Deinbollia onanae Cheek &amp; Onana &amp; Chapman 2021, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Cheek, Martin
name: Onana, Jean Michel
name: Chapman, Hazel M.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Sapindales
Sapindaceae
Deinbollia
Deinbollia onanae

description: <i> <i>Deinbollia onanae</i> Cheek sp. nov.</i> Figs. 1 4 Similar to but differing from <i>Deinbollia oreophila</i> Cheek in the length of leaves of flowering stems (14)60 70 cm (versus 25 63 cm), number of leaflets per leaf (4)16 23 (versus (4)6 8(10)), width of leaflets (2.1)2.5 4 cm (versus (3)5.5 9(10.2) cm, number of secondary nerves on each side of midrib (15)17 18, (versus (7)9 14(17); stems with lenticels brown, concolorous and inconspicuous, (versus discolorous, bright white and conspicuous), ovary bilocular (versus trilocular) . Typus: Cameroon, <i>Mt Oku and the Ijim Ridge</i>, Aboh to Tum, 2400 m alt., fl. 22 Nov. 1996, <i>Etuge</i> 3600 (holotype K000337729! Fig. 2, isotypes MO!, WAG0336084!, WAG0336083!, YA0057050!); <i>Deinbollia cf. pinnata</i> Schum. &amp; Thonn., sensu Cheek, in <i>Cheek, Onana &amp; Pollard</i> (<i>2000</i>:162). <i>Deinbollia</i> sp. 2 sensu Cheek in <i>Harvey et al.</i> (<i>2004:</i> 125); Cheek &amp; Etuge in <i>Cheek et al.</i> (<i>2004</i>: 399); Cheek in <i>Cheek, Harvey &amp; Onana</i> (<i>2010</i>: 143, fig 23). <i>Deinbollia</i> sp. Chapman &amp; Chapman (<i>Chapman &amp; Chapman, 2001</i>: c41) Monoecious tree or treelet (4)5 15 m tall, trunk 14.5 40 cm diameter at 1.3 m from the ground, lacking exudate or scent when wounded, sparingly branched, nearly glabrous, apart from the inflorescence. Stems of flowering branches terete (0.8)1 1.5 cm diameter, solid (not hollow), second internode below apical inflorescence 2 2.5 cm long, outer epidermis pale grey-brown, contrasting with the darker brown bases of the adjoining petiolar pulvini, lenticels dense, raised, elliptic, 0.6 1.1 mm long, concolorous, inconspicuous, glabrescent, hairs sparse to dense, dark brown, cylindric 0.1 0.5 mm long. Leaves alternate, pinnately compound, (14)60 70 cm long; leaflets (4)16 23 per leaf on flowering stems, leaflets 10 14 per leaf on leaves of juvenile trees. Petiole (4)9.5 20.8 cm long, terete, c. four mm diameter at midpoint, drying pale yellow; basal pulvini dark brown; rhachis (4.5)32 44 cm long, (2)8 11-jugate on flowering stems, 5 7-jugate on non-flowering stems of juvenile trees, the upper surface of the distal half flattened with two thin lateral wings and with a central dark hairy rounded central ridge, the rest of the rhachis glabrescent with sparse inconspicuous hairs (<i>de Wilde</i> 4555), or with sparse dark brown appressed hairs (<i>Cable</i> 3386). Leaflets mostly oblong (6.6)14 19.5 × (2.1)2.5 4 cm, (but leaflets of sterile branches to 6.5 cm wide), acumen c. 1 cm long, base broadly acute, slightly asymmetric, (basalmost leaflets lanceolate and about half the length of the other leaflets) lateral nerves and midrib yellow, raised above and below, convex, (15)17 18 on each side of the midrib, nearly brochidodromous, the lateral nerve apices forming a weak irregular submarginal nerve, stronger branches uniting with the secondary nerve above, intersecondary nerves strong, parallel to the secondaries, tertiary and quaternary nerves reticulate raised yellow and conspicuous, on both surfaces, contrasting with the pale grey-green areolae (except in <i>Cable</i> 3386(K) where they are concolorous and so inconspicuous above, possibly an artefact of poor drying); upper surface glabrous, lower surface with inconspicuous, minute, cylindrical, subappressed glossy dark-brown hairs c. 0.25 mm long, distributed very sparsely along the midrib and secondary nerves, absent from mature leaves of non-flowering specimens (e.g., <i>Cheek</i> 8709) but then the same hair type present on axillary buds and young leaves; petiolules yellow, 2 5 mm long, glabrous. Inflorescence a 80 120-flowered, loose, terminal panicle 25 × 10 cm; auxiliary inflorescences sometimes present in the axils of the distal 1 4 leaves (<i>Cheek</i> 13625); peduncle of terminal inflorescences 0 2 cm long; rhachis internodes (1)2 3 cm long, shortest in the distal portion; first order bracts caducous; indumentum brown hairy; primary branches 10 20 per inflorescence, 2 8 cm long, each bearing (1)2 5 partialinflorescences; partial-peduncles 0 5 mm long, apex with a cluster of 3 5 bracteoles; bracteoles subulate to narrowly lanceolate, 2 3 mm long, apex narrowly acute, partialinflorescences (1)3-flowered in glomerules, pedicels erect, terete, 3 4 × 1.5 mm (female), 4 5 × 1 mm (male), sparsely puberulent, hairs 0.1 0.5 mm long. Flowers white, scent not recorded, flower buds c. four mm diam., open flowers c. 6 × 7 mm. Calyx with sepals 5(6), orbicular to broadly ovate, concave, green colour, 4 5 × 3.5 4.5 mm apex obtuse. Corolla apex slightly exserted from calyx, petals rhombic or spatulate. Male flowers (Fig. 1C). Petals 5(6), white, rhombic c. 5 × 3 mm, apex obtuse-acute, base cuneate, margins densely ciliate, hairs 0.3 mm long, outer surface glabrous, inner surface glabrous in distal half, proximal half compressed funneliform with ventral appendage adnate at margins, retuse (notched) for 0.5 mm at midline, adaxial surface moderately densely hairy, hairs c. 0.3 mm long. Extra-staminal disc torus-like, glabrous, irregular, outer wall convex, lacking constrictions or teeth with c. 15 poorly defined lobes, 2.5 3 mm wide, c. 0.8 mm high. Stamens c. 15, erect, slightly exserted by 1 2 mm at anthesis, c. 5 6.5 mm long; filament 4 5 mm long, straight, densely puberulent the entire length (Fig. 1D); anthers yellow, ovate-ellipsoid, 1 1.3 mm long. Ovary (vestigial, Fig. 1E) bilobed, c. 1 × 1.5 mm densely appressed hairy, hairs c. 0.5 mm; style 0.7 mm long, glabrous. Female flowers (Fig. 1G), with sepals and petals as the male flowers, but petals c. 6 × 2.6 2.9 mm, usually detaching with a stamen attached, probably due to interlocking hairs (see Fig. 1J), proximal two-thirds claw-like, c. 0.7 mm wide, margin sparsely and irregularly ciliate; ventral appendage with apex deeply bilobed, lobes c. 1 mm × 1 mm; disc as in male flower. Stamens c. 10 (see Fig. 1I), included at anthesis, filament c. 2.5 mm long, proximal half to quarter glabrous, distal part densely hairy; anther as male flowers but indehiscent; ovary bilobed (see Fig. 1H), 3.2 × 5 mm, indumentum as male flower, style c. 5 mm long, apical 1 mm, curved, surface papillate-minutely puberulent, apex subcapitate. Infructescence, of same dimensions as inflorescence, erect. Fruit colour recorded as nearly black when ripe, tasting sweet-sour (Elisha Barde, see uses below), and not coloured yellow when ripe (as in other species of the genus), mericarps 1 or 2, transversely ellipsoid, c.1.8 × 2.1 × 1.2 cm (hydrated), the surface leathery, shallowly and finely muricated, glabrous, mesocarp spongy and juicy, 1-seeded. Seed ellipsoid, c. 1.8 × 1.1 × 0.8 cm, testa thin, parchment like, endosperm absent, cotyledons fleshy. <b>Phenology:</b> flowering in November-December; fruiting in February and April, immature fruit recorded in December and June. <b>Local name and uses</b>: none are reported in Cameroon but in Ngel Nyaki, Nigeria, Elisha Emmanuel Barde of the Nigeria Montane Forest Project (pers. comm. to M. Cheek Dec. 2020), states that Nyeberehi (Fulfude) is the general name for all <i>Deinbollia</i> species while Jellahi (Fulfude) is a specific name for <i>Deinbollia onanae</i> in Ngel Nyaki where Fulfude speakers (Fulanis) use the bark of this species as medicine for themselves, to treat stomach aches as well as an anti-helminthic. It is not used for treating cattle. The fruits are reported to taste sour-sweet by Mr Barde. The species is also known as Pabba (Ndolla language). <b>Etymology:</b> The specific epithet of <i>Deinbollia onanae</i> means ‘of Onana’ commemorating Dr Jean-Michel Onana, currently Senior Lecturer in Botany at the University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon, champion of plant conservation in Cameroon, specialist in Sapindales (Burseraceae, author of Flore du Cameroun Burseraceae (<i>Onana, 2017</i>), co-chair of the IUCN Central African Red List Authority for Plants, former Head of the National Herbarium of Cameroon (2005 2016), co-author of the Red Data Book of the Plants of Cameroon (<i>Onana &amp; Cheek, 2011</i>) and the Taxonomic Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Cameroon (<i>Onana, 2011</i>). He led field teams of YA staff working with those of K that resulted in the collection of several of the specimens of this species and personally collected this species in the field (<i>Onana</i> 1600, K, YA). <b>Distribution &amp; ecology:</b> known only from the Cameroon Highlands of Cameroon (one location in the adjoining Mambilla Plateau, Nigeria) Fig. 3. Upper submontane &amp; montane evergreen forest, sometimes in gallery forest; (1200) 2,050 2,200 m alt. <b> Additional specimens: CAMEROON. South West Region, <i>Mt Kupe</i>, near main summit, immature fr., 26 June 1996, <i>Cable</i> 3386 (K000197863!, YA!)</b> ; <b>North West Region.</b> <i>Bali Ngemba Forest Reserve</i>, fr. April 2002, <i>Onana</i> 1600 (K!); <i>Mt Oku and the Ijim Ridge</i>: above Laikom, st. 21 Nov..1996, <i>Cheek</i> 8709 (K000337728! YA!); <i>Dom</i>, Kinjinjang Rock, st. 25 Sept. 2006, <i>Cheek</i> 13436 (K000580433!; YA!); ibid. Forest Patch 1, fl. buds, 27 Sept. 2006, <i>Cheek</i> 13625 (K000580434!, MO!,US!, YA!); ibid., Javelong Forest, st. 29 April 2005, <i>Pollard</i> 1400 (K000580432!; YA!); <b>Adamaoua Region</b>, c. 120 km E of Ngaoundéré, 15 km NE of Belel, falls in Koudini River, alt. ± 1200 m, fl. 4 Dec. 1964, <i>W.J.J.O. &amp; J.J.F.E.</i> <i>de Wilde, B.E.E. de Wilde-Duyfjes</i> 4555 (K000593309!; K000593310!, WAG1269760!, YA). <b>NIGERIA. Taraba State, Mambilla Plateau,</b> Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve, near camp, fr. 2 Dec. 2003, <i>H.M. Chapman</i> 481 (FHI, K!); ibid. female fl. 4 Dec. 2002, <i>H.M. Chapman</i> 484 (FHI, K!). <b>Notes:</b> <i>Deinbollia onanae</i> first came to our attention in 2000 when completing the ‘‘Plants of Kilum-Ijim’’ (<i>Cheek, Onana &amp; Pollard, 2000</i>). Two specimens of <i>Deinbollia</i> matched no other and were named <i>Deinbollia cf. pinnata</i> (<i>Cheek, Onana &amp; Pollard, 2000</i>). In subsequent surveys this taxon was more explicitly referred to as a new species: <i>Deinbollia</i> sp. 2 (<i>Harvey et al., 2004</i>; <i>Cheek et al., 2004</i>; <i>Cheek, Corcoran &amp; Horwath, 2009</i>). However, the earliest known collection was made in 1964 (<i>W.J.J.O. &amp; J.J.F.E. de Wilde, de Wilde-Duyfjes</i> 4555(K)). This species is remarkable for the very large number of pairs of unusually long and slender leaflets (Fig. 4), and for the comparatively large size of the individuals which often attain 10 15 m in height (Fig. 4), among the largest trees known in the genus. However, at Ngel Nyaki trees can begin flowering at only 2.5 m in height (E. Barde pers. comm. to Cheek Jan. 2020) <b>Conservation:</b> <i>Deinbollia onanae</i> is rare at each of its six known locations so far as is known, although at Ngel Nyaki this is difficult to establish due to potential confusion with <i>Deinbollia oreophila</i>. Despite many thousands of herbarium specimens being collected at Kilum-Ijim, at Mt Kupe and the Bakossi Mts, at Ngel Nyaki and at Bali Ngemba (<i>Cheek, Onana &amp; Pollard, 2000</i>; <i>Cheek et al., 2004</i>; <i>Harvey et al., 2004</i>) only two specimens of this species at two sites, were made at each of the first three locations and only one at the third location. Surveys at other sites with suitable habitat in the Cameroon Highlands and elsewhere, e.g at Mt Cameroon and at the Lebialem Highlands, failed to find this species (<i>Cheek et al., 1996; Cable &amp; Cheek, 1998; Harvey, Tchiengue &amp; Cheek, 2010; Cheek, Harvey &amp; Onana, 2011</i>). However, at Dom, where a targetted search for this species was made by the first author, three specimens were made, each representing single, isolated trees <i>Cheek, Harvey &amp; Onana (2010)</i>. No more individuals than these were found. At Adamaoua Region, Cameroon it has only been collected once, and only a single tree was then noted (<i>W.J.J.O. &amp; J.J.F.E. de Wilde, B.E.E. de Wilde-Duyfjes</i> 4555(K)). None of these locations is formally protected for nature conservation. Tree cutting for timber and habitat clearance for agriculture has long been known to be a threat at all but the last of these locations (references cited above). The range of the species is large: extent of occurrence was calculated as 50,525 km 2 using GeoCAT. However, severe habitat fragmentation has resulted over many hundreds of years, forest patches being now distant from each other by tens of kilometres, isolated in oceans of cultivation and secondary fire-maintained grassland making the possibility of primate-mediated dispersal from one forest area to another now extremely unlikely. Ecological evidence from Ngel Nyaki is that while <i>Deinbollia</i> regenerates in that forest patch, its primate dispersers do not, or seldom cross to other forest patches (<i>Dutton &amp; Chapman, 2015</i>, see discussion below). We assess the area of occupancy of <i>Deinbollia onanae</i> as 34 km 2 using the IUCN preferred 4 km 2 cell size. Therefore, we assess this species as Endangered, EN B2ab(iii) using the <i>IUCN (2012)</i> standard. We suggest that this species be included in forest restoration plantings within its natural range to partly reverse its move to extinction. However, the large (c. one cm diam.), thin-walled seeds are probably recalcitrant, so not suitable for conventional seed-banking, and should not be allowed to be dried before sowing since this can be expected to kill them. Experience at Ngel Nyaki (<i>Matthesius, Chapman &amp; Kelly, 2011</i>) shows that it is possible to raise hundreds of seedlings in nurseries and to establish them in natural forest.
description: Published as part of <i>Cheek, Martin, Onana, Jean Michel &amp; Chapman, Hazel M., 2021, The montane trees of the Cameroon Highlands, West-Central Africa, with Deinbollia onanae sp. nov. (Sapindaceae), a new primate-dispersed, Endangered species, pp. 1-25 in PeerJ 9</i> on pages 6-12, DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11036, http://zenodo.org/record/4612486
description: {"references": ["Cheek M, Onana J-M, Pollard BJ. 2000. The Plants of Mount Oku and the Ijim Ridge, Cameroon, a Conservation Checklist. Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens, 220 pp.", "Harvey Y, Pollard BJ, Darbyshire I, Onana JM, Cheek M. 2004. The plants of Bali Ngemba Forest Reserve, Cameroon. a conservation checklist. Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens.", "Cheek M, Pollard BJ, Darbyshire I, Onana J, Wild C. 2004. The plants of Kupe, Mwanenguba and the Bakossi Mountains, Cameroon. In: A conservation checklist. Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens.", "Cheek M, Harvey Y, Onana JM. 2010. The plants of Dom, Bamenda Highlands, Cameroon, A Conservation Checklist. Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens, 162 pp.", "Chapman J, Chapman H. 2001. The forests of Taraba and Adamawa States, Nigeria, an ecological account and plant species checklist. Christchurch: University of Canterbury, 221.", "Fouilloy R, Halle N. 1973. Sapindacees. Flore du Cameroun 16. Paris: Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle.", "Keay RWJ. 1958. Sapindaceae. In: Keay, ed. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1 (2). London: Crown Agents, 709 725.", "Cheek M, Etuge M. 2009 a. A new submontane species of Deinbollia (Sapindaceae) from Western Cameroon and adjoining Nigeria. Kew Bulletin 64 (3): 503 508 DOI 10.1007 / s 12225 - 009 - 9132 - 4.", "Nickrent DL, Costea M, Barcelona JF, Pelser PB, Nixon K. 2006. onwards. PhytoImages. Available at http: // www. phytoimages. siu. edu.", "Onana J-M. 2017. Burseraceae. In: Flore du Cameroun 43. IRAD-National Herbarium of Cameroon, Yaounde.", "Onana J-M, Cheek M. 2011. Red data book of the flowering plants of Cameroon, IUCN global assessments. Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens DOI 10.7717 / peerj. 9899.", "Onana J-M. 2011. The vascular plants of cameroon. A taxonomic checklist with IUCN assessments. In: Flore du Cameroun 39. IRAD-National Herbarium of Cameroon, Yaounde.", "Cheek M, Corcoran, Horwath A. 2009. Four new submontane species of Psycho- tria (Rubiaceae) with bacterial nodules from western Cameroon. Kew Bulletin 63: 405 418 DOI 10.1007 / s 12225 - 008 - 9056 - 4.", "Cheek M, Cable S, Hepper FN, Ndam N, Watts J. 1996. Mapping plant biodiversity on Mt. Cameroon. In: van der Maesen, van der Burgt, van Medenbach de Rooy, eds. The biodiversity of African Plants (Proceedings XIV AETFAT Congress). Kluwer, 110 120.", "Cable S, Cheek M. 1998. The plants of Mt Cameroon, a conservation checklist. Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens.", "Harvey YH, Tchiengue B, Cheek M. 2010. The plants of the Lebialem Highlands, a conservation checklist. Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens.", "Cheek M, Harvey Y, Onana JM. 2011. The plants of Mefou Proposed National Park, Yaounde, Cameroon, A Conservation Checklist. Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens.", "Dutton P, Chapman H. 2015. Dietary preferences of a submontane population of the rare Nigerian- Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) in Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve, Nigeria. American Journal of Primatology 77 (1): 86 97.", "Matthesius A, Chapman H, Kelly D. 2011. Testing for Janzen Connell effects in a west African montane forest. Biotropica 43 (1): 77 83 DOI 10.1111 / j. 1744 - 7429.2010.00664. x."]}