Miconia perturbata 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 - Sect. Glossoccntrum. M. tetragonae Cogn. affinis sed foliis breviter hebetiacuminatis hypanthiis amplioribus distincte lobulatis staminis minoris connectivo basi ventraliter appendiculato. Arbor 5 m. Rami primum hebeti-quadrangulares demum tereti foliorum venis primariis subtus petiolis inflorescentiis hypanthiisque primum sparse stellulatopuberuli mox glabrati. Petioli 1-2.5 cm ; lamina 8-14 X 5-7 cm elliptica apice breviter (5-7 mm) hebeti-acuminata basi late acuta vel obtusa tenuiter coriacea integra eciliata 5-nervata jugo exteriori tenui nervulis laxe reticulatis reticulis irregularibus ca. 2-3 mm latis, supra et subtus in superficie glabra. Panicula 8-12 cm longa lataque ramis primariis secundariisque plerumque 4(-6)-verticillatis; flores 5-meri ca. 1-2 mm pedicellati, bracteolis 0.5 mm longis subulatis sparse stellulato-furfuraceis ad hypanthii basim insertis mox caducis. Hypanthium (ad torum) 1.1 mm longum teres modice pilis brevissimis clavatis lucidis obsitum; calycis tubus 0.2 mm altus, lobis interioribus 0.2 mm altis triangularibus basi vix remotis, dentibus exterioribus distinctis non eminentibus. Petala alba 1.7-1.8 X 0.9-1 mm oblonga apice rotundata vel inconspicue emarginata dense minuteque papillosa. Stamina vix dimorphica glabra, filamentis 1-1.2 mm longis. Stamina maiora: antherarum thecae 0.35-0.4 mm longae apice truncatae et late porosae, connectivo 0.5-0.6 mm prolongato basi dorsaliter cum appendice descendente truncata 0.4 X 0.4 mm. Stamina minora: antherarum thecae 0.3 mm longae apice late porosae, connectivo 0.4 mm prolongato basi dorsaliter appendice descendenti distaliter rotundata 0.2 mm longa. Stylus 2 X 0.25 mm glaber; stigma inconspicue expansum; ovarium 3-loculare 1/2-inf erum 12-ovulatum apice imperspicue papillosum.
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Discussion
Type. Occasional along Canon Grande S S W of Cumbre Camp, Cerro de la Neblina, Terr. Amazonas, Venezuela, alt. 1100 m, 24 Dec 1957, Bassett Maguire, John J. Wurdack, & Celia K. Maguire 42474 (holotype US 2342616).
Examination of buds of Spruce 2747 (NY) revealed stamens quite similar to those of M . perturbata but with the small anther connectives consistently simple at the filament insertion, as well as a truncate calyx limb and hypanthium plus calyx (at a comparable bud stage) only 2/3 as long. M . tetragona also has leaf apices slenderly acuminate for 1-1.5 cm and veinlet reticules mostly less than 1 mm across, but large anther connectives dorsally appendiculate as in the Neblina species. Probably both relatives should be aligned with M. pilgeriana Ule and M . stellipilis Cogn. which also have the mostly sterilized anther thecae noted by Gleason (Bull. Torrey Club 63: 536. 1936). I have reservations as to the distinctness of M . pilgeriana from M. tetragona, and at least part of the material cited in Macbride's Flora of Peru is referrable to M . dolichorrhyncha Naud. or M . solmsii Cogn. To M . tetragona, I have referred without doubt Klug 635 (Mishuyaeu, Loreto, Peru) and Krukoff 9011 (S. Paulo de Olivenca, Amazonas, Brazil); both these collections show the numerous minute glistening elavate hypanthial hairs seen in the Panure isotype. A. C. Smith 2712 (Onoro Creek, British Guiana), distributed as M . tetragona, is better placed in M . regelii Cogn. because of the dense definitely stellulate hypanthial pubescence and the long anther thecae.