Monographs Details:
Authority:
Michelangeli, Fabián A. 2005. (Melastomataceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 98: 1-114. (Published by NYBG Press)
Michelangeli, Fabián A. 2005.
Family:
Melastomataceae
Melastomataceae
Description:
Species Description - Shrub, to 0.5-3.0(-4.0) m tall; stems with a mix of nonglandular setae 1.0-1.5 mm long and a dense cover of furfuraceus trichomes 0.2 mm long, caducous, the nodes glabrous. Leaves isophyllous, oblong to ovate, 3-8(-11) X 1-4 cm, apex acute to obtuse, base cordate, adaxial and abaxial surfaces with sparsely stellate caducous trichomes, the abaxial surface light green, (3-)5(-7)-nervate, chartaceous to coriaceous, entire to serrulate, slightly revolute; petioles 0.1-0.7(-1.4) cm long, with caducous glandular setae and furfuraceous trichomes; domatia 1/2-2/3 immersed in the leaf blade, globose, ovoid or narrowly ellipsoid, 1.0-2.5(-4.5) X 0.8-2.0 cm. Inflorescence a terminal panicle of 8-20(-40) flowers, 415 cm long, the axis green, terete, sparsely glandular-setose, the trichomes caducous, up to 2 mm long, often with furfuraceous caducous trichomes. Flowers on pedicels 1.5-3.0(-5.0) mm long, not flared at the apex, subtended by caducous bracts, lanceolate, terminated in a glandular seta, 0.5-1.5 X 0.2 mm; hy-panthium conical, 4.5-6.0 mm long, glabrous to sparsely stellate, rarely with sparse, long, glandular trichomes; outer calyx teeth lanceolate to subulate with a broadening base, projecting 0.5-1.0 mm above the inner calyx teeth, 1.0-2.0 mm long, glandular-setose, inner calyx teeth broadly deltoid, connate 2/3 to 4/5 of the length, 1.0-1.5 mm long; the ring inside the torus glabrous; petals 5, elliptic to oblong, 9-12 (-14) X 5-6 mm, base truncate to obtuse, emarginate, smooth, with a subapical seta, white; stamens all the same size; filaments 3-3.5 mm long, glabrous; anthers yellow; the connective with a dorsal-basal blunt tooth; thecae 3.5-4.5 mm long, opening by a ventrally inclined pore; ovary 3-locular, 4/5 inferior, the superior portion terete, the apex surrounded by a skirt terminating in short glandular setae; style sparsely puberulous at the base, 7.5-9 mm long; stigma truncate to slightly funnelform. Fruits globose, 4.5-7.0 mm long, black, glabrous to sparsely glandular-setose; seeds not evident through the pericarp, truncate-obovate, 1.0-1.8 mm long, without capitate trichomes in the raphal area, without sculpturing, anticlinal walls straight, periclinal walls flat, boundaries between periclinal walls raised.
Species Description - Shrub, to 0.5-3.0(-4.0) m tall; stems with a mix of nonglandular setae 1.0-1.5 mm long and a dense cover of furfuraceus trichomes 0.2 mm long, caducous, the nodes glabrous. Leaves isophyllous, oblong to ovate, 3-8(-11) X 1-4 cm, apex acute to obtuse, base cordate, adaxial and abaxial surfaces with sparsely stellate caducous trichomes, the abaxial surface light green, (3-)5(-7)-nervate, chartaceous to coriaceous, entire to serrulate, slightly revolute; petioles 0.1-0.7(-1.4) cm long, with caducous glandular setae and furfuraceous trichomes; domatia 1/2-2/3 immersed in the leaf blade, globose, ovoid or narrowly ellipsoid, 1.0-2.5(-4.5) X 0.8-2.0 cm. Inflorescence a terminal panicle of 8-20(-40) flowers, 415 cm long, the axis green, terete, sparsely glandular-setose, the trichomes caducous, up to 2 mm long, often with furfuraceous caducous trichomes. Flowers on pedicels 1.5-3.0(-5.0) mm long, not flared at the apex, subtended by caducous bracts, lanceolate, terminated in a glandular seta, 0.5-1.5 X 0.2 mm; hy-panthium conical, 4.5-6.0 mm long, glabrous to sparsely stellate, rarely with sparse, long, glandular trichomes; outer calyx teeth lanceolate to subulate with a broadening base, projecting 0.5-1.0 mm above the inner calyx teeth, 1.0-2.0 mm long, glandular-setose, inner calyx teeth broadly deltoid, connate 2/3 to 4/5 of the length, 1.0-1.5 mm long; the ring inside the torus glabrous; petals 5, elliptic to oblong, 9-12 (-14) X 5-6 mm, base truncate to obtuse, emarginate, smooth, with a subapical seta, white; stamens all the same size; filaments 3-3.5 mm long, glabrous; anthers yellow; the connective with a dorsal-basal blunt tooth; thecae 3.5-4.5 mm long, opening by a ventrally inclined pore; ovary 3-locular, 4/5 inferior, the superior portion terete, the apex surrounded by a skirt terminating in short glandular setae; style sparsely puberulous at the base, 7.5-9 mm long; stigma truncate to slightly funnelform. Fruits globose, 4.5-7.0 mm long, black, glabrous to sparsely glandular-setose; seeds not evident through the pericarp, truncate-obovate, 1.0-1.8 mm long, without capitate trichomes in the raphal area, without sculpturing, anticlinal walls straight, periclinal walls flat, boundaries between periclinal walls raised.
Discussion:
The phylogenetic analysis shows T. ciliata to be closely related to T. rotundifolia. However, the two species are easy to distinguish both vegetatively and in floral morphology. Tococa ciliata has white petals, terete hypanthia, and sparsely pubescent leaves, whereas T roundifolia has red petals, winged hypanthia, and densely pubescent leaves. All of the known populations of this species are polymorphic for the presence of domatia, even though the proportion of individuals that have this character sometimes is very low. The absence of domatia in some individuals seems to be a secondary loss, because T. ciliata is a member of the domatia clade.
The phylogenetic analysis shows T. ciliata to be closely related to T. rotundifolia. However, the two species are easy to distinguish both vegetatively and in floral morphology. Tococa ciliata has white petals, terete hypanthia, and sparsely pubescent leaves, whereas T roundifolia has red petals, winged hypanthia, and densely pubescent leaves. All of the known populations of this species are polymorphic for the presence of domatia, even though the proportion of individuals that have this character sometimes is very low. The absence of domatia in some individuals seems to be a secondary loss, because T. ciliata is a member of the domatia clade.
Distribution:
Amazonas Venezuela South America| Amazonas Brazil South America|
Amazonas Venezuela South America| Amazonas Brazil South America|