Monotes pearsonii H.H.Bancr.

22. Monotes pearsonii H.H.Bancr. View in CoL

Monotes pearsonii H.H.Bancr. (1936a) 44. — Type: Pearson 2649 (holo K, seen in JSTOR; iso FHO), Angola, Huíla, 8 May 1909.

Shrub or tree up to 6 m tall. Leaves 6– 9.5 by 4 – 5.5 cm, obovate or elliptic, truncate to slightly emarginate at the apex, often mucronate; rounded to truncate at the base; upper surface with short simple and stellate hairs and resiniferous glands; lower surface covered with a short and dense indumentum cream-whitish, not hiding the reticulation, 12–15 pairs of lateral nerves; petiole 1.6–2.1 cm long, terete, with simple and stellate hairs. Inflorescences few-flowered, 4 – 8 cm long. Flowers with sepals 2 – 3 mm long, tomentose, petals 8– 9 mm long, sericeotomentose, anthers with a widely triangular to subquadrate appendage at he apex. Fruits globose, depressed at the apex c. 1.8 cm diam; wings narrowly lanceolate, up to 8 by 2 cm.

Ecology — In woodland; altitude 1450–1800 m.

Distribution — Endemic to southern Angola. – CC: Mendes 1999 (LISC). – HI: Dechamps, Murta & Silva 1225 (LISC); Pearson 2649 (K).

Conservation status — Monotes pearsonii is known from three collections made in three different localities, but several other collecting events took place at least in one of these locations and no further specimens are known. With just 12 km 2 of known area of occupancy and three localities, M. pearsonii is rare and it should be considered as vulnerable by having a very small and restricted population (VU D2).