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Family:

Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

Primary Citation:

Fl. Bras. (Martius) 14: 506. 1888

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: Peru, Poeppig 2203 (US!).

Description: Shrubs 0.7-3(-5) m tall, the distal branchlets, primary and secondary leaf veins below, inflorescences, and hypanthia moderately to densely covered with a caducous, granulate-furfuraceous indument. Leaves 7(-9)-plinerved, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, (9-)12.5-32 cm long, 4.4-16.5 cm wide, above essentially glabrous, below sparsely to moderately resinous-granular, apex acuminate, base acute and long-decurrent, the margin entire but ciliolate. Inflorescence a congested paniculiform axillary cyme 1-3(-5.5) cm long, typically paired at defoliated branch nodes; flowers 4-merous on pedicels 0.5-1.5 mm long, the broadly triangular bracteoles 0.5 X 0.3 mm. Calyx lobes ovate, 0.5 X 1 mm, somewhat cucullate and incurved apically, largely obscured by the totally adnate, prominently projecting, glandular-setose exterior teeth 2-2.5 mm long. Petals white or pink, glabrous, oblong to ovate-oblong, 1-1.5 X 0.5 mm. Filaments 1.5-2 mm long; anther sacs white but drying yellow, 1-2 mm long with a dorsally inclined pore; connective simple. Ovary 4-locular, 3/4 inferior, the truncate glandular-puberulent collar 0.5 mm high; berry ca 6 mm diam, blue or purple when ripe. Seeds granulate, orange-brown, 0.5 mm long.

Habitat and Distribution: Swamp margins, secondary growth in lowland and lower montane rainforest. 10-550 (-700) m. Southern Mexico (Oaxaca), Jamaica, Ecuador and Venezuela to Surinam, south to Amazonian Brazil. MEXICO: Chiapas (Breedlove & McClintock 34108, CAS); BELIZE (Davidse & Holland 36730, CAS); GUATEMALA (Conteras 7960, CAS); HONDURAS (Saunders 1098, CAS); NICARAGUA (Araquistain 3086, CAS); COSTA RICA (Araya & Corrales 408, CAS); PANAMA (Knapp & Mallet 4614, CAS).

Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]