Paropsia gabonica Breteler, 2003

Breteler, F. J., 2003, Novitates Gabonenses 48. A new species of Paropsia (Passifloraceae) from Gabon, Adansonia (3) 25 (2), pp. 247-249 : 247-249

Paropsia gabonica Breteler , sp. nov.

Paropsiae brazzeanae Baill. et P. grewioides Welw. ex Mast. affinis inflorescentiis axillaribus paucifloris et ovario piloso, sed ab eis differt indumento echinato ramunculorum, foliorum calycumque, fructibus echinatis, seminibus majoribus et polline tricolpato.

TYPUS. — Breteler, Caballé, Issembé, Moussavou & Pascal 15134, Gabon, Ogooué - Lolo, near Makandé, c. 65 km SSW of Booué , 0°41’S, 11°55’E, fl., Feb. 1999 (holo-, WAG; iso-, G, K, LBV, MA, MO, P, PRE).

Shrub-treelet, up to 2.5 m tall. Branchlets hispid, subappressed or not. Stipules minute, triangular, ≤ 0.5 mm long, mostly hidden by the indumentum. Leaves: petiole subterete, (2-) 4- 8 mm long, hispid; lamina papery, obovate to elliptic, 2- 3 (-4) times as long as wide, (11-)16-20 × (4-)5-7(-8) cm, cuneate to rounded at base, acuminate at apex, the acumen acute, (0.5-)1.5- 2(-2.5) cm long; hispid on the prominent midrib

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above, beneath mainly hispid on the midrib and the (6-)7-9(-11) pairs of main lateral nerves, leaf margin usually dentate, mainly so in the upper half. Flowers ± white, axillary, 1-2(-3) together; bracts and bracteoles triangular, up to 5(-7) mm long; pedicel 4-6 mm long; sepals narrowly obovate-oblong, 15-16 × 4 mm, apiculate, hispid outside, sparsely subappressed-puberulous inside; petals narrowly oblong-obovate, 13-16 × 2.5- 3 mm, usually apiculate, puberulous outside, ± glabrous inside; corona c. 2.5 mm high, lobate, the lobes ± free to the base or partly united in groups of 2-4, pubescent outside and on apical part inside; stamens 5, c. 10 mm long, glabrous, the filaments at base adnate to the c. 2 mm long, glabrous gynophore, anthers 2-2.5 mm long, ovary 2-2.5 mm long, ± tuberculate, hispid; styles 3, slender, 5-7 mm long, glabrous or pubescent; stigma ± flat. Fruit subglobose to ellipsoid, 2.5- 3.5 cm long, 1.5-2.5 cm in diam., sparsely puberulous mixed with sparse, long, hispid hairs; seed ± flat, obtriangular to obcordate, 10 × 8- 9 mm. — Fig. 1.

HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION. — Rain forest in Central Gabon, up to c. 650 m altitude.

PARATYPES. — GABON: Breteler et al. 14800, Makandé , c. 65 km SSW of Booué, fl., Jan. ( K, LBV, MO, P, WAG); McPherson 16161, NE of Lopé - Okanda Res., fr., Feb. ( LBV, MO) .

Figures

Fig. 1. — Paropsia gabonica Breteler: A, flowering branch; B, flower; C, flower with withered stamens and some fruit development sectioned lengthwise; D, idem., the pistil lifted to show corona; E, stigma; F, ovary tubercle with indumentum; G, young fruit; H, seed. (A-D, F, Breteler et al. 15134; E, G, Breteler et al. 14800; H, McPherson 16161. Drawing by H. DE VRIES.