Taxon Details: Clidemia laxiflora (Schltdl.) Walp. ex Naudin
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Family:
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Scientific Name:
Clidemia laxiflora (Schltdl.) Walp. ex Naudin
Clidemia laxiflora (Schltdl.) Walp. ex Naudin
Accepted Name:
This name is currently accepted.
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: Mexico, Schiede s.n. (B, destroyed; photo negative 17229, F!)
Description: Shrub 1-2 m tall, the uppermost rounded-quadrate internodes and petioles moderately to sparsely covered with a mixture of widely spreading to reflexed smooth hairs 1-2.5 mm long and plumose hairs 0.25-1.5 mm long. Leaves of a pair equal to unequal in size; blades 8-23.2 x 4.2-14.2 cm, ovate, 5-7-nerved, apex acuminate, base rounded to subcordate, the margin ciliate and denticulate, the adaxial surface beset with appressed smooth hairs 1-3 mm long, the primary veins on the abaxial surface beset with smooth spreading hairs 0.5-1 mm long and a sparse admixture of short plumose hairs, the higher order veins and leaf surface beset with smooth spreading hairs to 1.5 mm long. Inflorescence a pseudolateral openly branched modified dichasium 4-8(-10) cm long, divaricately branched at or near the base, the axes covered with a varying mixture of spreading barbellate and plumose hairs and a sparse admixture of smooth glandular hairs mostly shorter than 1 mm long; flowers 5-merous on pedicels 2.5-3.5 mm long, lengthening to 4-6 mm in fruit, with a diminutive version of the indument on the inflorescence axis; bracteoles subulate, tardily deciduous, 0.5-0.75 x 0.25 mm, essentially glabrous but tipped with a short hair. Hypanthium densely to moderately covered with spreading obscurely barbellate hairs to 0.5 mm long with a sparse ground cover of minute glands. Calyx lobes 1 x 1 mm, semicircular to ovate-oblong; exterior calyx teeth filiform, 3-3.5 mm long with an indument like the hypanthium. Petals glabrous, pink, narrowly obovate, 2.5-3 x 1.5 mm. Filaments 1.5 mm long, anthers 1.5 mm long, yellow with a truncate to somewhat ventrally inclined pore; connective thickened dorsally but neither prolonged nor appendaged. Ovary 5-locular, ¾-inferior, apex glabrous, rounded and somewhat depressed at the stylar scar. Berry purple-black when ripe, 5-6 x 5-6 mm when dry. Seeds 0.5 mm long, the testa shallowly rugulate.
Habitat and Distribution: Damp thickets, rocky slopes, and pastures in cloud forests. 700-1500 m. Also in Puebla, Oaxaca and Veracruz, Mexico. MEXICO: Chiapas (Breedlove 25078, CAS); GUATEMALA (Steyermark 37354, F).
Taxonomy and Systematics: Standley (1938) reports C. laxiflora from Costa Rica based on Tonduz 7737 which according to Gleason (1939) is C. tonduzii. This latter name is here relegated to the synonymy of Miconia benthamiana. Gleason (1939) attributes C. laxiflora only to Mexico and Guatemala which is consistent with my understanding of the distribution of the species. Two collections, Sandoval & Pérez 1241 (CAS) and Chinchilla Peña & Standard s.n. (CAS) from Cerro El León (Ahuachapán, El Salvador) are reminiscent of C. laxiflora in foliar shape and seed morphology but the flowers are consistently 4-merous. More and better material of this entity is needed before its identity can be established with certainty. Clidemia laxiflora and C. submontana form a closely related species pair. See the discussion following the latter.
Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]
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: Mexico, Schiede s.n. (B, destroyed; photo negative 17229, F!)
Description: Shrub 1-2 m tall, the uppermost rounded-quadrate internodes and petioles moderately to sparsely covered with a mixture of widely spreading to reflexed smooth hairs 1-2.5 mm long and plumose hairs 0.25-1.5 mm long. Leaves of a pair equal to unequal in size; blades 8-23.2 x 4.2-14.2 cm, ovate, 5-7-nerved, apex acuminate, base rounded to subcordate, the margin ciliate and denticulate, the adaxial surface beset with appressed smooth hairs 1-3 mm long, the primary veins on the abaxial surface beset with smooth spreading hairs 0.5-1 mm long and a sparse admixture of short plumose hairs, the higher order veins and leaf surface beset with smooth spreading hairs to 1.5 mm long. Inflorescence a pseudolateral openly branched modified dichasium 4-8(-10) cm long, divaricately branched at or near the base, the axes covered with a varying mixture of spreading barbellate and plumose hairs and a sparse admixture of smooth glandular hairs mostly shorter than 1 mm long; flowers 5-merous on pedicels 2.5-3.5 mm long, lengthening to 4-6 mm in fruit, with a diminutive version of the indument on the inflorescence axis; bracteoles subulate, tardily deciduous, 0.5-0.75 x 0.25 mm, essentially glabrous but tipped with a short hair. Hypanthium densely to moderately covered with spreading obscurely barbellate hairs to 0.5 mm long with a sparse ground cover of minute glands. Calyx lobes 1 x 1 mm, semicircular to ovate-oblong; exterior calyx teeth filiform, 3-3.5 mm long with an indument like the hypanthium. Petals glabrous, pink, narrowly obovate, 2.5-3 x 1.5 mm. Filaments 1.5 mm long, anthers 1.5 mm long, yellow with a truncate to somewhat ventrally inclined pore; connective thickened dorsally but neither prolonged nor appendaged. Ovary 5-locular, ¾-inferior, apex glabrous, rounded and somewhat depressed at the stylar scar. Berry purple-black when ripe, 5-6 x 5-6 mm when dry. Seeds 0.5 mm long, the testa shallowly rugulate.
Habitat and Distribution: Damp thickets, rocky slopes, and pastures in cloud forests. 700-1500 m. Also in Puebla, Oaxaca and Veracruz, Mexico. MEXICO: Chiapas (Breedlove 25078, CAS); GUATEMALA (Steyermark 37354, F).
Taxonomy and Systematics: Standley (1938) reports C. laxiflora from Costa Rica based on Tonduz 7737 which according to Gleason (1939) is C. tonduzii. This latter name is here relegated to the synonymy of Miconia benthamiana. Gleason (1939) attributes C. laxiflora only to Mexico and Guatemala which is consistent with my understanding of the distribution of the species. Two collections, Sandoval & Pérez 1241 (CAS) and Chinchilla Peña & Standard s.n. (CAS) from Cerro El León (Ahuachapán, El Salvador) are reminiscent of C. laxiflora in foliar shape and seed morphology but the flowers are consistently 4-merous. More and better material of this entity is needed before its identity can be established with certainty. Clidemia laxiflora and C. submontana form a closely related species pair. See the discussion following the latter.
Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]