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Family:

Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

Primary Citation:

Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10(5): 176. 1964

Accepted Name:

This name is currently accepted.

Description:

Description Author and Date: Fabian A. Michelangeli, January 2010, based on Michelangeli, F. A. (2005). Tococa (Melastomataceae). Flora Neotropica Monographs 98: 1-114.

Type: Bolivia. La Paz: between Tipuani and Guanai, DEC 1892, Bang 1683 (holotype BR; isotypes K, NY, P, US).

Description: Tree, to 5-8 m tall. Stems with a mix of glandular setae and stellate trichomes, the trichomes 1-2 mm long, persistent, the nodes glabrous. Petioles 2.5-4.5 cm long, sparsely glandular setose. Leaves isophyllous, elliptic to narrowly-elliptic, 13-33 x 5-9 cm, apex acute, base acute to obtuse, adaxial surface glabrous to very sparsely setulose, the primary and secondary veins on the abaxial surface densely setose or tomentose, the tertiary veins sparsely tomentose, the rest of the surface glabrous to sparsely glandular setose, with 2(-3) pairs of secondary veins, shortly plinervate, the first pair of secondary veins diverging 7-23 mm above the base of the leaf blade, chartaceous to coriaceous, entire, ciliate; domatia absent. Inflorescence a terminal panicle, of 15-30 flowers, 7-20 cm long, the axis slightly flattened, glandular setose. Flowers on pedicels 0-3.5 mm long, slightly flared at the apex, subtended by persistent bracts, deltoid, 1.0-1.2 x 0.5 mm; hypanthium campanulate, 4.5-5.0 mm long, slightly verrucose; calyx tube obscurely 5-lobed, truncate, 1.2-1.5 mm long, with sparse caducous fine glandular setae at the base, calyx teeth absent or highly reduced; the ring inside the torus glabrous. Petals 5, oblong-obovate, 5-6.5 x 2.5-4.0 (-5.0) mm, base oblong to slightly attenuate, emarginated, pruinosus, glabrous, pink. Stamens all of the same size, the filaments 6.5-7.0 mm long, glabrous; anthers yellow; the connective with a dorsal-basal blunt tooth; thecae 4.5-5.0 mm long, opening by a ventrally inclined pore. Ovary 3-locular, 1/4 inferior, the superior portion terete, the apex with a glabrous ring, 0.5-0.7 mm tall, rarely with sparse minute sessile glands; style glabrous, 9-10.5 mm long; stigma slightly infundibuliform, 1.5 mm wide. Fruits globose, 5.5-6.5 mm long, glabrous. The seeds not evident through the pericarp, unknown. Chromosome number n= unknown.

Habitat and Distribution: Rarely collected from Ecuador to N Bolivia, growing in forests up to 1200 m.

Taxonomy and Systematics: Tococa erioneura is a rarely collected species from mountain forest in the central Andes. It is closely related to T. oligantha and other species from the Guayana Highlands that lack domatia. It shares with these species the pubescence of the stems and petioles, as well as ovary shape. Wurdack (1963) suggested that T. erioneura is closely related to T. tepuiensis due to the overall similarities in habit and leaf morphology. Although these two species were not found to be sister species, they are still closely related. Cogniaux (in Rusby, 1896) in the description of T. erioneura cited Miconia schlimii as a closely related species. However, the differences in petal and ovary morphology among them do not seem to support this hypothesis (Wurdack, 1963).

Flora and Monograph Treatment(s):

Tococa erioneura (Cogn.) Wurdack: [Article] Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1964. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part V. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10: 1-278.
Tococa erioneura (Cogn.) Wurdack: [Article] Michelangeli, Fabián A. 2005. (Melastomataceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 98: 1-114.