Monanthotaxis laurentii (De Wild.) Verdc., Kew Bull. 25(1): 26, 1971

Figs 61, 62; Map 8D

≡ Popowia laurentii De Wild., Enum. Pl. Laurent: 19, 1905.

= Unona congensis Engl. & Diels, Notizbl. Königl . Bot. Gart. Berlin 2: 296, 1899; Popowia congensis (Engl. & Diels) Engl. & Diels, Monogr. Afr. Pfl. 6. 44, 1901. Type. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Equateur, Bomongo, Bangala, Laurent E. s.n., 20 Feb 1896: holotype: BR[BR0000008804686].

Type.

Democratic Republic of the Congo. Equateur; Bikoro, Laurent E. 92, 20 Feb 1896: holotype: BR[BR0000008805010] .

Description.

Shrub to liana, 20 m tall, d.b.h. unknown. Indumentum of simple hairs; old leafless branches glabrescent, reddish brown, young foliate branches sparsely pubescent with appressed to ascending yellowish hairs 0.2-0.3 mm long. Leaves: petiole 3-7 mm long, 1 mm in diameter, pubescent, slightly grooved, blade inserted on top of the petiole; blade 4.7-18.3 cm long, 2.4-7.2 cm wide, obovate to oblanceolate, apex acuminate to acute, acumen up to 2 cm long, base rounded to subcordate, papyraceous, below sparsely pubescent when young and old, above sparsely pubescent when young and old, discolorous, whitish below; midrib impressed, above pubescent when young and old, below pubescent when young and old; secondary veins 7 to 14 pairs, sparsely pubescent above; tertiary venation percurrent. Individuals bisexual; inflorescences ramiflorous on old leafless branches, leaf opposed or extra axillary. Flowers with 9 perianth parts in 3 whorls, 1 to 2 per inflorescence; pedicel 5-11 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, sparsely pubescent; in fruit 15-23 mm long, 1-2 mm in diameter; basal bract ca. 1 mm long, ca. 0.5 mm wide; upper bracts 1-2 mm long, 1-2 mm wide; sepals 3, valvate, shortly fused basally or free, 1-2 mm long, ca. 3 mm wide, ovate, apex rounded, base truncate, green, densely pubescent outside, glabrous inside, margins flat; petals free, outer petals longer than inner, inner petals entirely covered in bud; outer petals 3, 6-8 mm long, 5.2-8.1 mm wide, ovate, apex obtuse then shortly acuminate, base truncate, green, margins flat, densely to sparsely pubescent outside, glabrous but pubescent towards the margins inside; inner petals 3, valvate, 4.5-5.3 mm long, 3.5-3.9 mm wide, ovate to rhombic, apex obtuse but then shortly acuminate, base truncate, green, margins flat, densely pubescent outside, pubescent with a glabrous base inside; stamens 23 to 24, in 3 rows, ca. 1 mm long, obovate; connective truncate, glabrous; staminodes absent; carpels free, 9 to 12, ovary ca. 2 mm long, stigma elongate, glabrous. Monocarps stipitate, stipes 10-23 mm long, 2-3 mm in diameter; monocarps 3 to 11, 25-85 mm long, 5-6 mm in diameter, moniliform, cylindrical, apex apiculate, glabrous, verrucose, constricted around seeds when more than 1, yellow to orange when ripe; seeds 1 to 6 per monocarp, 14-19 mm long, 5-6 mm in diameter, subcylindrical; aril absent.

Distribution.

A widespread West and Central African species, from Sierra Leone to Nigeria and Cameroon to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola; in Cameroon known from the Central, North and South-West regions.

Habitat.

A common species when present; in primary or old secondary lowland or submontane forests, forest pockets in savanna and gallery forests. Altitude 300-1000 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 laurentii is distinguished by its reddish brown branches with a pubescence of scattered short yellow hairs, 23 to 24 stamens in 3 whorls, glabrous carpels, and long subcylindrical seeds.

Specimens examined.

Central Region: Eloumden 10 km SW of Yaoundé, 3.49°N, 11.26°E, 06 February 1996, Nkongmeneck B.A. 1326 (MO) . North Region: Ngoussou, 6.03°N, 11.23°E, 01 February 1939, Jacques-Félix H. 3226 (P) . South-West Region: Nyasoso village on max’s trail to Mt 4.82°N, 9.694°E, 05 April 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 1056 (WAG,YA); on top of hill near Small Ekombe village 3 km after Kumba on road to Ekondo Titi town, 4.62°N, 9.376°E, 13 January 2016, Couvreur T.L.P. 981 (WAG,YA); Ndabekim Hill to west of village, 4.91°N, 9.716°E, 15 December 1999, Etuge M. 4676 (K,MO,P,WAG,YA); Mt Cameroun south slope W of Victoria Transect 5, 4.07°N, 9.015°E, 16 November 1985, Gentry A.H. 52947 (MO) .