Monotes paivae L.Catarino & E.S.Martins, 2013

21. Monotes paivae L.Catarino & E.S.Martins View in CoL , sp. nov. — Fig. 1 View Fig

Monotes caloneuri affinis sed indumento persistente integrae paginae supe- rioris foliorum (nec glabra foliis maturis propter costam) et lanato-tomentoso paginae inferioris maturorum foliorum (nec glabrescente) occultante areolas interreticulares differt. — Typus: Monteiro & Murta 1919 (holo LISC;iso LISC, LUA), Angola, Bié, Cuemba, Cachingues , c. 1300 m, 17 Sept. 1966 (fl) .

Etymology. The specimens Monteiro & Murta 1917 and 1919 were already identified as belonging to a probable new species close to M. caloneurus by Jorge Paiva in 1968. The name of the new species intends to be a tribute to his work in the African flora.

Small tree up to 7 m tall, with bole of 2 – 3 m. Young shoots densely covered with simple and stellate hairs, glabrescent with age. Leaves alternate, simple, entire, 8–15 by 5–10 cm; leaf blade discolor, obovate to broadly elliptical, emarginate or rarely rounded at the apex, rounded, truncate or slightly cordate at the base; upper surface pubescent, with simple spreading hairs and stellate hairs, more abundant on the nerves of the basal part of the leaf blade, secondary and tertiary nerves impressed; lower surface with a continuous woolly-tomentose indumentum, midrib and lateral nerves prominent, brown-reddish; midrib with abundant fulvous stellate hairs and dispersed greyish bristles; lateral nerves with simple curled hairs, stellate hairs and rare bristles; veins densely covered with simple, curled hairs, hiding the interreticular areoles covered with short stellate hairs; basal gland broadly elliptical to obovate, 2 – 2.5 mm in length, 11–13 pairs of lateral nerves; petiole almost terete to slightly canaliculate in the upper surface, 1.5 – 2.5 cm in length and 1.5 –2.5 mm diam, with dense stellate hairs and greyish bristles dispersed. Flowers in axillary panicles of 10– 20 flowers, with short peduncle and rachis covered with penicillate hairs. Sepals 5, ovate, c. 3–4 by 2 mm, sericeous, acrescent; petals 5, lanceolate, 10–12 by 3–4 mm, external surface densely sericeous; ovary ovoid, c. 3.5 mm in length; stamens numerous, anthers c. 0.6 mm long, with a triangular appendix c. 0.4 cm long, at the apex. Fruits globose, 8–12 mm diam, sericeous; wings 25–45 by 10–18 mm, narrowly obovate to elliptical, rounded to obtuse at the apex, yellow-brownish to reddish in vivo, light brown when dry, with the veins darker; stellate hairs and penicillate hairs more dense at the lower part of the external surface.

Ecology — Dispersed and little abundant in woodlands; altitude 1300 –1600 m.

Distribution — Endemic to the Bié province, central Angola.

Phenology — Specimens with flowers collected in February and March, and with fruits collected in September and December.

Conservation status — Monotes paivae is known from nine collections made in five different locations. In the labels of three of the collections, this species is considered locally abundant, but its presence in only five locations within a restricted area makes it eligible to be considered as vulnerable by having a very small and restricted population (VU D2).

Additional specimens examined. ANGOLA, BI: Barbosa 12111 (LISC), at 5 km from Cachingues to Chitembo, 7 Apr. 1971; 12176 (LISC), between the road crossing Bié – Menongue and Chinguar, 11 Apr.1971; Dechamps, Murta & Silva 1382 (BR,LISC, LUA, MAD), near Bié, S12°25' E16°59', alt. 1640 m, 7 Mar. 1974; Exell & Mendonça 1744 (BM, COI), between Camacupa and Bié, alt. 1400–1700 m, 7 May 1937 (Note: this specimen was cited in Exell & Mendonça (1951: 371) as M. elegans , but Duvigneaud in 1950 already identified it as “cf. spec. nova ad caloneurus”); Henriques 1373 (LISC), Kuito, 10 km from Cachingues to Chitembo, 7 Apr. 1971; Monteiro & Murta 1917 (COI, LISC), Cuemba, Cachingues, alt. c. 1300 m, 17 Sept. 1966; Raimundo, Matos & Figueira 60 (LISC), Chissamba, alt. c. 1400 m, 11 Feb. 1970.