Annickia polycarpa (DC.) Setten & Maas ex I.M. Turner, Phytotaxa 32: 52, 2011

Fig. 5; Map 1E

≡ Unona polycarpa DC., Syst. Nat. 1: 499, 1817; Coelocline Unona polycarpa (DC.) A.DC., Mém. Anon.: 33, 1832; Melodorum polycarpum (DC.) Benth., Trans. Linn. Soc. London 23: 477-478, 1862; Xylopia? Xylopia polycarpa (DC.) Oliv., Fl. Trop. Afr. 1: 32, 1868.

Type.

Sierra Leone. no region; no locality, Afzelius A. s.n., no date: holotype: B[B 10 0068937]; isotype: BM[BM000547035].

Description.

Tree, 2-20 m tall, d.b.h. unknown; stilt roots or buttresses absent, slash yellow. Indumentum of simple, bifid, fasciculate or star hairs; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate branches densely pubescent to tomentose. Leaves: petiole 3-8 mm long, 2 mm in diameter, densely pubescent to tomentose, grooved, blade inserted on the side of the petiole; blade 5-27 cm long, 2-8 cm wide, elliptic to obovate, apex acuminate, acumen 1-2 cm long, base cuneate to acuminate, coriaceous, below pubescent when young and old, hairs mainly bifid or stellate but some simple too, pointing in all directions, above pubescent when young and old, concolorous; midrib sunken or flat, above pubescent towards base when young, pubescent towards base when old, below pubescent when young, sparsely pubescent when old; secondary veins 8 to13 pairs, pubescent below; tertiary venation intermediate. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous on old or young foliate branches, leaf opposed or extra axillary. Flowers with 6 perianth parts in 2 whorls, 1 per inflorescence; pedicel 9-19 mm long, ca. 2 mm in diameter, pubescent; in fruit 20 mm long, 4-5 mm in diameter, pubescent; bracts 2, one basal and one upper towards the middle of pedicel, basal bract 8 mm long, 4 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, free, 9-22 mm long, 4-5 mm wide, triangular, apex acute, base truncate, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; petals free; outer petals absent; inner petals 3, valvate, 23-34 mm long, 8-19 mm wide, elliptic to inversely Y-shaped ridged, apex acute, base broad and concave, claw mm long, yellow, margins wavy, densely pubescent outside, glabrous inside; stamens 90 to 200, in 5 to 6 rows, 3-4 mm long, linear; connective flattened, glabrous; staminodes absent; carpels free, ca. 70, ca. ovary 3 mm long, stigma lobed, sparsely pubescent. Monocarps stipitate, stipes 19-59 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, monocarps 5 to 55, 18-23 mm long, 8-12 mm in diameter, obovoid, apex mucronate, sparsely pubescent, smooth, glossy, green turning red to black when ripe; seed 1, ca. 20 mm long, ca. 10 mm in diameter, ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

A mainly West African species, from Sierra Leone to Cameroon; in Cameroon known from the South region.

Habitat.

A rare species in Cameroon, in lowland and pre-montane rain forests mainly in primary habitats. Altitude 110-1400 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

Pola (Mvaï, Fang, Annet 174); African yellow wood, yellow wood (english); Moambe jaune (french).

IUCN conservation status.

Least Concern (LC) (Cosiaux et al. 2019d).

Uses in Cameroon.

medicine: bark as an antisepctic, against fever, malaria; construction: house building, furniture; dyes and tannins: as a yellow dye.

Notes.

Annickia polycarpa is distinguished by the densely pubescent to tomentose upper side of the midrib and the petioles, and generally long stipes.

Specimens examined.

South Region: Bipindi, 3.26°N, 10.20°E, 09 June 1928, Annet E. 174 (P).