Monanthotaxis congoensis Baill., Bull. Soc. Linn, Paris 2: 879, 1890

Figs 49, 50; Map 6H

Type.

Gabon. no region; Ogooué, Thollon F.-R. 813, Jul 1887: lectotype, chosen by Le Thomas (1969b), p. 258: P[P00362762, P00362763, P00362766]; isolectotypes: K[K000198992]; MA[MA630761, MA698356]; WAG[WAG0003586, WAG0003587].

Description.

Shrub to liana, 2-5 m tall, d.b.h. unknown. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrescent, young foliate branches densely pubescent with appressed pale brown hairs 0.7-1.2 mm long. Leaves: petiole 3-ca. 8 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, densely pubescent, grooved, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 7.5-25 cm long, 1.9-6 cm wide, oblong to oblanceolate or elliptic, apex acuminate to acute, acumen ca. 1.5 cm long, base cuneate to cordate, papyraceous, below densely pubescent with appressed silky white hairs when young, sparsely pubescent when old, above sparsely pubescent to glabrous when young, glabrous when old, discolorous, whitish below; midrib sunken or flat, above densely pubescent when young and old, below densely pubescent when young and old; secondary veins 9 to 16 pairs, pubescent above; tertiary venation percurrent. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous on old leafless branches, terminal or leaf opposed. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 2 whorls, 4 to 10 per inflorescence, in 6-13 cm long racemes; pedicel up to ca. 12 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, sparsely pubescent to densely pubescent; in fruit same as in flower; basal bract 2-3 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide; upper bract ca. 1 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, basally fused, 1-3 mm long, 1-2 mm wide, triangular to ovate, apex acute, base truncate, densely pubescent outside, pubescent inside, margins flat; petals free, 6, in one whorl, 3-4 mm long, 1-2 mm wide, elliptic to ovate, apex obtuse, base truncate, green to light yellow, margins flat, densely pubescent outside, pubescent inside; stamens 6, in 1 row, opposite with the petals, ca. 1 mm long, obconic; connective truncate, glabrous; staminodes 6, alternating with stamens, ca. 1 mm long; carpels free, 15 to 21, ovary ca. 1 mm long, stigma bilobed, glabrous. Monocarps stipitate, stipes 2-3 mm long, 2-3 mm in diameter; monocarps up to 4, 12-15 mm long, 9-10 mm in diameter, ellipsoid to subglobose, apex rounded, densely pubescent, smooth, dull orange to red when ripe; seed 1 per monocarp; 8-9 mm long, 7-8 mm in diameter, ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

A central African species, in Cameroon and Gabon; in Cameroon known from the Littoral, South and South-West regions.

Habitat.

A uncommon species when present, in primary and old secondary rain forest, periodically inundated rain forests, gallery forests or forest edges, on rocky soil. Altitude 50-700 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 recorded.

Notes.

Monanthotaxis congoensis is distinguished by its densely pubescent lower leaf surface with appressed silky white hairs and its raceme-like inflorescences.

Specimens examined.

Littoral Region: Ebo Wildlife Reserve Djuma permanent camp On east trail, 4.36°N, 10.25°E, 15 February 2013, Couvreur T.L.P. 626 (WAG,YA). South-West Region: Etinde Upper Boando footpath to west of village, 4.05°N, 9.15°E, 06 December 1993, Cable S. 404 (K); Bayang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary after Mbu river, 5.35°N, 9.501°E, 26 March 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 1018 (WAG,YA); on trail leading to top of Mt Etinde after Ekonjo village, 4.06°N, 9.151°E, 01 April 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 1025 (WAG,YA); Mokoko Forest Reserve Dikome, 4.48°N, 9.033°E, 05 May 1994, Ekema S.N. 939 (K,YA); Banyang-mbo Sanctuary, 5.35°N, 9.541°E, 02 December 2000, Gosline W.G. 300 (K); district Buea Upper Boando, 4.03°N, 9.106°E, 27 March 1992, Kwangue A.T. 22 (K,P,YA).