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Family:

Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

Accepted Name:

This name is currently accepted.

Description:

Description Author and Date: Frank Almeda, based on Almeda, F. (2009). Melastomataceae. In: G. Davidse, M. Sousa-Sânchez, S. Knapp, & F. Chiang (eds.), Flora Mesoamericana: Cucurbitaceae a Polemoniaceae. 4(1): 164-338.

Type: Holotype: French Guiana, L. C. Richard s.n. (P!).

Description: Shrubs 1-3(-4) m tall, the branchlets, petioles, lower leaf surfaces, and inflorescences densely hirsute with smooth, prevailingly glandular hairs 1-2 mm long, underlain with minute glandular hairs. Leaves somewhat unequal in size in each apir, 5-7-plinerved, elliptic-ovate, 4.5-13 cm long, 3-7 cm wide, above sparsely strigose, apex acuminate, base obtuse to rounded, the margin ciliolate-serrulate. Inflorescence a bracteate, capitate cluster of 2-6 sessile flowers borne on a pseudolateral peduncle 0.5-1.5 cm long; flowers 5-merous, the narrowly elliptic bracteoles 4-5(-8) X 1-1.5 mm. Hypanthia moderately covered with prevailingly smooth appressed hairs and sparingly underlain with minute glandular hairs. Calyx lobes triangular-ovate, 1-2 X 1-1.5 mm, the stoutly subulate exterior teeth 1-1.5 mm long. Petals white, glabrous, oblong to oblong-obovate, 3-3.5 X 1-1.5 mm. Filaments 3 mm long; anther sacs reportedly white, 3 mm long with a ventrally inclined pore; connective simple with a slight ventral prolongation at the filament insertion. Ovary 3-locular, 1/4 inferior, the apical cone ca 0.75 mm high crowned by a glandular puberulent collar 0.5 mm long; berry ca 5 mm diam, purple when ripe. Seeds rugulate to angulate, brown, 0.5-0.75 mm long; 2n=ca. 46.

Habitat and Distribution: Rare, disturbed sites, primary or secondary rain forest, stream banks, elfin forest margins. 50-1200 m. Also in Venezuela, all the Guianas and Trinidad to northeastern Brazil. BELIZE (Holst 4271, CAS); HONDURAS (Hazlett 2430, MO); NICARAGUA (Pipoly 5227, CAS); COSTA RICA (Rodriguez et al. 1689, INB).

Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]