Africa Top Success Ils font l'Afrique
The scientific cooperation between the Gabonese botanists and the French ecologists from the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) of the University Paris-Sud and the Institute of Research for the Development (IRD) of Montpellier has just published its results. A new flowering plant was discovered at some few kilometers away from Libreville.
Of a new kind and a new species, this shrub of the group of Annonaceae was named Sirdavidia solannona in honor of Sir David Attenborough, naturalist, director and English presenter at the BBC.
This unexpected discovery in this region of the national park of the Crystal Mounts, one of the best prospected regarding botany, is currently classified by the researchers as « endangered species » according to the list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), because having been found only in two localities. According to the results of the phylogenetic analyses published in the magazine, Phytokeys, this new shrub is characterized by a particular morphology.
Belonging to no kind known for Annonaceae, it takes roots within the group of Piptostigmateae (in the sub-group of Malmeoideae), which henceforth counts a total of six kinds. Sirdavidia Solannona is characterized by long leaves, reflected red petals, 16-19 yellow stamens which form a loose cone and a carpel topped with a very visible stigma.
Original text by: Gabonreview
