Meriania involucrata (Desv.) Naudin

  • Authority

    Liogier, Alain H. 1971. Novitates Antillanae. IV. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 21: 107-157.

  • Family

    Melastomataceae

  • Scientific Name

    Meriania involucrata (Desv.) Naudin

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - HAITI. Aux Cayes, Ekman 523, flowers red; Port de Paix, Ekman 5142; Barriere Couchant, Nash & Taylor 1106; Morne La Selle, Holridge 1684, 1917, flowers white; Furcy, Leonard 4648, flowers white; Belladere, Ekman 5348; Torbec, Ekman 5331, type of M . ekmanii; Ekman 5348. D O M I N I C A N REPUBLIC. Monteada Nueva, Marcano & Jim-enez 5282, sterile; .Alain Liogier 11649, 11657, flowers white; Sierra de Neiba, Gastony, Jones & Norris 490, flowers red; .Alain Liogier 12508, flowers red; Marcano, Jimenez & Liogier 5615, sterile; slopes of La Cotorra, Cordillera Central, Alain Liogier 12161, flowers white, 12162, flowers red; Los Tablones to La Lagunita, Gastony, Jones & Norris 262, flowers red, 282, flowers white; Pico Culo de Maco, Fuertes 1934, holotype of Blakea reticulata; Constanza to Bonao, Ekman 10033; Lagunas de Cenobi, Ekman 12708.

  • Discussion

    Melastoma involucrata Desrousseaux in Lamarck, Encycl. 4: 35. 1797.

    Meriania obtusifolia P. de Candolle, Prodr. 3: 101. 1828.

    Blakea reticulata Cogniaux in Urban, Symb. Ant. 7: 531. 1913.

    Meriania ekmanii Urban, Ark. Bot. 21A(5): 37. 1927.

    The leaves of this species are extremely variable, both in shape and in size; I do not recognize any consistent pattern; they vary from acute or short-acuminate to rounded or even sUghtly emarginate; the bracts have a tendency to become foliaceous and assume a spatulate shape.

    The other Hispaniolan species is very rare, known only from the type collection, and very different from the preceding.

  • Distribution

    HAITI. Aux Cayes, Ekman 523, flowers red; Port de Paix, Ekman 5142; Barriere Couchant, Nash & Taylor 1106; Morne La Selle, Holridge 1684, 1917, flowers white; Furcy, Leonard 4648, flowers white; Belladere, Ekman 5348; Torbec, Ekman 5331, type of M . ekmanii; Ekman 5348. D O M I N I C A N REPUBLIC. Monteada Nueva, Marcano & Jim-enez 5282, sterile; .Alain Liogier 11649, 11657, flowers white; Sierra de Neiba, Gastony, Jones & Norris 490, flowers red; .Alain Liogier 12508, flowers red; Marcano, Jime

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