Uvariopsis dicaprio Cheek & Gosline, PeerJ 9(e12614): 8, 2022

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 : 417-419

Uvariopsis dicaprio Cheek & Gosline, PeerJ 9(e12614): 8, 2022

Fig. 132 ; Map 16B

= Uvariopsis ebo Cheek & Gosline, https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.03.26.437154; nom. nud.

Type.

Cameroon. Littoral Region, Yabassi, Ebo Forest, Dicam Trail 2000 m from Bekob camp, MacKinnon L.E. 51, 25 March 2008; holotype K [K001381842]; isotypes MO, YA .

Description.

Tree, 3-4 m tall, d.b.h. 2-3 cm; stilt roots or buttresses absent. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate glabrous. Leaves: petiole 4(5) mm long, ca. 2 mm in diameter, glabrous, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 17-20(-23) cm long, 6-8 cm wide, oblanceolate, apex acuminate, acumen 1-1.5 cm long, broadly acute but minutely cordate, coriaceous, below glabrous when young and old, above glabrous when young and old; midrib sunken, above glabrous when young and old, below glabrous when young and old; secondary veins 5 to 8(9) pairs per side, glabrous above; tertiary venation reticulate. Individuals unisexual [?, female flowers unknown], monoecious [?]; male inflorescences cauliflorous, scattered along the trunk. Male flowers with 6 perianth parts in 2 whorls, narrowly ovoid to pyramidal in bud; 1 to 7 per inflorescence borne on a short peduncle; pedicel ca. 18-25 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, glabrescent to glabrous; bracts (1)2, one basal and one upper towards the lower half of pedicel, similar in size, ca. 1.5 mm long, ca. 0.5 mm wide; sepals 2, valvate, free, ca. 1-1.5 mm long, ca. 2 mm wide, semi-orbicular, apex acute, base truncate, glabrous, margins flat; petals free, 4 in one whorl, 14-16 mm long, ca. 5-9 mm wide, lanceolate-oblong, apex rounded, base truncate, yellow-green, margins flat, sparsely pubescent outside, glabrous inside; stamens ca. 300 in ca. 10 whorls, ca. 0.5 mm long; connective absent; staminodes absent. Fruits unknown.

Distribution.

Endemic to Cameroon; known from the Littoral region.

Habitat.

A rare species only known by the type, in submontane primary rain forests. Altitude 850 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

None recorded.

IUCN conservation status.

Not officially evaluated, but suggested as CR B1+2ab(iii), D ( Gosline et al. 2022).

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Uvariopsis dicaprio is only known by the type specimen. It is distinguished from the other species by its flowers with yellow-green petals.

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 132. Uvariopsis dicaprio A habit, cauliflorous inflorescences on trunk B leafy branch, one season's growth C inflorescence, showing pedicel articulations, bracts and bracteoles D flower, with one petal removed to show the staminal dome E detail of sparse hairs on abaxial petal surface F stamen, different views G junction of base of leaf with stem, showing dome-like axillary bud A-G MacKinnon 51, Ebo, Cameroon. Drawings by Meg Griffiths, reproduced with permission from Gosline et al. (2022, fig. 3, page 5) DOI https: // doi. org / 10.7717 / peerj. 12614 / fig- 3.