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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: Probable Isotype: Schiede & Deppe s.n. (BR!).

Description: Shrubs 1-2 m tall, the distal branchlets, primary and secondary leaf veins below, inflorescences, and hypanthia moderately to densely covered with antrorsely to widely spreading smooth (rarely glandular) brownish hairs 1.5-3 mm long and sparsely and caducously underlain with appressed to incurved glandular hairs. Leaves (3-)5-nerved, elliptic to elliptic-ovate, 6-17.5 cm long, 3.2-9 cm wide, above moderately hirsute to substrigose with smooth hairs 1-2 mm long, below moderately strigose to hirtellous with hairs 0.5-1 mm long, apex acute to acuminate, base obtuse to rounded, the margin ciliate-serrate to ciliate-serrulate. Inflorescence a pseudolateral cyme 2.5-9 cm long, divaricately branched at or near the base; flowers 5-merous, the pedicels 1.5-2 mm long, the bracteoles narrowly elliptic, 1.5-2 X 0.5 -1 mm long. Calyx lobes broadly ovate to semicircular, 1 X 1 mm, the subulate exterior teeth (1-)2-3 mm long. Petals white, glabrous, oblong to oblong-obovate, apically rounded to emarginate, (3-)5-7 X 1.5-2 mm. Filaments 1.5-2 mm long; anther sacs yellow, 2-2.5 mm long with a somewhat dorsally inclined pore; connective thickened dorsally and minutely prolonged(0.25 mm) basally. Ovary 5-locular, 1/2-2/3 inferior, the apical collar glabrous to glandular-puberulent, mostly less than 0.25 mm high enclosing a glandular-puberulent crateriform cavity; berry 5-7 mm diam, purple when ripe. Seeds granulate to minutely asperulate, brown, 0.5 mm long; 2n=34.

Habitat and Distribution: Common, disturbed sites and stream banks in rain forest. 0-800 (-1300) m; Western Mexico (Sonora) to San Luis Potosí southeastward. MEXICO: Tabasco (Cowan 2090, CAS); Chiapas (Breedlove & Almeda 56802, CAS); Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatán (Cabrera & Cabrera 6626, CAS); BELIZE (Croat 24805, CAS); GUATEMALA (Stevens et al. 25523, CAS); HONDURAS (Saunders 690, CAS); NICARAGUA (Stevens & Montiel, 17472, CAS); COSTA RICA (Almeda et al. 3259, CAS); PANAMA (Huft & Knapp 1795, CAS).

Taxonomy and Systematics: This weedy, widespread species is variable in foliar size, length and degree of inflorescence branching, and the length of the exterior calyx teeth.

Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]