Monanthotaxis gracilis (Hook.f.) P.H.Hoekstra, Taxon 66 (1): 14, 2017

Fig. 59; Map 7I

≡ Uvaria gracilis Hook.f., Niger Fl.: 210, 1849. Oxymitra gracilis (Hook.f.) Sprague & Hutch., Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 6: 154, 1916; Richella gracilis (Hook.f.) R.E.Fr., Nat. Pflanzenfam., ed. 2, 17a (2): 139, 1959; Friesodielsia gracilis (Hook.f.) Steenis, Blumea 12: 359, 1964.

= Oxymitra platypetala Benth., Trans. Linn. Soc. London 23(3): 472, 1862; Cleistopholis platypetala (Benth.) Engl. & Diels, Monogr. Afrik. Pflanzen.-Fam. 6: 34, 1901. Type. Sierra Leone. Southern Province, Bagroo river, Mann G. 857, Apr 1896: holotype: K[K00198952].

= Unona millenii Engl. & Diels, Monogr. Afrik. Pflanzen.-Fam. 6: 40, 1901. Type. Nigeria. Lagos State, Lagos, Millen H. 149, Mar 1896: holotype: K, not seen.

= Oxymitra rosea Sprague & Hutch., Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 6: 154, 1916; Richella rosea (Sprague & Hutch.) R.E.Fr., in Engler & Prantl Nat. Pflanzenfam., ed. 2, 17a (2): 139, 1959; Friesodielsia rosea (Sprague & Hutch.) Steenis, Blumea 12: 361, 1964. Type. Nigeria. Cross River State, Oban, Talbot P.A. 199, 1911: holotype: BM[BM000547067].

Type.

Sierra Leone. no region; no location, Don G. s.n., no date: holotype: BM[BM000547066] .

Description.

Shrub to liana, 4-20 m tall, d.b.h. 10-20 cm. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches sparsely pubescent to glabrous, light grey in color, young foliate branches pubescent with very short appressed to ascending hairs 0.1 mm long. Leaves: petiole 2-4 mm long, 0.5-1 mm in diameter, pubescent, grooved, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 4-16.5 cm long, 1.4-5.7 cm wide, obovate to oblanceolate, apex acuminate to acute, acumen ca. 2 cm long, base cuneate to subcordate, subcoriaceous, below sparsely pubescent to glabrous when young, glabrous when old, above glabrous when young and old, discolorous, whitish below; midrib depressed, above glabrous when young and old, below sparsely pubescent when young, glabrous when old; secondary veins 7 to 10 pairs, glabrous above; tertiary venation percurrent. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous on old leafless branches, leaf opposed to extra axillary. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 1 to 3 per inflorescence; pedicel 15-45 mm long, ca. 0.5 mm in diameter, pubescent; in fruit 25-50 mm long, 0.5-1 mm in diameter; basal bract 1-2 mm long, 0.5-1 mm wide; upper bract 2-3 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide, lanceolate in shape; sepals 3, valvate, basally fused, 3-6 mm long, 4-5 mm wide, ovate, apex obtuse, base truncate, sparsely pubescent outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; petals free, outer petals longer than inner, inner petals entirely covered in bud; outer petals 3, 12-30 mm long, 7-12 mm wide, elliptic, apex obtuse, base truncate, light yellow to light green, margins flat, pubescent outside, pubescent inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 5-9 mm long, 3-5 mm wide, ovate to rhombic, apex acute, base truncate, margins flat, pubescent outside, sparsely pubescent to glabrous inside; stamens 80 to 125, in 3 to 5 rows, ca. 1 mm long, linear to oblong; connective globose, glabrous; staminodes absent; carpels free, 17 to 24, ovary 1-2 mm long, stigma elongate, pubescent. Monocarps stipitate, stipes 4-8 mm long, 2 mm in diameter; monocarps 10 to 20, red when ripe, 13-35 mm long, 4-5 mm in diameter, moniliform, ellipsoid to globose, apex apiculate, densely pubescent, pubescent, constricted around seeds when more than 1, red when ripe; seeds 1 to 5 per monocarp, ca. 6 mm long, ca. 4 mm in diameter, ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

A mainly west African species, from Sierra Leone to Nigeria, just reaching into Cameroon where known from the South-West region.

Habitat.

A rare species in Cameroon; in primary and secondary rain forests, swamp forests and gallery forests, on river banks and summit ridges. Altitude: 100 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 gracilis is distinguished by its light-grey branches, very short hairs on the branches and pedicels, a small lanceolate upper bract, its long slender flowering pedicels and ellipsoid flower buds and elliptic outer petals.

This species is only known from a single collection in Cameroon to date.

Specimens examined.

South-West Region: Korup National Park, 5.01°N, 8.8°E, 15 June 2000, van der Burgt X.M. 614 (WAG) .