A new species of Uvaria (Annonaceae) from West Africa

When going through the herbarium collections from western Africa for the ECOSYN Project (see acknowledgement) we came across several not yet published new species. Among them was Uvaria sassandrensis described below. Specimens of this new Uvaria species found in the herbaria were sometimes identified as U. thomasii Sprague & Hutch., the only other species in the area with long dark bristly hairs on twig and petiole (Keay, 1954: 35). Both species also have a cordate leaf-base and calyx-lobes that are already distinct in bud. However, the fruit of the new species is smooth whereas the fruit of U. thomasii is spiny and the flowers of the two species are clearly different as well, the petals in U. thomasii are about 3 times as long as wide while the petals of the new species are almost circular. Uvaria thomasii is found in forests from Senegal to Me d'Ivoire, U. sassandrensis is until now only known from Me d'Ivoire.