat, 2.1-2.7 mm in diameter. Fruit of up to 18 glabrate monocarps borne on a pedicel 6-15 mm long, 3-10 mm thick, glabrate; torus 6.6-16 mm in diameter, 5-6.5 mm high, depressed-globose. Monocarps with reddish green exterior and pink to dark red endocarp in vivo, 2.3-5.4 cm long, 1.4-1.9. cm wide, 1.2.-2.0 cm thick, irregularly oblong or obovoid, weakly torulose, apex rounded, base contracted into a stipe (5-) 7-24 mm long, 1.5-5 mm thick, sometimes wrinkled, verrucose; pericarp 0.8-2 mm thick. Seeds 6-8 per monocarp, in two rows, lying oblique to perpendicular to long axis, 9.6-13.4 mm long, 6.1-9.6 mm wide, 5.5-7 mm thick, flattened-ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid, wedge-shaped in cross-section, truncate at micropylar end, rounded at chalazal end, dark brown, mostly smooth but finely marked with pits and wrinkles, dull, raphe forming a keel, antiraphe partially sunken into a groove but not evident by the micropylar scar, micropylar scar 1.5-2.6 mm long, 0.6-2.3 mm wide, ovoid, oblong, or deltoid; sarcotesta glaucous blue or gray in vivo; aril absent.

Phenology.

Specimens with flowers have been collected in all months of the year, and with fruits in all months except February, March, and December.

Distribution

(Fig. 38 ). Distributed from southeastern Nigeria east to the southern Central African Republic and south to Cuanza Sul Province of Angola and the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, occurring in rainforest, semi-deciduous forest, forest-savanna edges, and secondary forest at elevations of 50-800 m.

Local names.

Aganda (Basoko, Louis 4309), bompaie bo fufow bo lowe (Turumbu, Louis 4309), inaolo a bompaie bo fufow (Turumbu, Louis 16550), lucangua (Matton 11), molo-nyama (Lissongo, Tisserant 2295), molo-nzange (Lissongo, Tisserant 1768), odjobi ( Yaoundé, Mbarga 1940 SRFK), sange (Ekuba 1615, Hart 572), sange-petite (Kibila, Marabo 1546).

Representative specimens.

NIGERIA. Benin Province, Iyekuselu District, in field 8 at W. A. I. F. O. R., 8 Dec 1961 (fl), Daramola FHI 45672 (K). CAMEROON. Subdivision Eseka près de Badjob, 17 Jun 1955 (fl), Mbarga 58 [SRFK 1940] (P); Likomba-Pflanzung, 15-35 km NE von Victoria, 50-100 m, Nov 1928 (st), Mildbraed 10629 (A, K); PK 30 route Mintom I (70 km E de Djoum)-Alati (100 km SE de Djoum), 8 Jan 1973 (fl), Letouzey 11801 (BR, K, P, WAG); South West Province, Mount Cameroon, Mabeta peninsula, Mabeta, 19 Oct 1997 (st), Tchouto et al. 1756 (MO). CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC. Ndakan Gorilla Study Area, 02°21'N, 16°10'E, 385 m, 15 Jul 1988 (fr), Fay & Harris 8535 (MO); Sangha-Mbaere, Ndakan Gorilla Study Area, 385 m, 25 Jul 1988 (fr), Fay & Harris 8546 (MO); [Oubangui], Boukoko, 19 Aug 1947 (fl, fr), Tisserant 138 (BM, BR, K, MO, P); 17 Sep 1947 (fl), Tisserant 246 (BM, G, P); [Oubangui], Boukoko, 6 Oct 1947 (fl), Tisserant 315 (BM, K, P); 15 Dec 1948 (fl), Tisserant 1287 (BM, K, P); 7 Jun 1950 (fr), Tisserant 1768 (BM, P); région de Boukoko, 28 Nov 1951 (fr), Tisserant 2295 (BM, BR, P). GABON. Ogooué-Ivindo: Lopé-reserve, 0°30'S, 11°33'E, 28 Nov 1986 (st), Reitsma & Reitsma 2622 (MO, NY, WAG); Reserve de la Lopé, 0°15'S, 11°40'E, 3 Oct 1992 (fr), White 371 (MO); SEGC Lopé Reserve, 0°15'S, 11°40'E, 18 Jun 1991 (fr), White 489 (MO).- Ogooué-Lolo: Bambidie, about 30 km E of Lastoursville, 300 m, ca. 0°44'S, 12°58'E, 13 Nov 1999 (fr), Breteler 15468 (WAG); région de Lastoursville, Lastoursville, 25 Feb 1930 (fl), Le Testu 7937 (BM, NY, P). REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO. Chaillu, ouest-Mossendjo, région de Kouyi, plaine ou steppe de Mussanda sur dalle cuirassée [02°57'S, 12°44'E], 23 Apr 1977 (fr), Sita 4118 (BR, P, WAG). DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO. Bas-Uele: Digba, Prov. Orien tale, Terr. Ango, forêt des Akare entre riviére Bili et Asa, 29 Nov 1963 (fl), Gerard 5583 (K, MO, WAG).- Équateur: Yalifake ( Région Mondombe, Terr. Ikela) [0°37'S, 22°42'E], 6 May 1959 (fl), Evrard 6266 (BR, K).-Ituri: Zone de Mambasa (Ituri Forest), Lenda, 1°19'N, 28°38'E, 750 m, 2 Jun 1994 (fr), Ekuba 1615 (MO, WAG); Zone de Mambasa (Ituri), Epulu, 1°25'N, 28°35'E, 750 m, forêt mixte à 25 km nord-ouest d’Epulu, 26 Jul 1986 (fl), Hart 572 (BR, MO); Zone de Mambasa (Ituri Forest), Afarama, 1°33'N, 28°32'E, 800 m, 27 Apr 1973 (fl), Marabo 1546 (BR, K, MO).- Kongo Central: Prov. Léopoldville, Mbanza-Ngungu ["Territ. Thysville"], forêt de Kinganga, Oct 1958 (fl, fr), Davio 10 (A, B, BR, P, WAG); Luki, 8 May 1947 (fr), Donis 1441 (P); Route Interieure, Luki, 27 Jul 1957 (fr), Matton 11 (BR); Luki, Toussaint 2187 (K).- Kwilu: Kiyaka-Kwongo, Prov. Kinshasa, Terr. Kikwit, 6 Sep 1955 (fl), Devred 2565 (K, WAG).-Maniema: Kivu Prov., Territ. Kindu, Beondo, 21 Apr 1959 (fr), Bamps 597 (K).-Tshopo: Prov. Orientale, Terr. Tsangi, Yangambi, ca. 470 m, 14 Jan 1952 (fr), Donis 3404 (K, MO); Yangambi, 470 m, 8 Aug 1936 (fl), Louis 2393 (B, BM, K, MO, P, US), 15 Jan 1938 (st), Louis 7522 (NY, PR, RSA), s. d. (fr), Louis 16550 (BR, K). ANGOLA. Cabinda: Pango Manga, 22 Jan 1916 (fl), Gossweiler 6185 (BM).-Cuanza Sul: Amboim, Capir, proximum flumen Carloango-Cuvo, 900 m, Sep 1932 (fr) Gossweiler 9903 (K-2 sheets).

Xylopia cupularis is distinctive among African Xylopia species for its combination of small acuminate leaves with abaxial golden appressed pubescence, relatively long pedicels, sepals connate into a cup-shaped calyx, and the large number (up to 18) of monocarps, which are usually distinctly stipitate, and the circular seeds on which the raphe is distinctly keeled for part of its length. Some specimens of X. phloiodora , e.g. Tisserant 955, can resemble it, but may be distinguished by the strongly reticulate adaxial surface of the leaf, the persistent distal bract on the pedicel, the more rounded staminal cone, the smaller number of carpels, and the stigmas broader, warty, and lacking apical hairs.

While the long stipes on the monocarps are distinctive, there is variability in the character. Collections from the Central African Republic exemplify this. In the collections of Fay and Harris, the stipes are short and wide, i.e. 5 by 5 mm, while those in Tisserant 2295 are long and slender (up to 24 mm long). On the specimen Tisserant 1768, the stipes are 5-8 mm long and 3.5-5 mm thick. In the case of specimens with short stipes on the monocarps, the tendency toward large numbers of monocarps per fruit is helpful in identification.

In many herbaria, collections of this species were filed under the Xylopia chrysophylla , a name based on a specimen from Yangambi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We could not distinguish either the type of X. chrysophylla or the type of X. gilviflora from X. cupularis , and follow Paiva (1966) in placing the newer names as taxonomic synonyms of X. cupularis .

In the protologue for Xylopia cupularis , Mildbraed mentions a second specimen, Staudt 525, but points out that the specimen is sterile and that it cannot be identified as this species with certainty. The specimen is therefore not regarded as having any type status with respect to this name.

Figures

Figure 37. Xylopia cupularis. A Bud and partially open flower B Diagrammatic drawing of dehisced monocarp, showing seed arrangement C Fruit D Longitudinal section of flower with petals removed, to show the calyx, stamens attached to staminal cone, and carpels inside the cone E Stamen, abaxial view F Base of inner petal, adaxial view G Leaves H Seed, viewed from micropylar end I Seed, side view J Detail of indument on lower leaf surface. A, D-G from Gerard 5583 (MO) B, C, H-J from Sita 4118 (P).

Figure 38. Distributions of Xylopia cupularis and X. tanganyikensis. Bolder lines represent country borders, fainter lines lakes and major rivers.