Eugenia sapoensis Jongkind 2015, sp. nov.

Eugenia sapoensis Jongkind sp. nov.

urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77144646-1

Figs 2, 3

Diagnosis

A shrublet related to E. kameruniana Engl., but with smaller (7–12 cm) leaves with an attenuate and not cordate leaf base.

Etymology

This species is named after the Sapo National Park, the oldest national park in Liberia.

Type

LIBERIA. Sino County, ca. 50 km east of Greenville, fl. fr. 14 Mar. 2014, Jongkind, Mulbah, Harris, Charleson & Forkpah 12439 (holo-: BR; iso-: K, WAG).

Description

Branching shrublet about 0.8–1.4 meter high. Twigs smooth, glabrous, brown, often shiny. Leaves opposite, entire, glabrous, petiolate; petiole <3 mm long; lamina papery, with many translucent secretory cavities, 7–12 cm long and 2.3–5.5 cm wide, apex long acuminate, base attenuate, 4–6 pairs of main lateral nerves meeting in a conspicuous sub-marginal nerve, looping 2.5–6 mm from the margin, midrib impressed above. Inflorescences strongly reduced, axilar and terminal, with 1 or 2 flowers, bracts tiny, early caducous. Flowers inconspicuous, glabrous, green and whitish; peduncle ca. 1 mm long, green; calyx lobes and petals ca. 2 × 2 mm, both 4 in number; stamens ca. 20, 1– 1.5 mm long; anthers ca. 0.5 mm long; style not seen. Fruit single or with two together, subglobose, 1.2–2 cm in diameter, glabrous, green to bright pinkish red, surface dotted with many secretory cavities, 1- or (rarely) 2-seeded; pulp sweet, whitish; seed subglobose to kidney-shaped, very pale, with a slight dip in the surface near the hilum, testa smooth and thin but very strong; cotyledon kidney-shaped, fused for the larger part, covered with many secretory cavities; peduncle 1–2 mm long; calyx lobes ca. 2 mm long and wide, rounded, glabrous, not or hardly larger than in flower but more coriaceous. Seedling with the first 3–4 pairs of leaves only a few mm long.

Distribution and habitat

Undergrowth of evergreen lowland forest; 40–165 m altitude. Only known from the Sino River basin in Liberia.

Additional specimens examined

LIBERIA. Sino County. close to the Sino River, 90–100 m alt., 10 Mar. 2009, Jongkind, Bilivogui & Dorbor 8925 (K, WAG); not far from the west bank of the Sino River, 90-100 m alt., fr. 1 Febr. 2010, Jongkind, Bilivogui & Dorbor 9351 (K, MO, WAG); in the South of Sapo National Park, fr., 22 Nov. 2010, Jongkind, Bilivogui & Daniels 9820 (K, WAG); near Nidwè River, fr., 25 Nov. 2010, Jongkind, Bilivogui & Daniels 9860 (K, WAG); west of Greenville, not far from the sea, fr., 20 Sept. 2013, Jongkind, de Wet & Sambolah 12089 (BR); east of Greenville-Zwedru road, fr., 24 Sept. 2013, Jongkind, de Wet & Sambolah 12128 (BR); east of Greenville-Zwedru road, 26 Sept. 2013, Jongkind, de Wet & Sambolah 12159B (BR).

Conservation status

The “Extent of Occurrence” (EOO) is 1,858 km 2 and the “Area of Occupancy” (AOO) is 32 km 2, both count as “Endangered”. Only one of the specimens was collected in the National Park. I have walked long distances within the EOO area often without finding one single plant of this species, it is really not common. Considering all the economical development planned in this part of Liberia, “Endangered” is the appropriate status.

Comment

The 2 tiny mature flowers collected seem to be lacking a style and could be male flowers, but they are too few to ascertain whether this is not caused by insects or other damage. It is still too early to tell if this species shows the cryptic dioecity seen in many other African species in Eugenia (van der Merve et al. 2005: 22).