Xylopia africana

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]

Xylopia africana
Xylopia africana seed pods
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

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.
  2. "Xylopia africana". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 29 January 2019 – via The Plant List.
  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.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)

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
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