Sabicea nobilis R.D. Good

Lachenaud, Olivier, Zemagho, Lise & Sonké, Bonaventure, 2020, A synopsis of the Sabicea floribunda group (Rubiaceae) from Central Africa, including three new species, Candollea 75 (1), pp. 115-143 : 132-133

4. Sabicea nobilis R.D. Good in J. Bot. 61: 86. 1923

( Fig. 1G–H , 7C–D ).

≡ Pseudosabicea nobilis (R.D. Good) N. Hallé, Fl. Gabon 17: 2. 1970.

Lectotypus (designated here): ANGOLA. Cabinda : Belize , 16.XI.1918, fl., Gossweiler 7550 ( BM [ BM000902997 ]!; isolectotype: K [ K000414624 ]!, LISC [ LISC000807 , LISC000808 ] images seen). Syntypus: ANGOLA. Cabinda : Belize , 12.III.1917, fr., Gossweiler 7043 ( BM!, LISC [ LISC000809 , LISC000810 , LISC000811 ] images seen).

= Pseudosabicea mitisphaera N. Hallé in Adansonia ser. 2, 3: 170. 1963. Holotypus: GABON. OgoouéIvindo : piste du Bouéni , env. 20 km SE Makokou, 11.II.1961, N. Hallé 1129 ( P [ P00077593 ]!; isotype: BR [ BR0000008852137 ]!, K [ K000414625 ]!, LISC [ LISC002621 ] image seen, P [ P00077594 ]!).

Distribution, ecology and phenology. – Sabicea nobilis occurs in southeastern Cameroon, Gabon (mostly in the east, absent from the coastal area), southwestern Congo Republic, and Angola ( Cabinda) ( Fig. 9 ) and is locally common in its range. It is found in secondary forest, edges and regrowth, always on drained soils, 160–800 m in elevation.

Flowers have been collected from May to August and October to January; fruits from January to May and September to November.

Conservation status. – The extent of occurrence (EOO) of S. nobilis is calculated to be 238,406 km ², well above the limit for “Vulnerable” status under subcriterion B1. Its area of occupancy (AOO) is estimated to be 132 km ², within the limit for “Endangered” status under criterion B2, but this is an obvious underestimation since most of its range is not well explored. It occurs in Atlantic Central Africa from southeastern Cameroon to Cabinda ( Angola) and is known from 43 specimens representing 30 subpopulations. It occurs in two protected areas, the Doudou Mountains National Park and Batéké Plateaux National Park in Gabon. It is a locally abundant plant of forest edge habitats, and is thus favoured by small-scale forest clearing. Furthermore, most of the area where it occurs is sparsely populated. As a result, there is no particular threat to the species, which is here assessed as “Least Concern” [LC] using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria ( IUCN, 2012).

Notes. – The original description of S. nobilis ( GOOD, 1923) is based on two syntypes, Gossweiler 7043 and 7550, both at BM; the latter collection is here selected as lectotype, because it has a larger number of duplicates.

Additional material studied. – CAMEROON. Reg. East: South of Echiambor ( Lomié to Ngoila ), 18.II.1978, fr., Lowe 3515 ( K); Nkamouna, 11.VI.2004, buds, Sonké 3480 ( BR, BRLU, K); ibid. loco., 15.VI.2004, fl., Sonké 3525 ( BR, BRLU, K). Reg. South: E Sangmelima, 16.V.2016, fr., Sonké & Zemagho 6338 ( BR, BRLU, K, MO, WAG, YA).

GABON. Haut-Ogooué : c. 5–10 km of Franceville along road to Okondja, 4.III.1999, fr., Andersson & Nilsson 2316 ( BR); Lekoko forest exploitation , 70 km SSW of Moanda, near the border Congo-Gabon , 13.X.1970, fr., F.J. Breteler 6871 ( BR, WAG). Moyen-Ogooué : CEFA Ayem, 10 km SW Ndjolé, 10.V.1963, fl., N. Hallé 1974 ( BR, K, P, WAG); ibid. loco, 10.V.1963, buds, N. Hallé 1974bis ( P); ibid. loco, 6.V.1963, fr., N. Hallé 2001 ( K, P). Ngounié : Moukabo , ca 25 km E. of Mouila on the road to Yeno, 27.XI.1984, fl., Arends et al. 468 ( BR, LBV, WAG); au N du PN de Waka , 1°09'51"S 11°08'04"E, 24.IX.2007, fr., Boussengui-Nongo et al. 192 ( LBV); km 6 Mimongo–Yéno, 21.II.2008, fr., Dessein et al. 2039 ( BR, LBV, MO, WAG); Distr. de Mimongo, rte de Lébamba à Etéké km 50 , 14.V.1963, fr., N. Hallé & Cours 5873 ( P); rte de Lébamba à Etéké km 50 , 14.V.1963, fr., N. Hallé & Cours 5874 ( BR, P); Rte chantier Leroy-Massika ente Mouila et Yeno , 27.IV.1989, fr., A.M. Louis & Nzabi 3031 ( LBV, WAG); Oghoubi camp , on the NE border of Waka National Park , 24.III.2007, fr., Sosef et al. 2529 ( BR, LBV, WAG); 25 km on the road Ikobey to Egoubi camp, 1.IV.2004, fr., Wieringa et al. 5203 ( BR, LBV, WAG). Nyanga: chantier SFN , Igotchi , 23.XI.2003, fl., van Valkenburg et al. 2604 ( LBV, WAG). Ogooué-Ivindo : Masenguelani (60 km SE de Lopé), 30.I.1998, imm.fr., Binot & Lejoly 197 ( BRLU); NE du parc de la Lopé , ancienne rte Lopé-Booué , 14 km du carrefour Lopé-Booué, 6.III.2010, fr., Bissiengou et al. 1053 ( LBV, WAG); Mintoume, 5.II.2005, fr., Boupoya & Mbazza 186 ( BRLU); La Nké , 8.X.1983, fl., Floret et al.1735 ( P, WAG); Booué, 31.VII.1966, fl., N. Hallé & Le Thomas 268 ( P); Mintome, 30.III.2003, fr., Mboma et al. 61 ( LBV, WAG); bac de l’Ogooué , 9.VIII.1983, fl., Sita 4983 ( LBV). Ogooué-Lolo : c. 30 km E of Lastoursville, 22.XI.1991, fl., F.J. Breteler & Jongkind 10653 ( BR, LBV, WAG); Bambidie, c. 30 km E of Lastoursville, 1.V.1992, fl. & fr., F.J. Breteler et al. 11205 ( BR, G, LBV, WAG); Makande surroundings , c. 65 km SSW of Booué, 30.I.1999, imm.fr., F.J. Breteler et al. 14853 ( BR, LBV, WAG); Makandé, Débardage Héron , 14.XI.1993, fl., Dhetchuvi et al. 11 ( BRLU); Makandé, près de la station , 18.XI.1993, fl., Dhetchuvi 1308 ( BR, BRLU, WAG); c. 50 km SE of Achouka, old forest in Région des Abeilles , 16.XI.1983, fr., A.M. Louis et al. 723 ( BR, K, P, WAG); Camp Makande , 27.XI.1993, fl., Moungazi 928 ( LBV); Forêt des Abeilles , Makandé , just NE of campsite , 12.I.2001, fl., Wieringa et al. 4075 ( LBV, WAG); c. 30 km ENE of Lastoursville, east of Bambidie, 5.0 km on CEB exploration road NZ P/2, 22.III.2013, fr., Wieringa et al. 7673 ( WAG). Ogooué-Maritime : Monts Doudou , W. of Doussala and Rés. de Faune de Moukalaba , 4.XII.1984, fl., Arends et al. 607 ( LBV, WAG). Woleu-Ntem : Montagne Mengong sur rte Sam vers Mitzic , 25.II.1988, imm.fr., A.M. Louis 2688 ( LBV, WAG).

REPUBLIC OF CONGO. Kouilou: Makaba , ancien village Manengue , 17.II.1987, fr., de Foresta 1291 ( P); km 36–38 , rte de Sounda à Pointe-Noire , 8.II.1966, fr., Farron 5030 ( P); bord de la Loukomba , 19.I.1894, fl., Lecomte D6 ( P). Lékoumou: village de Mitsiba , après Moetchè , 24.I.1965, fl., Bouquet 1087 ( P).

Figures

Fig. 1. – Seeds of Sabicea spp. viewed in electron microscopy. Sabicea couteronii O. Lachenaud, Zemagho & Sonké: A. Entire seed; B. Detail of seed surface. Sabicea dichrosepala O. Lachenaud, Zemagho & Sonké: C. Entire seed; D. Detail of seed surface. Sabicea floribunda var. anisostegia O. Lachenaud, Zemagho & Sonké: E. Entire seed; F. Detail of seed surface. Sabicea nobilis R.D. Good: G. Entire seed; H. Detail of seed surface. [A–B: Sonké & Zemagho 6334; C–D: Dessein et al. 2028; E–F: N. Hallé 2951; G–H: Sosef et al. 2529] [Photos: I. van der Beeten]

Fig. 7. – Sabicea floribunda var. floribunda: A. Inflorescence. Sabicea floribunda var. paucinervis Wernham: B. Fruits. Sabicea nobilis R.D. Good: C. Lower side of leaf; D. Stem with mature infructescence. Sabicea proselyta (N. Hallé) Razafim. et al.: E. Fruiting stem; F. Mature infructescence. [A: near Tchimbélé, Gabon, plant not collected; B: Sonké 5915; C–D: Texier et al. 706; E: Sonké & Zemagho 6329; F: van Valkenburg et al. 3140] [Photos: A: S. Dessein; B: B. Sonké; C–D: N. Texier; E: B. Sonké; F: J. Degreef]

Fig. 9. – Distribution map of Sabicea nobilis R.D. Good.