Salpingifera ngounyensis (Pellegr.) Breteler & Wieringa, 2024

Breteler, F. J. & Wieringa, J. J., 2024, Novitates Gabonenses 94 Salpingifera (Achariaceae) a new monotypic and endemic genus from Gabon, Blumea 69 (2), pp. 196-200 : 199-200

Salpingifera ngounyensis (Pellegr.) Breteler & Wieringa , comb. nov. — Fig. 1–4 ; Map 1

Lindackeria ngounyensis Pellegr. , Bulletin du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle de Paris 29 (1923) 591. — Oncoba ngounyensis (Pellegr.) Hul (1995) 150. — Type: Le Testu 2235 (holo P; iso BR, WAG), Gabon, Ngounié, 16 Oct. 1917.

Shrubs, 2–3(–5) m tall. Indumentum : branchlets, stipules, petioles and inflorescences puberulous to shortly velutinous, densely so or not. Stipules subulate, 1.5–4(–5) mm long, caducous. Leaves: petiole (sub)terete, swollen and usually curved at apex, 0.5–5(–8.5) cm long; lamina obovate, rarely elliptic, (11–)15–25(–33) by (4.5–)6–12(–15) cm, 2–3 times as long as wide, papery to coriaceous, margin dentate mainly in upper half and often obscurely so, base cuneate to narrowly rounded to narrowly subcordate, apex (0.5–) 1–2.5 cm long acuminate; glabrous above, glabrous to sparsely puberulous beneath;midrib and the 9–12(–13) pairs of main lateral nerves slightly prominent above, distinctly so beneath. Inflorescence erect, up to 8 cm long, few to many flowered; peduncle very short or absent; each dichasium with a single flower and laterally c. 3 mm long glands on pedicels. Bracts triangular, 0.5–1 mm long, hairy; bracteoles narrowly triangular, c. 0.4 mm long, hairy. Flowers staminate or bisexual/pistillate? (see notes). Staminate flowers: pedicel firm, articulated at the base, 3–5 mm long, puberulous; sepals 4, free, oblong-elliptic, 7–8 by 3–3.5 mm, decussate, imbricate, puberulous outside, glabrous inside; petals 6–8, narrowly elliptic to oblong, 8–10 by 2–3 mm, imbricate, free, glabrous, white; stamens 25–30, free, anthers yellow, c. 3 mm long, filaments white, 2–2.5 mm long; pistillode absent or minute, c. 2 mm long, glabrous. Pistillate or bisexual flowers unknown. Young fruit with a style of at least 4 mm. Fruit ellipsoid, beaked, 3–5 by 1.5–4 cm, glabrous, sometimes very slightly angled lengthwise, yellow to orange at maturity; style base persistent, developed into a mucron.

Distribution — Only known from Gabon.

Habitat & Ecology — Primary or secondary evergreen forest, in dry land forest as well as in periodically inundated forest, at sea-level to c. 100 m altitude.

Other specimens examined. GABON, Moyen-Ogooué, Bidault et al. 941 ( WAG), Mabounié , 45 km SE of Lambaréné, near Ngounié R., 18 Oct.2012 ; Bidault et al. 986 ( WAG), ibid., 25 Oct. 2012 ; Bidault et al. 1020 ( WAG), ibid., 1 Feb. 2013 ; Bidault et al. 1057 ( WAG), ibid., 5 Feb 2013 ; Bidault et al. 1290 ( BR, WAG), ibid., 14 Nov. 2013 ; Breteler 10874 ( P, WAG), Mbéné, c. 30 km on Bifoun – Lambaréné Rd. , 3 Mar. 1992 ; Lachenaud et al. 1598 ( BR, WAG), near Ezanga Lake , 24 Nov. 2013 ; Lachenaud et al. 2032 ( BR), near Onangué Lake , 23 Oct. 2014 ; McPherson 15232 ( BR, WAG), near Ezanga Lake , 9 Feb. 1991 ; Sonké et al. 6068 ( BR), sin. loc., 16 Oct. 2012 ; van Nek 589 ( WAG), c. 20 km S of Ezanga , 31 Jan. 1991 ; Wilks 2445 ( WAG) Ezanga , 1991 .

Notes — Judged by several field notes that describe both staminate flowers and (young) fruits, it seems staminate and pistillate or bisexual flowers may be present on the same individual. However, all the sheets we saw bear either staminate flowers or fruits. Since it is not 100 % sure the field notes are based on single individuals we cannot be sure the species is monoecious or dioecious.

We have only studied staminate flowers. Therefore we do not know whether fruits develop from bisexual or from pistillate flowers. Likely, when the species is dioecious, pistillate plants flower less abundantly and/or less frequently than staminate plants and are less likely to be collected by botanists.

Figures

Fig. 1 Salpingifera ngounyensis (Pellegr.) Breteler & Wieringa. 1. Flowering branch; 2. inflorescence; 3. details of the trumpet-shaped organs on the rachis; 4. flower bud; 5. sepal; 6. petal; 7. stamens and pistilode; 8. pistillode; 9. fruits; 10. trumpet-shaped organs at base of fruiting pedicel; 11. seed (1–8: Le Testu 2235; 9–11: Breteler 10874). — Drawn by G. Chypre, reproduced from Hul (1995).

Fig. 2 Salpingifera ngounyensis (Pellegr.) Breteler & Wieringa. Older sta- minate flower (Bidault 941). — Photo by E. Bidault.

Fig. 3 Salpingifera ngounyensis(Pellegr.) Breteler & Wieringa. a. Inflorescence with buds; b. detail of Fig. 2, showing trumpet-like glandular organs in the inflorescence with ants drinking exudate (Bidault 941). — Photos by E. Bidault.

Fig. 4 Salpingifera ngounyensis (Pellegr.) Breteler & Wieringa. a. Inflorescence with buds and fresh male flowers; b. branch with fruits (a: Bidault 441; b: Bidault 1584). — Photos by E. Bidault.

Map. 1 Distribution of Salpingifera ngounyensis (Pellegr.) Breteler & Wieringa.