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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: Brazil, Martius s.n. (M).

Description: Shrubs 1-3 m tall, the branchlets, petioles, inflorescences, and hypanthia moderately to densely hirsute with smooth caducously gland-tipped hairs 0.5-1 mm long, underlain with a caducous resinous-granular ground layer. Leaves somewhat unequal in size in each pair, 5-7-plinerved, elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, 7-17.5 cm long, 3-7.5 cm wide, above moderately to sparsely setulose (the hairs caducously gland-tipped), below moderately fine-setulose (the hairs gland-tipped, in part) on the primary and secondary veins, apex long-acuminate, base obtuse to rounded and oblique, the margin inconspicuously serrulate to entire. Inflorescence a pseudolateral paniculiform cyme (3-)5.5-10 cm long; flowers 5-merous, pedicels 0.5 mm long, the caducous, subulate bracteoles 0.5-1 X 0.25 mm. Calyx lobes triangular-ovate, 0.5 X 1 mm, the subulate exterior teeth 0.5-1 mm long. Petals white, glabrous with a short medial tooth at the apex, oblong-lanceolate but rounded apically, 2-2.5 X 1 mm. Filaments 2-3 mm long; anther sacs white, 2 mm long with a truncate to slight ventrally inclined pore; connective not prolonged nor appendaged. Ovary 3-locular, 2/3 inferior, the apex glabrous, berry 4-6 mm diam, blue when ripe. Seeds vaguely granulate, beige, 0.5 mm long; 2n=30.

Habitat and Distribution: Local, disturbed sites in rain forest. 0-200 m. Colombia to Guyana, Ecuador, and Peru. NICARAGUA (Riviere 353, CAS); CR (Almeda et al. 6955, CAS).

Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]