Piptostigma goslineanum Ghogue, Sonke & Couvreur, Pl. Ecol. Evol. 150 (2): 193 2017

Piptostigma goslineanum Ghogue, Sonké & Couvreur, Pl. Ecol. Evol. 150 (2): 193, 2017

Fig. 87; Map 11B

Type.

Cameroon. Littoral Region; around Douala, Fleury F. 33134, Jun 1917: holotype: P[P02032174]; isotypes: P[P02032172, P02032173, P02032175].

Description.

Tree, 8-30 m tall, d.b.h. 12-15 cm; stilt roots or buttresses absent. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate branches pubescent. Leaves: petiole 2-4 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, pubescent, cylindrical, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 9.5-26 cm long, 3.5-10 cm wide, obovate, apex acuminate, acumen 0.5-1.8 cm long, base obtuse to acute, papyraceous, below sparsely pubescent when young and old, above glabrous when young and old, discolorous, whitish below; midrib impressed, above glabrous when young and old, below pubescent to tomentose when young, pubescent to tomentose when old; secondary veins 17 to 33 pairs, glabrous above; tertiary venation percurrent. Individuals bisexual; inflorescence cauliflorous, peduncle like base 15-65 mm long, axial internodes 5-35 mm long, compact to lax, sympodial rachis 6-38 mm long. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, (1) 2 to 7 per inflorescence; pedicel ca. 7 mm long, ca. 2 mm in diameter, pubescent; in fruit 10-15 mm long, ca. 4 mm in diameter, tomentose; basal bract ca. 8 mm long, ca. 5 mm wide; upper bract ca. 4 mm long, ca. 2 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, free, ca. 12 mm long, ca. 4 mm wide, ovate, apex acute, base truncate, brown, pubescent outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; petals free, outer petals shorter than inner; outer petals 3, ca. 15 mm long, ca. 4 mm wide, ovate, apex acute, base truncate, margins flat, tomentose outside, glabrous inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 38-45 mm long, 10-12 mm wide, ovate, apex acute, base truncate; stamens numerous, in 6 to 8 rows, ca. 1 mm long, broad; connective discoid, glabrous, red; staminodes absent; carpels free, 4 to 7, ovary ca. 2 mm long, stigma globose, pubescent. Monocarps sessile, 3 to 4, 20-35 mm long, 10-20 mm in diameter, ellipsoid to ovoid, apex rounded, sparsely pubescent to glabrous, smooth, bumpy when dry, pink reddish when ripe; seeds 4 to 5 per monocarp, ca. 10 mm long, ca. 6 mm in diameter, ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

endemic to Cameroon, known from the Littoral and South-West regions.

Habitat.

A fairly uncommon species; in the understory of submontane and lowland rain forests. Altitude 200-900 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

Niock (Dial. Yaoundé, Fleury F. 33134).

IUCN conservation status.

Vulnerable B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) (Cosiaux et al. 2019a i).

Uses in Cameroon.

None reported.

Notes.

Piptostigma goslineanum closely resembles P. glabrescens by the shape and the size of their leaf blades, but the inflorescences of P. goslineanum are generally shorter than 12 cm long with 2-7 flowers, while those of P. glabrescens can reach up to 55 cm long with 10-28 flowers. In addition, the monocarps of P. goslineanum are smooth and ovoid to ellipsoid in shape, while those of P. glabrescens are puncticulate and oblong in shape.

In the check list of the plants of Mt. Kupe and Bakossi (Cheek et al. 2004), collections cited under Piptostigma sp. 1 belong to P. goslineanum.

Specimens examined.

Littoral Region: Aux environs de Douala, 4.05°N, 9.7°E, 01 June 1917, Fleury F. 33134 (P); Tissongo, 3.58°N, 9.9°E, 08 July 1976, McKey D.B. 105 (K); Douala-Edea Reserve Lombe Camp, 3.48°N, 9.833°E, 01 November 1977, Thomas D.W. 510 (K); Lombe Camp Site Douala-Edea Reserve Cameroun, 3.48°N, 9.833°E, 30 May 1976, Waterman P.G. 801 (K). South-West Region: Nta Ali SE Mamfe, 5.55°N, 9.521°E, 17 June 1987, Achoundong G. 1267 (YA); Kupe village, 4.78°N, 9.683°E, 24 January 1995, Cable S. 787 (K,WAG,YA); Mungo River F.R., 4.78°N, 9.607°E, 30 November 1999, Cheek M. 10197 (K); Kupe village, 4.77°N, 9.701°E, 16 November 1995, Cheek M. 7849 (K,YA); Kupe village, 4.79°N, 9.701°E, 19 May 1996, Cheek M. 8328 (K,YA); Bayang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary after Mbu river, 5.35°N, 9.501°E, 26 March 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 1017 (WAG,YA); Bayang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary before Mbu river, 5.34°N, 9.487°E, 27 March 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 1023 (WAG,YA); on trail leading to top of Mt Etinde after Ekonjo village, 4.07°N, 9.152°E, 01 April 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 1030 (WAG,YA); Mount Cameroon National Park on the Bomona trail behind Bomona village 10 km NW from Idenau, 4.29°N, 9.100°E, 03 April 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 1047 (WAG,YA); on top of hill near Small Ekombe village 3 km after Kumba on road to Ekondo Titi town, 4.62°N, 9.378°E, 13 January 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 983 (WAG,YA); Ezeze road Nyasoso between shrike and Max’s trail following the river upwards, 4.82°N, 9.691°E, 25 June 1996, Etuge M. 2420 (K,WAG,YA); Kupe village, 4.76°N, 9.699°E, 09 July 1996, Etuge M. 2698 (K,WAG,YA); Massif Ntali pente NW 30 km SE Mamfé, 5.56°N, 9.482°E, 15 June 1982, Villiers J.-F. 1448 (P,YA).