Memecylon emancipatum R.D. Stone, 2014

Memecylon emancipatum R.D. Stone View in CoL , sp. nov. ( Figs. 2 View FIGURE 2 , 3 View FIGURE 3 )

Type:— LIBERIA. Sinoe County, Greenville, Vanply , 19 Feb 1975, Adam 30289 ( holotype P[00695733]!, isotypes LIB, MO [2355133]!, P[00512064]!) .

≡ Memecylon liberiae sensu Jacques-Félix (1979: 424 View in CoL , tab. 9: 1–2), non Gilg ex Engler (1921: 768).

Habit not specified, presumably a small understory tree. Young branchlets finely quadrangular, becoming terete with age; internodes 5–9 cm long. Leaves dark green on the upper surface, paler below; petioles stout, 2–3 mm long; blades elliptic-oblong, 17.5–24 × 5–8 cm (ca. three times longer than wide), cuneate at base, abruptly acuminate at apex, the acumen narrow, 1.5–2.5 cm long, acute; mid-nerve impressed on the upper surface, prominent on the lower; lateral nerves and transverse veins much thinner than the mid-nerve, somewhat prominent on both the upper and lower surfaces in dried material; transverse veins 16–18 pairs oriented at an oblique angle relative to the mid-nerve, straight or occasionally forked and spaced 8–15 mm apart; lateral nerves situated 2–3 mm from the ± undulate margins, forming a series of arcs between their junctions with the transverse veins. Cymes contracted, axillary and also borne at the bracteolate nodes alternating with those bearing fully developed leaves; peduncles 3–5 mm long. Flowers not seen. Fruits 1–3 per cyme, borne on pedicels 2–3 mm long, narrowly ellipsoid-urceolate in outline, 15–16 mm long × 6–7 mm wide, crowned by the persistent calyx 1–1.5 mm high, the calyx margin shallowly sinuate and 4-microdentate.

Distribution and habitat: — Memecylon emancipatum is known only from the type collection made in southeastern Liberia ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 ). The name “Vanply” indicated on the specimen-labels refers to an American-owned logging company that built a large integrated sawmill and plywood mill at the port of Greenville. The habitat of the type collection is not indicated, but was presumably in lowland evergreen forest near a place called Nema Camp (also known as Vanply Logging Company) located about 25 km due north of Greenville at elevation ca. 86 m above MSL.

Phenology: —Flowering period unknown. Fruiting in February.

Discussion: —The name Memecylon emancipatum is here taken up for the species to which the name M. liberiae was previously misapplied ( Jacques-Félix 1979). The new species is similar to M. englerianum in having “subtrinervate” leaves (sensu Jacques-Félix 1979: 424), but differs by its subquadrangular young branchlets ( vs. terete), larger leaves, shorter petioles, transverse veins 16–18 pairs ( vs. 8–12), cymes borne on shorter peduncles with fewer fruits per cyme, and fruits elliptic-urceolate ( vs. elliptic-ovate). Illustrations of M. emancipatum have been previously published under the name M. liberiae ( Jacques-Félix 1979: tab. 9: 1–2, Jacques-Félix & Mouton 1980: tab. 2: 15).