Meiocarpidium lepidotum

Meiocarpidium lepidotum
Leaves of Meiocarpidium lepidotum. [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Magnoliids
Order:	Magnoliales
Family:	Annonaceae
Genus:	Meiocarpidium
Species:	M. lepidotum
Binomial name
Meiocarpidium lepidotum (Oliv.) Engl. & Diels
Synonyms
Unona lepidotaOliv. Uvaria zenkeriEngl.

Meiocarpidium lepidotum is a species of plant in the family Annonaceae. It is native to Cameroon, The Central African Republic, The Republic of the Congo, and Gabon. ^[2] Daniel Oliver, the English botanist who first formally described the species using the basionym Unona lepidota, named it after rust-colored, shiny scales (Latinized form of Greek λεπίς, lepis) ^[3] on its branchlets, the underside of its leaves and its buds. ^[4]

Description

It is a tree reaching 25 feet (7.6 m) in height. Its leathery leaves are 5–7 by 1.5–2 inches, and smooth on their upper surface. Its solitary flowers occur in extra-axillary positions and are bisexual. Its 3 sepals are oval to triangular in shape with edges that touch one another. It has 6 cream-colored petals arranged in two rows of three. The petals are roughly equal in size an have been observed adhering to one another at their apices to form a chamber around the reproductive structures. Its flowers have numerous stamen. Its flowers have 3–5 carpels. Its ovules are arranged in to rows positioned ventrally in ovaries. Its fruit have numerous seeds in a single row. The brown seeds are oval, rounded on one side and angled on the other. ^{[4] [5] [6]}

Reproductive biology

The pollen of M. lepidotum is shed as permanent tetrads. ^[7]

Uses

Bioactive molecules extracted from its bark have been reported to have analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antidepressant activities in tests with mice. ^[8]

References

1. "Meiocarpidium lepidotum Engl. & Diels". Tropicos. Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden. n.d. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
2. "Meiocarpidium lepidotum (Oliv.) Engl. & Diels". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
3. Stearn, William (2004). Botanical Latin. Portland, Ore. Newton Abbot: Timber Press David & Charles. ISBN   9780881926279.
4. Oliver, Daniel (1868). Flora of tropical Africa. Vol. 1. London: L. Reeve and Co. p. 36.
5. Engler, A.; Diels, L. (1900). "Anonaceen und Beschreibung Einiger Neuen Gattungen Dieser Familie aus dem Tropischen Afrika". Notizblatt des Königlichen botanischen Gartens und Museums zu Berlin (in German and Latin). 3: 45–59. doi:10.2307/3993968. JSTOR   3993968.
6. Saunders, Richard M. K. (2012). "The diversity and evolution of pollination systems in Annonaceae". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 169 (1): 222–244. doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8339.2011.01208.x . ISSN   0024-4074.
7. Walker, James W. (1971). "Pollen Morphology, Phytogeography, and Phylogeny of the Annonaceae". Contributions from the Gray Herbarium of Harvard University. 202 (202): 1–130. doi: 10.5962/p.272704 . JSTOR   41764703. S2CID   249081277.
8. Bouchra, Meddah; Mamadou, Godefroy; Tiendrebeogo, Ry; Limas-Nzouzi, Nicolas; Miantezila, Joe; Cherrah, Yahia; Faouzi, My A; Eto, Bruno (2013). "Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory and Antidepressant Activities of Triterpene from Meiocarpidium lepidotum (Annonaceae) Bark" (PDF). International Journal of Phytopharmacology. 4 (2): 133–140.