Monanthotaxis velutina (Sprague & Hutch.) 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 : 207

74. Monanthotaxis velutina (Sprague & Hutch.) P.H.Hoekstra — Map 46

Monanthotaxis velutina (Sprague & Hutch.) P.H.Hoekstra in Guo et al.(2017) 15. — Oxymitra velutina Sprague & Hutch. (1916) 156. — Richella velutina (Sprague & Hutch.) R.E.Fr. (1959) 139. — Friesodielsia velutina (Sprague & Hutch.) Steenis (1964) 361. — Lectotype (designated by Hoekstra in Guo et al.2017): N.W. Thomas 968 (lecto K;isolecto K), Sierra Leone, Northern Province, Tonkolili, Makump, 130 m, 18 July 1914.

Shrub, scandent shrub or liana, 1–100 m long, to 6 cm diam; young branches very densely covered with appressed to erect, orange-brownish hairs 0.3–0.7 mm long, becoming glabrous; old branches medium-brown. Leaves: petiole 2.5–4.5 mm long, 1.5–1.9 mm diam, terete, indument as on branches; lamina obovate to oblanceolate, 8.4–25.1 by 4–9.6 cm, 2.3–3.8 times longer than wide, membranous to subcoriaceous, not punctate, discolorous, medium green above, glaucous below, above sparsely covered with appressed, whitish hairs 0.5(–1) mm long, becoming glabrous, primary vein densely covered with slightly erect, orange-brown hairs, below sparsely covered with erect, orange-brown hairs 0.5–0.8 mm long, more densely so on primary vein, base narrowly subcordate to cordate, glands hardly visible, apex acuminate, acumen 10–20 mm long, secondary veins (12–)16–22 per side, curving upwards, tertiary venation distinctly percurrent, flat above. Inflorescences extra-axillary or leaf-opposed, composed of solitary flowers; sympodial rachis 2–3.5 mm long, densely covered with erect, orange-brown hairs; flowering and fruiting pedicels 8–13 mm long, 1–1.6 mm diam, indument as on sympodial rachis; bracts ovate, to 1.5 mm long; flower buds unknown. Flowers bisexual; sepals free, reflexed, ovate, 4.5–6.5 by c. 3.5 mm, apex acute to acuminate, outside densely covered with yellow-orange hairs 0.1–0.2 mm long, inside becoming glabrous near the base, persistent in fruit; receptacle c. 5 mm diam, convex; petals colour in vivo unknown, 6, in two whorls, outer petals lanceolate, 14–16 by 5– 6 mm, outside densely covered with yellow-brown hairs, inside becoming glabrous at the base, inner petals linear, 9.6–11 by c. 2 mm, outside and inside sparsely covered with yellowish, very short hairs; stamens number unknown, in at least two whorls, free, oblong, 0.7–0.9 mm long, filaments 0.2–0.3 mm long, thecae extrorse, connective truncate, prolongation hiding the thecae, glabrous, staminodes absent; carpels unknown. Monocarps 7–12, green-brown to dark brown, ellipsoid to cylindric, 20–24 by 9–12 mm, densely covered with hairs 0.2–0.3 mm long, apex rounded to acute, stipes 5–6 mm long. Seeds 1 or 2, cylindric-ellipsoid, 18–19 by 8–9 mm, tawny, ends apiculate, raphe clearly visible on both sides, very deep incising seed.

Distribution — Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana.

Habitat & Ecology — In primary forest, secondary forest, gallery forest, semi-deciduous forest and open forest on shallow soil, sandy lateritic soil, sandy clay, on steep slopes, on hilltops and at river banks. Flowering: July, December; fruiting: March, May, July.

Preliminary IUCN conservation status — Least concern (LC). EOO: 387 407 km 2, AOO: 116 km 2. This species is known from many locations, including several reserves. Therefore, it is cur- renty not under threat of extinction.

Note — Monanthotaxis velutina is easily distinguishable from the other species previously belonging to Friesodielsia subg. Oxymitropsis by the linear inner petals and reflexed sepals. Very few fertile specimens exist in the herbaria, and all 5 collections are in fruit and some with a few petals and stamens still attached. C.C.H. Jongkind 6877 from Northwest Liberia and Nimba Botanic Team PD283 and C.C.H. Jongkind 11039 from South Guinea have smaller leaves with a cuneate leaf base. This could be a different (sub)species, but all 3 collections are sterile. G.P. Cooper 199 from Liberia, which was cited in Keay (1954) as M. diclina , probably is related to M. velutina as it has extra-axillary inflorescences and large, ovate sepals; however, the indument and fruits are different from M. velutina .

Figures

Map 46 Distribution of Monanthotaxis velutina (Sprague & Hutch.) P.H. Hoekstra (●) and M. vogelii (Hook.f.) Verdc. (■).