Hexalobus crispiflorus A. Rich., Sagra, Hist. phys. Cuba, Bot. Pl. vasc. 1: 43, 1845

Figs 31, 32; Map 4F

= Hexalobus grandiflorus Benth., Trans. Linn. Soc. London 23(3): 468, 1862. Type. Cameroon. South-West Region, "Ambas Bay", Mann G. 709, 1861: lectotype, here designated, sheet here designated: K[K000582047]; isolectotypes: GH n.v.; K[K000105530, K000105529]; P[P00315844, P00315845].

= Hexalobus grandiflorus Benth. var. inaequilaterifolius Engl., Monogr. Afrik. Pflanzen.-Fam. 6: 57, 1901. Type. Republic of Congo: Cuvette, "Bonga, Sanga", Schlechter F.R.R. 12685, Aug 1899: holotype: B n.v.; isotypes: BR[BR0000006915513]; WRSL n.v.

= Hexalobus lujae De Wild., Bull. Jard. Bot. État Brux. 4: 389, 1914. Type. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kasai-Oriental, Sankuru, Luja E.P. s.n., Jun 1910: lectotype, sheet here designated: BR[BR0000008800336]; isotypes: BR[BR0000008800008, BR0000008799906].

= Hexalobus crispiflorus A.Rich. subsp. strigulosus R.E.Fr., Acta Horti Berg. 10: 71, 1930. Type. Cameroon. no location, Deistel H. 99, no date: holotype: B[B 10 0184706]; isotypes: B[B 10 0184707, B 10 0184708, B 10 0184706, B 10 0184709, B 10 0184710, B 10 0184711]; GH; M[M0089315, M0089316]; P[P00486245].

= Hexalobus mbula Exell, J. Bot. 70, suppl. Polypet.: 206, 1932. Type. Angola. Cabinda, Buco Zau, Fazenda Alsyra, Gossweiler J. 6939, 20 Jan 1917: lectotype, designated by Botermans et al. (2011), p. 41: BM n.v.; isolectotypes: COI[COI00077206]; LISC[LISC000086, LISC000089, LISC000085, LISC000088, LISC000087].

Type.

Guinea. Labé; Fouta D’hiallon [Djallon], Heudelot, J. 865, Apr 1838: lectotype, sheet here designated: P[P00315839]; isotypes: P[P00315842, P00486270, P00315841]; G[G00011589] .

Description.

Tree, 25-40 m tall, d.b.h. up to 100 cm; stilt roots or buttresses absent, trunk deeply fluted. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrous, young foliate branches densely pubescent. Leaves: petiole 2-8 mm long, 1-3 mm in diameter, densely pubescent, grooved, blade inserted on the side of the petiole; blade 7.2-25 cm long, 2.5-8.5 cm wide, ovate to obovate, apex acuminate, acumen 0.5-1.5 cm long, base cuneate to cordate, coriaceous, below glabrous when young and old, above sparsely pubescent when young, sparsely pubescent when old, concolorous; midrib sunken or flat, above pubescent when young and old, below pubescent when young and old; secondary veins 9 to 19 pairs; tertiary venation reticulate. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous on old leafless or young foliate branches, axillary. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 2 whorls, 1 to 3 per inflorescence; pedicel 12-25 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, glabrous; in fruit 10-30 mm long, 4-5 mm in diameter, glabrous; bracts 5 to 6, several basal and two (sometimes fused) towards the upper half of the pedicel, basal bracts 3-9 mm long, 2-5 mm wide; upper bracts 8-12 mm long, 4-9 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, free, 12-21 mm long, 9-12 mm wide, ovate, apex acute, base truncate, brown, densely pubescent outside, densely pubescent inside, margins flat; petals basally fused, tube 4-10 mm long, purple, inner and outer whorl not differentiated, sub equal; lobes 37-80 mm long, 6-21 mm wide, elliptic, apex rounded, green to bright yellow, margins wavy, pubescent outside, pubescent with glabrous base inside, plicate; stamens 190 to 210, in 10 to 13 rows, 3-5 mm long, elongated; connective hemispheric, glabrous, cream; staminodes absent; carpels free, 7 to 16, ovary 2-5 mm long, stigma bilobed, slightly capitate, pubescent. Monocarps stipitate, ca. 2 mm long, 2-3 mm in diameter; monocarps 1 to 8, (42)50-95 mm long, 35-65 mm in diameter, ellipsoid to oblong, apex rounded, pubescent to glabrous, smooth, not ribbed, rusty-brown; seeds 12 to 36 per monocarp, 28-40 mm long, 17-20 mm in diameter, flattened ellipsoid; aril absent.

Distribution.

A widespread species, known from Guinea-Bissau to the Democratic Republic of Congo; in Cameroon known from the East, South, Central, Littoral and South-West regions.

Habitat.

A common species across the forested region of the country; in lowland or premontane periodically or non-inundated, primary or secondary rain forests, including gallery forests in savanna. Altitude 0-1000 m a.s.l.

Local and common names known in Cameroon.

évota, pota (dial. Bibaya, baka), owé (dial. Ewondo, Letouzey 4433); Ow (dial. Bulu, Ndoum 129); Owoe (South Province, Mildbraed 5652); Pota (dial. Bambindjere?, Harris, Fay 516, 558, 883, 1518).

IUCN conservation status.

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

Uses in Cameroon.

dyes and tannins: lycosides, saponims, steroids.

Uses in Cameroon.

None recorded.

Notes.

Hexalobus crispiflorus is morphologically close to H. salicifolius, both being tall trees with deeply fluted trunks, similar flowers and growing in similar habitats. Hexalobus crispiflorus is however distinguished by its larger leaves (7.2-25 cm versus 5-10 cm long), more numerous carpels (7 to 16 versus 2 to 4 in H. salicifolius) and smooth monocarps (versus verrucose in H. salicifolius).

Specimens examined.

Central Region: Ndanan 2 to Mefou river, 3.62°N, 11.56°E, 13 October 2002, Cheek M. 11064 (K,YA); Ottotomo Forest Reserve 1 km after reserve base near small loggers road, 3.66°N, 11.28°E, 25 June 2013, Couvreur T.L.P. 446 (WAG,YA); Ottotomo Forest Reserve 3 km after reserve base near small loggers road, 3.66°N, 11.28°E, 08 September 2013, Couvreur T.L.P. 506 (WAG,YA); Ottotomo Forest Reserve 45 km South of Yaoundé 5 km on path into reserve, 3.66°N, 11.28°E, 15 January 2015, Couvreur T.L.P. 666 (WAG,YA). East Region: 73 km south of Yokadouma 30 km after Ngato 15 km after river ALPICAM 'base de vie’ then 40 km on forestry road starting 4 km before Maséa village, 3.16°N, 14.71°E, 04 March 2019, Couvreur T.L.P. 1197 (MPU,WAG,YA); Sangha R (Ndakan), 2.78°N, 16°E, 08 March 1988, Fay J.M. 8299 (F,MO,P); West side of Sangha River, 2.35°N, 16.13°E, 01 November 1988, Harris D.J. 1518 (K,MO); West side of Sangha River, 2.35°N, 16.13°E, 02 August 1988, Harris D.J. 883 (MO,P); Rives de la Sangha près Lidjombo 120 km au N de Ouesso, 2.61°N, 16°E, 08 April 1971, Letouzey R. 10614 (P,YA); A 15 km au Sud de Djouo (20 km E de Somalomo dur le Dja), 3.32°N, 12.93°E, 25 February 1962, Letouzey R. 4433 (P,YA); South Cameroon Forest Area Molundu District Bange forest between Lokomo Bumba and Bange, 2.83°N, 15.25°E, 22 February 1911, Mildbraed G.W.J. 4539 (HBG); South Cameroon Forest Area Molundu District between Yokadouma (Post Plehn) and Assobam, 3.4°N, 14.38°E, 21 April 1911, Mildbraed G.W.J. 4996 (HBG); Réserve de Biosphère du Dja vers 500 m de la station de Bouamir, 3.19°N, 12.81°E, 27 May 2001, Senterre B. 1641 (BR); Layon nord-sud à partir de Djolimpoun (entre Somalomo-Malen), 3.33°N, 12.87°E, 13 September 1993, Sonké B. 591 (YA). Littoral Region: km 11 Loum-Solé road, 4.7°N, 9.816°E, 24 May 1972, Leeuwenberg A.J.M. 9904 (K,MO,WAG,YA). South Region: Hill roughly between Nkolandom and Nkoemvone, 2.8°N, 11.16°E, 17 January 1975, de Wilde J.J.F.E 7909 (B,BR,C,K,MO,P,U,WAG,YA); Ebolowa, 2.91°N, 11.31°E, 01 June 1911, Mildbraed G.W.J. 5652 (HBG); Ebom, 3.1°N, 10.71°E, 24 September 1996, Ndoum D. 129 (KRIBI,WAG); Kribi, 2.92°N, 9.900°E, 01 October 1997, van der Burgt X.M. 232 (KRIBI,WAG); Bisyang, 2.98°N, 9.968°E, 04 June 2006, van Velzen R. 90 (BR,G,MO,WAG). South-West Region: Melon to Nyandon ca 2 km, 4.93°N, 9.533°E, 28 November 1998, Cheek M. 9716 (K,WAG,YA); Nyasoso village on max’s trail to Mt 4.82°N, 9.701°E, 05 April 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 1062 (WAG,YA); Ambas Bay, 4.01°N, 9.2°E, 1861, Mann G. 709 (GH,K,P).