Monanthotaxis klainei var. klainei

Hoekstra, P. H., Wieringa, J. J., Maas, P. J. M. & Chatrou, L. W., 2021, Revision of the African species of Monanthotaxis (Annonaceae), Blumea 66 (2), pp. 107-221 : 167-169

a. var. klainei — Map 26

Leaves: lamina 1.6–2.3 times longer than wide, primary vein red-brown in sicco, only slightly contrasting with petiole, secondary veins 8–12 per side. Inflorescences cauliflorous, composed of solitary flowers or many-flowered fascicles; pedicels 8–20 mm long, fruiting pedicels 15–24 mm long. Flowers: carpels 16–20. Seeds 1 or 2, globose in Congolese specimens, ellipsoid in Gabonese specimens, 8–12 by 8–9 mm.

Distribution — Democratic Republic of the Congo (Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kinshasa, Orientale), Gabon (Estuaire, Ogooué-Ivindo, Ogooué-Lolo, Ogooué-Maritime).

Habitat & Ecology — In primary forest, gallery forest and swamp forest. Altitude: 470–495 m. Flowering: May, July, October, December; fruiting: January, March to August, October.

Vernacular names — Democratic Republic of the Congo: Bodzingo kodzi (Nkundo name) (B.I. Fruth 1231), Tsaka tsamba (L. Pauwels 3564).

Preliminary IUCN conservation status — Least concern (LC). EOO: 1 088 343 km 2, AOO: 132 km 2. This variety has a wide distribution from many locations. There is, however, only one recent collection from Democratic Republic of the Congo. Pending the taxonomic status of the Congolese specimens the conservation status could therefore change to ‘endangered’.

Note — The variety klainei was distinguished from the variety lastoursvillensis by Le Thomas (1969) based on longer pedicels and a larger number of flowers per inflorescences in var. klainei . With the availability of more material, the number of flowers per inflorescence cannot be maintained as distinctive character. Seed shape, globose in Congolese specimens of var. klainei and ellipsoid in var. lastoursvillensis , further adds to the distinction. The paucity of fertile material from (the north of) Gabon has restricted the study of distinguishing characters across the distributional range.

Figures

Map 26 Distribution of Monanthotaxis klainei (Engl.) Verdc. var. klainei (●, O means uncertain dets), M. klainei (Engl.) Verdc. var. lastoursvillensis (Pellegr.) Verdc. (■).