Xylopia africana

Xylopia africana
Xylopia africana seed pods
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Magnoliids
Order:	Magnoliales
Family:	Annonaceae
Genus:	Xylopia
Species:	X. africana
Binomial name
Xylopia africana (Benth.) Oliv.
Synonyms [2]
Melodorum africanum Benth. Xylopicrum africanum (Oliv.) Kuntze

Xylopia africana is a species of plant in the Annonaceae family. It is found in west-central Africa. It is restricted to submontane and lower montane forests. It is threatened due to habitat loss by clearance of forest. ^[1] It was first described as Melodorum africanum in 1862 by George Bentham. ^[3]

Description

The tree Xylopia africana is up to 20 metres tall, DBH 30 cm. It has yellow to yellow-orange flowers. Its seed pods are 6.6-10.5 cm long and contain up to 5 seeds. ^[4]

Distribution

Xylopia africana grows in montane and submontane mossy forests at elevations of 900–2000 m. ^[4] It occurs in southeastern Nigeria (Obudu), western Cameroon (Mount Cameroon, Bakossi, Rumpi Hills, Fosimondi, Bali Ngemba), São Tomé and Príncipe (São Tomé Island) and Equatorial Guinea (Bioko island). ^[1]

References

1. Cheek, M. (2014). "Xylopia africana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2014: e.T45423A3001846. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T45423A3001846.en . Retrieved 17 November 2021.
2. "Xylopia africana". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 29 January 2019– via The Plant List. Note that this website has been superseded by World Flora Online
3. "Melodorum africanum". Tropicos . Missouri Botanical Garden . Retrieved 29 January 2019.
4. Johnson, D.M.; Murray, N.A. (2018). "A revision of Xylopia L. (Annonaceae): the species of Tropical Africa". PhytoKeys (97): 1–252. doi: 10.3897/phytokeys.97.20975 . PMC   10865103 .

Further reading

• Yvette Harvey, Barthelemy Tchiengue, Martin Cheek, The plants of Lebialem Highlands, (Bechati-Fosimondi-Besali) Cameroon : a conservation checklist, Kew, Richmond, 2010, p. 68 ISBN   9781842463994
• Daniel Oliver, "Anonaceae", in Flora of Tropical Africa, 1, 1868, p. 30
• Jean-Michel Onana, Synopsis des espèces végétales vasculaires endémiques et rares du Cameroun : check-liste pour la gestion durable et la conservation de la biodiversité [Synopsis on Endemic and Rare Vascular Species of Cameroon], Yaoundé, Ministère de la Recherche scientifique et de l'Innovation, coll. « Flore du Cameroun » (no 40), 2013, p. 71
• Jean-Michel Onana, Martin Cheek, "Xylopia africana", Red Data Book of the Flowering Plants of Cameroon: IUCN Global Assessments, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2011, p. 82-83 ISBN   9781842464298