Loreya mucronata Gleason

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett, et al. 1953. The Botany of the Guayana Highland. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 8 (2): 87-160.

  • Family

    Melastomataceae

  • Scientific Name

    Loreya mucronata Gleason

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Arbor parva, ramis dense strigillosis; petioli elongati; laminae ellipticoovatae, obtusae, mucronatae, ciliatae, ad basim obtusae vel rotundatae, supra glabrae, subtus ad nervos strigillosae, ad p agin am sparsissime strigillosae, 3-plinerviae, jugo marginali neglecto; flores solitarii, subsessiles, 6-meri, infra folia orientes; staminum connectivum carinatum sursum rotundatum.

    Species Description - Small tree, the younger stems 4-angled, very densely strigillose. Petioles 2.5-3 cm. long, strigillose like the stem. Blades thin, elliptic-ovate, up to 2 dm. long by half as wide, obtuse but with a short subulate apiculum from the prolongation of the midnerve, on the margin ciliate or almost spinulose, at base obtuse or rounded, glabrous above or somewhat strigillose on the midnerve only, beneath densely strigillose on the primary nerves, sparsely so on the secondaries, very sparsely on the surface, 3-pli-nerved with an additional pair of submarginal nerves; secondaries straight, 4-7 mm. apart, diverging at an angle of 75-80 ; tertiaries obscure. Flowers 6-merous, solitary and almost sessile on the old wood well below the leaves. Hypanthium broadly conic, glabrous, thick-walled, 6 mm. long to the torus. Calyx-tube prolonged 2 mm. to acute sinuses, the limb prolonged about 0.8 mm. farther and very obscurely notched; exterior teeth none. Petals red, about 9 mm. long, very asymmetric, the exposed margin entire, the covered portion greatly widened, very thin and delicate with irregular margin. Stamens 12, isomorphic; filaments stout, somewhat flattened; anthers straight, 4 mm. long; connective prolonged down the back of the thecae about 3 mm. as a thin flat ridge, ending abruptly in a rounded tip. Ovary wholly inferior, apparently 3-celled; ovules few. Style stout, glabrous, 11 mm. long; stigma capitate.

  • Discussion

    TYPE: from lowland rain-forest, vicinity of Base Camp, foot of Cerro Sipapo, Bassett Maguire & Louis Politi 28168; New York Botanical Garden.