Uvariastrum insculptum (Engl. & Diels) Sprague & Hutch., Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 6: 159, 1916

Fig. 117; Map 14H

≡ Uvaria insculpta Engl. & Diels, Notizbl. Königl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 2: 295, 1899.

Type.

Cameroon. South-West Region; Johann-Albrechtshöhe [Kumba], Staudt A. 740, 1896: lectotype, designated by Couvreur (2014), p. 18: B[B100153111]; isolectotypes: COI[COI00077205]; G[G00011729]; K[K000105338, K000105339, K000105340]; [P00315828, P00315829]; S[S12-22768].

Description.

Tree to shrub, 4-15 m tall, d.b.h. 3-5 cm; stilt roots or buttresses absent. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate branches densely pubescent. Leaves: petiole 1-4 mm long, 1 mm in diameter, densely pubescent, weakly grooved adaxially, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 6-14 cm long, 2-4 cm wide, elliptic to obovate, apex rounded or acuminate, acumen 1-2 cm long, base subcordate, papyraceous to subcoriaceous, below glabrous when young and old, above sparsely pubescent to glabrous when young, sparsely pubescent to glabrous when old, concolorous; midrib sunken or flat, above pubescent when young, glabrous when old, below sparsely pubescent to densely pubescent when young, sparsely pubescent to densely pubescent when old; secondary veins 8 to 12 pairs, sparsely pubescent to glabrous above; tertiary venation reticulate. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences cauliflorous, ramiflorous on young foliate or on old leafless branches, axillary. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 1 to 2 per inflorescence; pedicel 8-15 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, densely pubescent; in fruit 10-20 mm long, 2-5 mm in diameter, densely pubescent; bracts 3, all basal, 4 mm long, 3-4 mm wide; sepals 3, reduplicate-valvate, free, 10-20 mm long, 5-8 mm wide, ovate, apex acute, base truncate, green to light green or pale yellow with darker margins, densely pubescent outside, densely pubescent inside, margins slightly revolute; petals free, outer petals longer than inner; outer petals 3, 23-35 mm long, 5-10 mm wide, ovate, apex acute, base narrowed, light yellow to white, margins flat, pubescent outside, pubescent (sometimes sparsely) pubescent inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 10-20 mm long, 6-10 mm wide, ovate, apex acute, base cuneate, light yellow, margins flat, densely pubescent outside, sparsely pubescent inside; stamens numerous, 2-3 mm long, linear; connective elongated, densely pubescent; staminodes absent; carpels free, 6 to 7, ovary 2-3 mm long, stigma bilobed, slightly capitate, glabrous. Monocarps shortly stipitate, stipes 2-6 mm long, 2-5 mm in diameter; monocarps 2 to 8, 30-60 mm long, 10-20 mm in diameter, oblong, apex apiculate, densely pubescent, finely warty, longitudinally 4 to 6 ribbed, resembling that of a peanut, light brown when ripe; seeds ca. 20 per monocarp, 10-15 mm long, 7-9 mm in diameter, flattened ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

A mainly West African species, but with a disjunct distribution in West and Central Africa, from Liberia to Côte d’Ivoire, and from Nigeria to Gabon. In Cameroon known from the South-West region.

Habitat.

A rare species in Cameroon known from three old collections (including the type) plus a more recent one we did not see; in lowland primary and secondary rain forest. Altitude 0-400 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

None recorded.

IUCN conservation status.

Least Concern (LC) (Cosiaux et al. 2019a t)

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Uvariastrum insculptum is distinguishable by its densely pubescent petioles and upper leaf midrib, and its impressed venation of the upper side of the leaves.

Specimens examined.

South-West Region: Likomba-Pflanzung 15-35 km NE von Victoria [Limbe], 4.1°N, 9.333°E, 01 December 1928, Mildbraed G.W.J. 10795 (A,K); Johann-Albrechtshöhe [Kumba] area 4.63°N, 9.416°E, 1896, Staudt A. 740 (B,COI,G,K,P,P,S); Johann-Albrechtshöhe [Kumba] area 4.63°N, 9.416°E, 1897, Staudt A. 900 (G).