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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: Costa Rica, Brenes 4525 (F!).

Description: Shrub 0.5-4 m tall, the terete uppermost cauline internodes, adaxial petiole and foliar surfaces sparsely covered with spreading smooth hairs (gland-tipped in part) 0.5-2.5 mm long commonly underlain with a moderate to sparse inconspicuous ground layer of minute appressed glandular hairs. Leaves of a pair ± equal to somewhat unequal in size; the blades 5-nerved, ovate to oblong-elliptic, 6-20 x 3-8.9 cm, the apex caudate-acuminate, the base obtuse to rounded the margin entire to crenulate-undulate, the abaxial blade surface essentially glabrous with minute inconspicuous glands ± restricted to the primary and higher order veins or copiously setose (not concealing actual surface) with spreading smooth hairs mostly 1-2 mm long scattered throughout and sometimes underlain with a sparse cover of minute appressed glands; petioles 1.1-9 cm long. Inflorescence a multiflowered panicle 4-9 cm long with hairs like the cauline internodes or essentially glabrous. Flowers 4-5-merous, essentially sessile; the tardily deciduous bracteoles subulate-setose, 1 x 0.1 mm. Hypanthium moderately covered with spreading smooth (typically gland-tipped) hairs. Calyx tube 0.25 mm long; the calyx fused in bud but rupturing at anthesis into 4 or 5 hyaline rounded-triangular lobes 0.5 x 1 mm, the exterior calyx teeth conic-subulate, 0.5 mm long commonly tipped with a smooth hair 0.5 mm long, divergent and spreading away from the calyx lobes. Petals white, glabrous, triangular to oblong-elliptic, 3.5 x 1 mm. Anthers isomorphic, yellow, oblong, 1 mm long, with a dorsally inclined pore; connective thickened dorsally and prolonged dorso-basally into deflexed caudiform spur 0.25 mm long. Style glabrous, 3.5 mm long; stigma capitate; ovary 4-5-locular, completely inferior, the apex elevated into a glabrous lobulate collar 0.25-0.3 mm high. Berry blue to purple-blue at maturity, 3.5-4 x 3.5-4 mm when dry. Seeds 0.5 mm long, arcuate-oblong with a smooth testa that is dilated at the distal end into an enlarged paddle-like spur.

Habitat and Distribution: Primary rain forest and cloud forest. 400-1800 m. COSTA RICA (Herrera 1270, CAS); P (D’Arcy et al. 15992, CAS) (Endemic).

Taxonomy and Systematics: The Costa Rican type has 4-merous flowers and abaxial foliar surfaces that are essentially glabrous. Recent collections from Panama have 5-merous flowers that are abaxially setose but identical to the Costa Rican populations in all other respects. If the geographic homogeneity with respect to the above mentioned characters was consistent one might be tempted to recognize formal infraspecific taxa. Vargas 111 (CAS) from Costa Rica, however, has 4-merous flowers and setose abaxial foliar surfaces whereas Panamanian populations have 4-merous flowers with glabrous abaxial foliar surfaces (Polanco 1706, CAS) as well as 5-merous populations that have sparsely setose abaxial foliar surfaces (McPherson 14080, CAS). One collection from Tapantí N.P., Costa Rica (Umana et al. 362, CAS) is anomalous in having 4-merous flowers and setose abaxial foliar pubescence with stellate hairs on the elevated abaxial foliar veins.

Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]