Comolia ayangannae Wurdack
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Authority
Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1964. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part V. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10: 1-278.
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Family
Melastomataceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Ab omnibus speciebus ovariis 4-locularibus differt foliis lanceolatis bene petiolatis connectivo postice distincte calcarato. Frutex ad 1 m; rami primum quadrangulati demum teretes et decorticantes petiolis inflorescentiis sepalis extus hypanthiisque modice vel dense setulosi pilis 0.15-0.3 mm longis setulis glanduliferis sparse intermixtis. Petioli 0.7-1.2 cm; lamina 2.5-5 X 1-2 cm lanceolata vel late 'anceolata apice anguste acuta basi obtusa membranacea 5-nervata jugis ad basim breviter (0.5-1 mm) coalitis nervis secundariis nervulisque supra invisus subtus inconspicue elevatis et laxe reticulatis, supra et subtus sparse inconspicueque strigulosa pilis 0.1-0.2 mm longis, ad margines inconspicue serrulata dentibus ciliolatis 0.1-0.2 mm altis et 1.5-2 mm inter se distantibus. Panicula racemiformis 3-6 cm longa plerumque 6-9-flora; pedicelli (3-) 10-15 mm longi; bracteolae 0.6-0.9 mm longae lanceolatae setulosae ca. 3 mm infra hypanthium insertae persistentes. Hypanthium 4 mm longum; calycis tubus 1 mm longus, lobis 4-6 mm longis anguste lanceolatis intus glabris. Petala 15.5-17 X 9 mm asymmetrice ovato-elliptica apicem versus sparse glanduloso-ciliolata alioqui glabra. Stamina vix dimorphica glabra, filamentis 7-7.5 mm longis, thecis anguste subulatis curvatis. Stamina maiora: thecae 7 mm longae, connectivo 1.3 mm prolongato dorsaliter ad basim cum calcari hebeti-acuto 1.3 X 0.5 mm ventraliter cum appendice bilobata 1.5 mm longa. Stamina minora: thecae 4.2 mm longae, connectivo 0.7 mm prolongato dorsaliter ad basim calcari 0.3 mm longo ventraliter appendice bilobata 0.8 mm longa. Stylus 16 X 0.3 mm; stigma truncatum; ovarium glabrum 4-loculare; capsula immatura 4-valvata.
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Discussion
Type. Leaves thin, brittle, dark above, lighter beneath, calyx green, corolla pink above and near-white beneath, anthers yellow, locally frequent in scrub and low forest on shoulder of east flank of Mt. Ayanganna above Thompson Camp, upper Mazaruni River basin, Pakaraima Mts., British Guiana, alt. 1418-1585 m, 10-11 Aug 1960, Stephen S. Tillett, Carolyn L. Tillett, d' Rufus Boyan 45077 (holotype U S 2343860).
The label notes mentioned "flowers 4- or 5-merous," but only one of 4- observable flowers was 5-merous. Technically C. ayangannae would key to near C. stenodon (Naud.) Triana and C. latifolia (Aubl.) Cogn.; the former differs in the rigid shorter-petioled densely glandular-setulose leaves and much smaller stamen-connective appendages, while the French Guiana species, obscurely known since the original description, is a " hirsute-villose" species with "subrotund" leaves. In stamen form (but not vegetatively), C. ayangannae is much closer to several species in Sect. Comolia, or to Acisanthera alsinaefolia (DC.) Triana. Within Acisanthera, placement would technically be in Sect. Dichaetandra; the only species of this section, A. goudotii (Naud.) Triana, has long aristate ventral connective appendages and is altogether so remarkably like (ex Macbride photographs) Ernestia ovata Cogn. that only a reexamination of the Cogniaux-implied "glabrous" ovary will establish the correct generic placement of the Goudot material. As for A. tetraphylla (Cogn.) Gleason, the capsules of all specimens seen by me are bivalved and therefore the ovary probably 2-ceIled, implying placement near A. hedyotidea (Presl) Triana.