Campylospermum gabonensis subsp. australis, 2013

Bissiengou, P., Chatrou, L. W., Wieringa, J. J. & Sosef, M. S. M., 2013, Taxonomic novelties in the genus Campylospermum (Ochnaceae), Blumea 58 (1), pp. 1-7 : 5

subsp. australis Biss. , subsp. nov. — Fig. 2 ; Map 2

Diagnosis — Like the typical subspecies, but the leaf blade bullate between the lateral veins or rarely flat and the scalariform tertiary veins running perpendicular to the main lateral veins.

Type. Wieringa 2852 (holo WAG; iso BR, LBV, MO), Gabon, Ogooué-Maritime, Rabi, 0.6 km on the road to platform Rabi 78 , S1°55.1', E9°50.8', 4 Oct. 1994 .

Distribution — Endemic to Gabon (Ogooué-Maritime, western Ngounié and Nyanga provinces).

Ecology — In primary, moist and wet forest, in valleys with small streams; on sandy soil; at 3–350 m altitude.

Phenology — Flowers observed from October to December; fruits collected from October to January.

IUCN conservation status — VU B1/B2ab(ii, iii, iv). EOO = 6862 km 2, AOO = 1545 km 2, locations = 10 (cell width = 12.43 km). This taxon is known only from 15 recent collections, five of which fall within the Loango National Park and the Moukalaba-Doudou National Park. The remaining ten collections originate from logging and oil concessions while even the Loango park is under development threat from Chinese mining companies. Therefore this subspecies is best placed in the category ‘Vulnerable’.

Additional material. GABON, Ngounié: Le Testu 5834 ( BR, P), Agouma , c. S1°36' E10°10', Dec.1925 (st). Nyanga: Jongkind 5734 ( LBV, WAG),Doudou Mountains, Chantier SFN-Bakker, S2°39.2' E10°27.0', 180 m, 22 Nov. 2003 (st). Ogooué-Maritime: Arends 635 ( WAG), Monts Doudou,W of Doussala and Réserve de Faune de Moukalaba,c. S2°15' E10°20', 350 m, 5 Dec. 1984 (fr); van Bergen 126 ( WAG),savannah road to Vera, 32 km E from junction to Mayonami, S2°43.4' E10°12.2', 70 m, 21 Nov.1995 (fr); Breteler 10152 ( WAG),Rabi-Kounga, Echira road,c. S2°00' E9°50', 27 Oct. 1991 (fl); Farron 7416 (P), Koumouloundou, route d’accès au Rembo-Rabi, S2°00' E9°36', 10 June 1970 (fl); Haegens 89 ( WAG), Rabi , W of Shell platform 76, S1°57' E9°51', 30 m, 2 Dec. 1993 (fl); van Nek 117 ( WAG), Rabi-E, N of Pechoud Camp, S1°56.5' E9°52.9', 26 Oct. 1990 (st); van Nek 289 ( LBV, MO, WAG), Rabi-NW,near Rembo Rabi , NW of Rabi site, S1°53.7' E9°50.7', 13 Nov.1990 (fl); van Nek 560 ( LBV, WAG),near Rabi , S1°57.6' E9°52.8', 11 Jan.1991 (fr); Schoenmaker 34 ( WAG), Rabi-Kounga, opposite Buzzichelli, S1°56' E9°53', 15 Oct. 1991 (fl); Schoenmaker 134 ( WAG), Rabi-Kounga, direction Echira, c. S1°59' E9°51', 11 Nov.1991 (fl); J.J.F.E. de Wilde 9843 ( LBV, WAG), 30 km S of Rabi, high bank of an affluent of the Echira River , S2°08' E9°43', 15 m, 28 Nov. 1989 (fr); J.J.F.E. de Wilde 11363 ( LBV, WAG), Gamba, N’Dogo Lagoon, near Sounga, S2°25.9' E9°42.7', 3 m, 10 Dec. 1994 (fl).

Notes — This subspecies can be added to the list of taxa endemic to the greater Loango-Rabi area (Wieringa & Mackinder 2012). It is also an addition to the recently published checklist of Loango National Park ( Harris et al. 2012), and provides further evidence for the unique vegetation in this part of Gabon ( Wieringa & Sosef 2011).

Apart from the fact that the material shows a scalariform venation different from that of the typical subspecies, and a tendency to have more obviously bullate leaves, there seem to be no other differentiating characters. This, together with the parapatric distribution of the two entities, made us decide to distinguish the taxon at the subspecies level.

Figures

Map 2 Distribution of Campylospermum gabonensis Biss. subsp. gabonensis (¨) and subsp. australis Biss. (¡). Background indicates altitude.

Fig. 2 a. Campylospermum gabonensis Biss.; b. C. gabonensis subsp. australis Biss.; c. C. glaucifolium Biss. d. C. occidentalis Biss. (a: Breteler 13124; b: Wieringa 2852; c: J.J. de Wilde 10165; d: Haegens 106; all holo WAG).