Anthocleista potalioides J.J.de Wilde, 2011

Anthocleista potalioides J.J.de Wilde View in CoL , sp. nov. — Fig. 1 View Fig

Species unica inter species continentalo-africanas Anthocleistae combinatione habitus fruticosi cum floribus parvis corolla 8-mera ad 15 mm longa et ovario perspicue 2-loculari. —

Typus: J.J. de Wilde & Sosef 10393 ( holo WAG GoogleMaps ; iso LBV), Gabon, Ngounié Prov., Chaillu massif, 46 km on the road Mouila –Yéno , c. 1°43'S, 11°22'E, 6 Feb. 1991 GoogleMaps .

Shrub, up to 3 m high, glabrous and without spines, stems quadrangular when young, terete later, below inflorescences 3 – 5 mm diam. Leaves not crowded at the apex of the twigs, those of a pair subequal, sessile; blade thick leathery, soft, in vivo bright green above, much paler green, almost whitish beneath, obovate, 26– 35 by 11–15 cm; apex shortly acuminate to apiculate; lower part of the blade attenuate, the base auriculate, amplexicaul; margin entire, narrowly revolute; costa shallowly impressed above, very prominent and acutely triangular beneath, in sicco dark brown, contrasting with the pale lamina; main secondary nerves 9 –12 on either side, (sub)opposite or not, arcuate to almost straight in the lower part of the blade, distinct especially on lower surface; tertiary venation inconspicuous. Inflorescences terminal, more or less erect, dichasial, usually 5 × branched and with many opened flowers at a time, 15– 20 cm long, up to 25 cm wide, usually broader than long; branches straight, those of the first order elongated, 5.5– 9 cm long, branches of higher order becoming shorter, all branches and also the pedicels very gradually thickening upwards; lower bracts sometimes markedly leafy, oblong, up to 10 by 4 cm, bracts of higher orders much smaller, broadly triangular to ovate, c. 2 by 1.8 mm. Flowers subtended by a pair of bracteoles, in shape and dimensions comparable to the higher bracts. Sepals 4, green, paler at edge, connate at the base, concave, decussate, the 2 outer ones oblong to obovate, obtuse at the apex, 6–7 by 3– 4.5 mm, the inner ones slightly smaller, c. 5.5 by 3.5 mm. Corolla actinomorphic, tubular, 8-, exceptionally 7-merous, in bud tapering towards the apex; at anthesis pale yellowish green to white; the tube cylindrical, slightly widened towards the throat, 6 –8 mm long, 3 – 4 mm wide at the base and 4– 5 mm where the lobes become free at the throat; lobes (7–)8, contorted and narrowly overlapping in bud, reflexed at anthesis, narrowly ovate to elliptic, 6 –7 by 1.8 – 2 mm. Stamens (7–)8, alternating with the corolla lobes, exserted from the corolla mouth; the filaments short and completely connate into a c. 1 mm long tube inserted near the apex of the corolla tube; anthers exposed, narrowly oblong, c. 2 by 0.8 mm, blunt at apex, devoid of a sterile apical appendage, shortly sagittate at the base, the 2 cells parallel, only divergent at the base, each cell longitudinally dehiscent by a split. Gynoecium cream, bicarpellate; ovary obovoid-cylindrical, 3 –4 by 1–1.5 mm, narrowing towards the base and sitting on a longitudinally shallowly grooved c. 1 mm long massive gynophore, 2-celled; placentation axile with in each cell from the centre of the septum a bilobed placenta with the lobes inrolled and multi-ovulate; style 4–7 mm long, filiform; stigma capitate, globose, shallowly bilobed at apex, c. 1–1.5 mm diam. Fruit not known.

Distribution — Only known from the Chaillu Massif in southern Gabon.

Habitat & Ecology — The type specimen was found growing in half-shade, on a large decaying log jammed among boulders in a fast streaming rather narrow creek in closed high forest. The collector expressed the possibility of an epiphytic origin. Also reported from marshland along small river. Altitude 450 m. Flowering: February.

Additional material. GABON, Ngounié Prov., Chaillu Massif, along road Mouila–Yéno , 1°43'S, 11°19'E, Dessein, Janssens, Lachenaud, Nzabi & Issembe 2020 ( BR!), 20 Feb. 2008 GoogleMaps .