Monanthotaxis cauliflora (Chipp) Verdc., Kew Bull. 25(1): 30, 1971

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 : 177-180

Monanthotaxis cauliflora (Chipp) Verdc., Kew Bull. 25(1): 30, 1971

Figs 49 , 62 ; Map 6G

≡ Popowia cauliflora Chipp, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew, 5: 182, 1923; Clathrospermum mannii Oliv., Fl. Trop. Afr. 1: 25, 1868, pro parte, quoad specim. ♀; Popowia mannii (Oliv.) Engl. & Diels, (non Baill.) in Engl. Monogr. Afr. Pfl. 6: 49, 1901, pro parte, quoad specim. ♀ nom. illeg.; Popowia diclina Sprague, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 2: 53, 1908, pro parte, quoad specim. ♀.

Type.

Nigeria. Cross River State; Old Calabar, Thomson W.C. s.n., 1963: lectotype, chosen by Le Thomas (1969b), p. 218: K[K000198911] .

Description.

Liana, 25 m tall, d.b.h. up to 4 cm. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrescent, young foliate branches pubescent with very short reddish brown hairs 0.05-0.1 mm long. Leaves: petiole 5-9 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, densely pubescent, weakly grooved, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 12.5-15.2 cm long, 4.8-5.8 cm wide, oblong to oblanceolate, apex acuminate to acute, acumen ca. 1 cm long, base cuneate to rounded, papyraceous, below sparsely pubescent when young, glabrous when old, above glabrous when young and old, discolorous, whitish below; midrib sunken or flat, above densely pubescent when young and old, below sparsely pubescent when young, sparsely pubescent to glabrous when old; secondary veins 11 to 16 pairs, sparsely pubescent above; tertiary venation percurrent. Individuals unisexual, monoecious, dimorphic, female inflorescences cauliflorous, male ones axillary, ramiflorous. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, male and female flowers dimorphic, male inflorescences with 1 to 6 flowers, female inflorescence a condensed panicle to 12 cm in diameter with many flowers; male flowers: pedicel 5-6 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, densely pubescent; basal bract ca. 1 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide; upper bract ca. 1 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, basally fused, ca. 1 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide, triangular, apex acuminate, base truncate, densely pubescent outside, densely pubescent inside, margins flat; petals free, outer petals longer than inner, inner petals entirely covered in bud; outer petals 3, 1.2-2.3 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, broadly ovate, apex obtuse, base truncate, margins flat, densely pubescent outside, pubescent with short papillose hairs inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 0.5-0.7 mm long, 0.3-0.5 mm wide, elliptic, apex obtuse, base truncate, margins flat, pubescent outside, pubescent inside; stamens 6, in 1 row but grouped by 2, ca. 1 mm long, oblong; connective truncate, pubescent; staminodes 12(to 13), in one whorl externally to the stamens, very short 0.2 mm long, sparsely pubescent; female flowers: pedicel 6-20 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, densely pubescent; in fruit 30-40 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter; basal bract 1-1.5 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide; upper bract ca. 1 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, basally fused, ca. 1 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide, ovate to lanceolate, apex acuminate, base truncate, densely pubescent outside, densely pubescent inside, margins flat; petals free, outer petals longer than inner, inner petals entirely covered in bud; outer petals 3, 3-3.5 mm long, 3.5-4.0(5.0) mm wide, broadly ovate, apex obtuse, base truncate, margins flat, densely pubescent outside, pubescent with short papillose hairs inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 1.3-1.4 mm long, 0.5-0.6 mm wide, elliptic, apex obtuse, base truncate, margins flat, pubescent outside, pubescent inside;, ca. 1 mm long, stigma elongate, glabrous, carpels free, 48 to 60(76), ovary 1-1.5 mm long, densely hairy. Monocarps stipitate, stipes 6-12 mm long, 2-3 mm in diameter; monocarps ca. 8, 15-57 mm long, 6-9 mm in diameter, moniliform, ellipsoid, apex apiculate, pubescent, smooth to verrucose, constricted around seeds when more than 1, color unknown; seeds 1 to 4 per monocarp, 12-15 mm long, 5-8 mm in diameter, ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

A central African species, from Nigeria to Gabon and in Equatorial Guinea; in Cameroon known from the Central, Littoral, South and South-West regions.

Habitat.

A fairly common species; in primary rain forest, old secondary forest and gallery forests. Altitude 0-1000 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

None recorded.

Preliminary IUCN conservation status.

Vulnerable (VU) ( Hoekstra et al. 2021).

Uses in Cameroon.

None recorded.

Notes.

Monanthotaxis cauliflora is distinguished by its very short pubescence on the young foliate branches and underside of the leaves, cauliflorous inflorescences and smallish female flowers with 48 to 60 (76) carpels. Some specimens of M. cauliflora have a slightly longer pubescence, resembling M. diclina , but their hairs are shorter and ascending, not erect as in M. diclina ; both species of which can be found in sympatry in southern Cameroon ( Hoekstra et al. 2021).

The collection Cheek 11657 was tentatively identified as M. angustifolia (Exell) Verdc. (now synonym of M. vogelii ) in the checklist of the plants of Méfou ( Cheek et al. 2011, p. 123), but has now been redetermined as M. cauliflora ( Hoekstra et al. 2021).

Specimens examined.

Central Region: Ndanan I to Ndangan I, 3.62°N, 11.58°E, 10 March 2004, Cheek M. 11657 (K,YA). Littoral Region : Douala-Edea Reserve Lake Tissongo study area 3.78°N, 10.04°E, 01 June 1976, Waterman P.G. 840 (E,K). South Region : Kribi-Lolodorf, 3.17°N, 10.48°E, 05 March 1969, Bos J.J. 4069 (BR,K,P,WAG,YA); 11 km from Kribi Ebolowa road, 2.88°N, 9.983°E, 02 January 1970, Bos J.J. 6037 (BR,C,K,LD,P,P,WAG,YA); 20 km From Kribi 5 km N of Lolodorf road, 3.05°N, 10.05°E, 09 February 1970, Bos J.J. 6293 (BR,P,WAG); Mt Elephant SE of Kribi, 2.81°N, 10.01°E, 28 April 1970, Bos J.J. 6867 (BR,P,WAG); Campo Ma'an National Park 11 km on trail from Ebinanemeyong village on road 7 km from Nyabessan to Campo town , 2.48°N, 10.33°E, 11 February 2015, Couvreur T.L.P. 676 (WAG,YA); Campo Ma'an National Park 11 km on trail from Ebinanemeyong village on road 7 km from Nyabessan to Campo town , 2.48°N, 10.33°E, 13 February 2015, Couvreur T.L.P. 705 (WAG,YA); C. 15 km South of Ebolowa, 2.49, 11.10, 28 February 1964, de Wilde J.J.F.E 1987 (YA,WAG); Ca 15 km S of Ebolowa, 2.83°N, 11.16°E, 28 February 1964, de Wilde W.J.J.O 1987 (BR,P,WAG,YA); Aloum, 2.76°N, 10.69°E, 13 December 2013, Kamdem N. 164 (YA); Pres de Nsola (20 km N Bipindi), 3.16°N, 10.38°E, 29 January 1974, Letouzey R. 12811 (K,P,P,YA); Bipindi , 3.08°N, 10.41°E, 01 January 1913, Zenker G.A. 356 (M,P,U,WAG); Bipindi , 3.05°N, 10.25°E, 01 January 1909, Zenker G.A. 3898 (BR,E,K). South-West Region : Kupe village , 4.76°N, 9.691°E, 08 November 1995, Cheek M. 7711 (K,MO,WAG,YA); Summit of Mt Loh, 5°N, 9.683°E, 17 November 1998, Gosline W.G. 175 (K,YA); Korup National Park, 5.01°N, 8.833°E, 01 January 1985, Thomas D.W. 4324 (K,MO,P,YA) .

Figures

Map 6. A Letestudoxa lanuginosa B Meiocarpidium oliverianum C Mischogyne gabonensis D Monanthotaxis bicornis E Monanthotaxis bokoli F Monanthotaxis capea G Monanthotaxis cauliflora H Monanthotaxis congoensis I Monanthotaxis couvreurii. White borders represent region limits in Cameroon; green patches represent protected areas (see methods and Suppl. material 1: Fig. S 1).

Figure 49. Monanthotaxis cauliflora A habit B base of leaf blade, upper side C base of leaf blade, lower side. Monanthotaxis congoensis D leaf, lower side E base of leaf blade, upper side F base of leaf blade, lower side. Monanthotaxis elegans G leaves, upper side H base of leaf blade, upper side, not subcordate base I base of leaf blade, lower side A-C Couvreur 676, Campo, Cameroon D-F Couvreur 626, Ebo, Cameroon G-I Couvreur 704, Campo, Cameroon. Photos Thomas L. P. Couvreur.

Figure 62. Monanthotaxis klainei var. lastoursvillensis A leaf, lower side B base of leaf blade, upper side C base of leaf blade, lower side. Monanthotaxis laurentii D Leaf, upper side E base of leaf blade, lower side F base of leaf blade, upper side G outer petals, inner and outer views, and inner petals, lower part of photo H young fruit, sepals persistent A-C Couvreur 599, Gabon D-H Couvreur 1056, Mt Cameroon. Photos Thomas L. P. Couvreur.