Monanthotaxis obovata (Benth.) P.H.Hoekstra

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 : 182-183

53. Monanthotaxis obovata (Benth.) P.H.Hoekstra — Fig. 15h–o ; Map 34

Monanthotaxis obovata (Benth.) P.H.Hoekstra in Guo et al. (2017) 15. — Unona obovata Benth. (1862) 469. — Popowia obovata (Benth.) Engl. & Diels (1901) 44. — Friesodielsia obovata (Benth.) Verdc. (1971b) 18. — Type: J. Kirk s.n. (holo consisting of 2 sheets: K000199033, K000199034; iso B100153064), Mozambique, Zambezia,foot of Mt Morambala, 31 Dec.1858.

Popowia stormsii De Wild. (1905a) 242. — Type: E.P.J. Storms s.n. (holo BR000008799258 ), Tanzania, Rukwa, Karema .

Small tree, shrub,scandent shrub or liana,1–6(–9) m long;young branches yellowish brown, densely covered with ascending, white-yellowish hairs 0.2–0.4 mm long, becoming glabrous; old branches greyish brown. Leaves: petiole 3–8 mm long, c. 1 mm diam, slightly grooved, indument as on branches; lamina obovate to obovate-oblong, 4.5–14 by 3–9.5 cm, 1.2–2.5 times longer than wide, chartaceous, not punctate, discolorous, green above, paler and glaucous with yellowish veins below, above and below densely covered with simple or sometimes stellate, white or yellowish hairs 0.3–0.5 mm long, becoming glabrous, base rounded to subcordate, with small glands, apex rounded to emarginate, secondary veins 8–11 per side, curving upwards, tertiary venation slightly percurrent or loosely reticulate, slightly raised above and below. Inflorescences terminal or leaf-opposed, composed of solitary flowers; sympodial rachis absent; flowering and fruiting pedicels 28–50 mm long, 1–2 mm diam, indument as on petiole, but less dense; lower bract absent; upper bract near the base of the pedicel, large and leafy, circular to broadly ovate, 8–16 mm long, indument same as on leaves; flower buds depressed globose. Flowers bisexual; sepals free, broadly ovate to orbicular, 6–7 by 5–7 mm, apex rounded to acute, densely covered with white, short hairs, not persistent in fruit; receptacle c. 3–10 mm diam, convex; petals creamy white to yellowish green, 6, in two whorls, outer petals broadly ovate, rounded to reniform, 6–14 by 5 –17 mm, outside covered with hairs, inside glabrous at the base, inner petals rhombic to broadly ovate, narrowed at the base, not covering stamens entirely in bud, 3–6 by 3–5 mm, indument as on outer petals; stamens 50–80, in three or four whorls, free, oblong to obconical, c. 1.2 mm long, filaments c. 0.2 mm long, thecae latrorse, connective truncate, square, pentagonal to rhombic seen from above, glabrous, staminodes absent; carpels 17–30, ellipsoid, c. 1.2 by 0.6 mm, densely covered with yellow hairs, ovules 4, lateral, stigma subsessile, ellipsoid, oblongoid to globose, c. 0.3 mm long, grooved, glabrous. Monocarps up to 11, orange-red, narrowly ellipsoid to cylindric, 27–90 by 7–8 mm, sparsely covered with appressed hairs, apex rounded or slightly apiculate, stipes 8–27 by 1–2 mm. Seeds 1– 4, cylindric-ellipsoid, 13–18 by 6–7 mm, tawny, apiculate, raphe not visible.

Distribution — Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana.

Habitat & Ecology — In open woodland (mostly composed of Brachystegia ), grassland, termite mounds and rocky outcrops. Altitude: 65–1380 m. Flowering: September to March, June; fruiting: November to August.

Vernacular names — Botswana: Muchinga (Sikololo name) (O.B. Miller 5). Democratic Republic of the Congo: Kapurema (Kibemba name) (F. Malaisse 6393). Malawi: Mchinga (R.G.R. Townsend 3), Mcinka (P.G. Adlard 226). Mozambique: Maiyako (Macua name) (A.L. Maite 169), Munchinga (F.A. Mendonça 3653), Meginga (E.C. Andrada 1002), N’Chinga (J.M. de Aguiar Macêdo 4728), Nécupo (Macua name) (A.R. da Torre 9732). Namibia: Kalundamambo (Kwangali name) (S. Austaller 10), Mkondekonde (Mbukushu name) (H.H. Kolberg 608). Tanzania: Msalansi (Kinyamwezi name) (G.T. Mwiga 120), Msalasi (Kiny- iramba name) (O.A. Kibure 1180), Msarasi (Nyanwesi name) (R. Ludanga 2699), Msalusi (Nyam name) (V.C. Gilbert 5235). Zambia: Monchinga (J.J.A. Jalla s.n.), Muchinga ( Tonga and Soli name) (F. White 1907), Muchinga-chinga (O.B. Miller 104), Muchinga (Lozi name) (E. Fewdays 3). Zimbabwe: Muchinga (Shona name) (I. Mukuya 45).

Preliminary IUCN conservation status — Least concern (LC). EOO: 2 642 412 km 2, AOO: 704 km 2. This is the species with the highest number of collections. It occurs in many locations including several national Parks. This species is not under threat of extinction.

Uses — Edible raw and cooked ( Facciola 1998). Boiled roots are used as a medicine against snakebites, stomach-ache and infertility in women ( Ruffo et al. 2002).The wood is used to make walking sticks, withies, grain stores and as firewood ( Ruffo et al. 2002).

Note — Monanthotaxis obovata is easily recognisable by the leafy upper bract and broadly obovate leaves, which are glaucous below and have conspicuous yellow veins.

Figures

Map 34 Distribution of Monanthotaxis obovata (Benth.) P.H.Hoekstra.

Fig. 15 a–g. Monanthotaxis gracilis (Hook.f.) P.H.Hoekstra. a. Flowering branch; b. sepal; c. outer petal; d. inner petal; e. stamen, side and front view; f. carpel and longitudinal section of carpel; g. fruit. — h–o. Monanthotaxis obovata (Benth.) P.H.Hoekstra. h. Flowering branch; i. sepal; j. outer petal; k. inner petal, inner and side view; l. androecium and gynoecium; m. stamen, front and side view; n. carpel and longitudinal section of carpel; o. fruits. — p–u. Monanthotaxis stenosepala (Engl. & Diels) Verdc. p. Flowering branch; q. flower, side view; r. inner petal, inner and side view; s. stamen from behind and side view; t. gynoecium; u. longitudinal section of carpel. — Modified from Engler & Diels (1901) table 15, 17 and 18.