Monodora grandidieri is a species of plant in the family Annonaceae. It is native to Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, and Tanzania.[2] Henri Ernest Baillon, the French botanist who first formally described the species, named it after the French naturalist and explorer Alfred Grandidier who collected the specimen Baillon examined.[3] It has been reported to be used as a traditional medicine by the Giriama and Digo people of Kenya.[4]

Monodora grandidieri
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Magnoliids
Order: Magnoliales
Family: Annonaceae
Genus: Monodora
Species:
M. grandidieri
Binomial name
Monodora grandidieri
Synonyms

Monodora somalensis Chiov.
Monodora stocksii Sprague
Monodora veithii Engl. & Diels

Description

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It is a tree reaching 12 meters in height. Its branches have lenticels. Its leaves are 20–24 by 1.5–8.2 centimeters and come to a point at their tips. Its petioles are 2–3 millimeters long. Its flowers are solitary and appear before young leaves. Each flower is on a thin, lightly hairy pedicel 2–5.7 centimeters long. Its flowers have 3 sepals that are 1–2 by 3–5.5 centimeters with wavy, densely hairy margins. The sepals curve backwards and are green or red with green veins. Its 6 petals are arranged in two rows of 3. The outer petals are light yellow with green or red highlights, curve backwards, and come to a point at their tips. The outer petals are 3.7–6.5 by 0.5–1.8 centimeters, have wavy margins, and are densely hairy on their outer surface. The inner petals are similarly colored, have a 0.7–0.9 centimeter long claw at their base and a 1.2–1.6 centimeter wide blade. Its stamens are 1 millimeters long. Its smooth, green and white fruit are 5–7.5 by 4-4.5 centimeters in diameter. Its light brown seeds are 1.3–2.6 by 1-1.8 by 0.9–1.1 centimeters.[3][5]

Reproductive biology

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The pollen of M. grandidieri is shed as permanent tetrads.[6]

References

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  1. ^ Cosiaux, A.; Couvreur, T.L.P.; Erkens, R.H.J. (2019). "Monodora grandidieri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T132683286A133046250. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T132683286A133046250.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Monodora grandidieri Baill". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Baillon, H. (1868). "Sur la Famille Des Anonacées" [On the Anonaceae Family]. Adansonia (in French and Latin). 8: 295–344.
  4. ^ Pakia, M.; Cooke, J.A.; van Staden, J. (2003). "The ethnobotany of the Midzichenda tribes of the coastal forest areas in Kenya: 2. Medicinal plant uses". South African Journal of Botany. 69 (3): 382–395. doi:10.1016/S0254-6299(15)30321-5. ISSN 0254-6299.
  5. ^ Verdcourt, B. (1971). "MONODORA grandidieri Baill. [family ANNONACEAE]". Global Plants. ITHAKA. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  6. ^ Couvreur, Thomas L. P.; Botermans, Marleen; van Heuven, Bertie Joan; van der Ham, Raymond W. J. M. (2008). "Pollen morphology within the Monodora clade, a diverse group of five African Annonaceae genera". Grana. 47 (3): 185–210. doi:10.1080/00173130802256913. ISSN 0017-3134.