Ancistrocladus likoko
Ancistrocladus likoko in Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belgique 82: 34. 1949 sec. Taylor & al. 20051
- Holotype: Orientale Prov.: Forestier Central, riviere Boamba, environs de Yangambi, July 1948, /. Leonard 1850 (holotype, BR; isotypes, BR [2], P, YBI not seen).
Notes
The fruits float and are water-dispersed (Leo-nard, 1949). Leonard (1982) noted that the fruits are frequently transformed into galls with dimensions of 1.3-2.0 X 2.2-2.5 cm. The flowers of this species are similar to those of Ancistrocladus ealaensis; these species can be distinguished by the size of the nut body, 10-18 X 12-18 mm in A. likoko versus 4-5 X 7-8 mm in A. ealaensis.
Habitat
Heliophiles found along rivers and in swamp forests at 430- 470 m (this elevational range is based on two collections with data; the actual range is probably wider).
Conservation
With an EO greater than 20,000 km2 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Least Concern; Cheek (2000: 876) also proposed a status of Lower Risk, Least Concern (LR/lc).
Description
Juvenile leaves unknown. Adult stems climbing to 12 m high, main stems to 5 cm diam., with bark purplish gray to brown, smooth to roughened, bearing lateral branchlets to 15 cm long, these each bearing 1 to several hooks and a cluster of leaves; hooks recurved to spiraling, 10-15(-25) mm diam. Adult leaves drying coriaceous to chartaceous, on both surfaces shiny, in life not seen, drying discolorous, darker adaxially, paler abaxially; pits dimorphic, small pits frequent on both surfaces though usually denser on adaxial surface, large pits 0.3-0.4 mm diam., circular or broadly elliptic, occasional on both surfaces; midrib adaxially plane to shallowly sulcate, abaxially prominent, sometimes terminat-ing in a tiny gland; secondary veins prominulous on both surfaces; tertiary veins reticulated and prominulous on both surfaces; margins revolute to strongly so; stem leaves with persistence unknown, elliptic-obovate, 5.0-8.1 X 2.1-3.5 cm, L/W 2.3- 2.4, at apex acuminate to rounded, at base cuneate to acute; secondary veins 7 or 8 pairs, with intra-marginal vein situated 1-3 mm from margin; leaves at branchlet apices with persistence unknown, ob-ovate, 8.0-40.0(-50.0) X 3.0-13.0 cm, L/W 2.1- 3.5, at apex obtuse to rounded and sometimes abruptly shortly acuminate and a little falcate with acumen l-2(-10) mm long, at base narrowly cu-neate to long-attenuate; secondary veins 9 to 15 pairs, with intramarginal vein situated 1-3 mm from margin. Inflorescence lax, paniculate, lateral among leaves at apices of branchlets, occasionally bearing hooks, without bracteal leaves; peduncle 3.5-11.0 cm long; branched portion corymbiform, 6-24 X 4-15 cm, dichotomously branched; bracts ovate or depressed-ovate, 1.0-1.5 X 1.0-2.0 mm, at apex acute and hyaline, at base obtuse, abaxially with a discoid gland covering 2/3-3/4 of surface, with 1 or usually 2 pits on each side; pedicels 1-4 mm long. Flowers all pedicellate; sepals 5, elliptic-ob-long, at apex cucullate and rounded, at base round-ed, thickened, and decurrent on ovary, marginally crenulate, white-green when young becoming brownish, abaxially with 2 to 4 elliptical glands, somewhat unequal, 5.0-9.0 X 3.0-6.0 mm; petals 5, convolute, suborbicular, cream-yellow, 3.0-4.0 X 3.0-4.0 mm; stamens 10 in 1 whorl; filaments pyramidal, white, dimorphic, the shorter ca. 0.4 mm long, the longer ca. 1.2 mm long; anthers ca. 1.0 mm long, yellow; ovary partially inferior, ca. 1.0 mm long; style 1, 2.0-3.0 mm long, stigmas ca. 0.3 mm long. Fruit turbinate; nut 10-18 X 12-18 mm, on sides deeply canaliculate, 10-ridged by strongly thickened decurrent margins of accrescent sepals; persistent sepal limbs spreading, coriaceous to woody, spathulate, generally equal, 8-12 X 4-7 mm; pericarp drying dull brown, coriaceous; seed obconic, 7 X 9-10 mm.
Etymology
Gereau (1997) attempted to correct the specific epithet to "likokoi," but Leonard (pers. comm.) has confirmed that he intended the epithet to stand as a noun in apposition so it is here restored to its original orthography.