Monanthotaxis sterilis P.H.Hoekstra, Blumea 66 (1): 200, 2021

Fig. 68; Map 9A

Type.

Gabon. Woleu-Ntem; on road from Mitzic to Lalara (N2), just after the bridge over the Lara, Couvreur T.L.P. 869, 15 Nov 2015: holotype: WAG[WAG.1575982]; isotypes: LBV; YA.

Description.

Scrambling shrub to liana, up to 6 m tall, d.b.h. up to 2 cm. Indumentum of simple hairs to glabrous; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate branches pubescent with dense appressed to ascending reddish brown hairs 0.2-0.4 mm long. Leaves: petiole 2-4 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, pubescent with appressed to ascending reddish brown hairs, slightly grooved, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 9.1-15.2 cm long, 1.4-2.4 cm wide, linear to narrowly elliptic, apex acuminate, acumen 1-2 cm long, base cuneate, papyraceous, below sparsely pubescent when young, glabrous when old, above glabrous when young and old, discolorous, whitish below; midrib depressed, above sparsely pubescent when young, glabrous when old, below sparsely pubescent when young, glabrous when old; secondary veins 15 to 20 pairs, almost perpendicular with midrib, straight, but curving halfway, glabrous above; tertiary venation percurrent, hardly visible. Inflorescences, flowers and fruits unknown.

Distribution.

A central African species, from Cameroon to the Republic of Congo; in Cameroon known from the Central and Littoral regions.

Habitat.

A fairly common species when present, but collected only twice in Cameroon; in primary and old secondary rain forests, along small streams, sometimes on sandy soils. Altitude 100-400 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

None recorded.

Preliminary IUCN conservation status.

Least Concern (LC) (Hoekstra et al. 2021).

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Monanthotaxis sterilis is distinguished by its linear or narrowly elliptic leaves and the secondary veins which are almost perpendicular with the midrib.

The first author has seen this species numerous times across central Africa, either as a young sapling on the ground or a young liana, but was never able to find any flowering or fruiting material. The DNA analyses indicated that Monanthotaxis sterilis is most closely related to M. pellegrinii (see Hoekstra et al. 2018), with which it is very different in the leaf shape and venation.

Specimens examined.

Central Region: Mefou proposed national park Near Mefou town, 3.62°N, 11.58°E, 08 March 2004, Cheek M. 11504 (K,WAG,YA). Littoral Region: Ebo Wildlife Reserve Djuma permanent camp On east trail, 4.36°N, 10.25°E, 15 February 2013, Couvreur T.L.P. 628 (MPU,WAG,YA).