Taxon Details: Leandra dichotoma var. villosissima Cogn.
Taxon Profile:
Narratives:
Family:
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Scientific Name:
Leandra dichotoma var. villosissima Cogn.
Leandra dichotoma var. villosissima Cogn.
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.
Description: Shrub 1-3 m tall, the branchlets, petioles, primary leaf veins abaxially, and inflorescences copiously covered with smooth basally deflexed but apically ascending hairs 2-3 mm long and with an understory of minute glandlike hairs mostly less than 0.5 mm long. Leaves 12-25.5 X 6.5-12 cm, elliptic-ovate, (5-)7-nerved, base obtuse to rounded, apex acuminate, the margin ciliolate-serrulate, adaxial surface moderately covered with fine spreading smooth hairs up to 0.5 mm long, intermixed with or sometimes replaced by a sparse to moderate covering of coarser smooth hairs 0.7-1 mm long, abaxial surface moderately to densely villous-hirsute with smooth hairs ca 1-3 mm long. Inflorescences 10-16 cm long; flowers 5-merous, essentially sessile or on inconspicuous pedicels ca 0.2 mm long, and secund on the divaricate branchlets; the persistent bracteoles 1 mm long. Hypanthium densely covered with smooth (often gland-tipped) hairs ca 1-2.5 mm long; calyx lobes triangular, 0.5 mm long, mostly concealed by the exterior teeth. Petals white or pink, glabrous, 2-2.5 X 0.5-1 mm. Filaments 2.5-3 mm long; anther sacs yellow, 1-1.5 mm long, the pore somewhat ventrally inclined. Ovary 5-celled, 2/3-3/4 inferior; berry 4-6 mm in diameter, purple-black when ripe. Seeds ca 0.3 mm long. 2n=34.
Habitat and Distribution: Trail margins, disturbed sites, rain forest. 0-1500 m. (Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil.) BELIZE (Schipp 18, NY); GUATEMALA (Contreras 10296, CAS); HONDURAS (Molina, 1975:84); NICARAGUA (Seymour 5076, CAS); COSTA RICA (Almeda et al. 2935, CAS); PANAMA (Croat 66949, CAS).
Taxonomy and Systematics: In Costa Rica, this species exhibits some puzzling variation that may be the result of hybridization with L. mexicana.
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.
Description: Shrub 1-3 m tall, the branchlets, petioles, primary leaf veins abaxially, and inflorescences copiously covered with smooth basally deflexed but apically ascending hairs 2-3 mm long and with an understory of minute glandlike hairs mostly less than 0.5 mm long. Leaves 12-25.5 X 6.5-12 cm, elliptic-ovate, (5-)7-nerved, base obtuse to rounded, apex acuminate, the margin ciliolate-serrulate, adaxial surface moderately covered with fine spreading smooth hairs up to 0.5 mm long, intermixed with or sometimes replaced by a sparse to moderate covering of coarser smooth hairs 0.7-1 mm long, abaxial surface moderately to densely villous-hirsute with smooth hairs ca 1-3 mm long. Inflorescences 10-16 cm long; flowers 5-merous, essentially sessile or on inconspicuous pedicels ca 0.2 mm long, and secund on the divaricate branchlets; the persistent bracteoles 1 mm long. Hypanthium densely covered with smooth (often gland-tipped) hairs ca 1-2.5 mm long; calyx lobes triangular, 0.5 mm long, mostly concealed by the exterior teeth. Petals white or pink, glabrous, 2-2.5 X 0.5-1 mm. Filaments 2.5-3 mm long; anther sacs yellow, 1-1.5 mm long, the pore somewhat ventrally inclined. Ovary 5-celled, 2/3-3/4 inferior; berry 4-6 mm in diameter, purple-black when ripe. Seeds ca 0.3 mm long. 2n=34.
Habitat and Distribution: Trail margins, disturbed sites, rain forest. 0-1500 m. (Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil.) BELIZE (Schipp 18, NY); GUATEMALA (Contreras 10296, CAS); HONDURAS (Molina, 1975:84); NICARAGUA (Seymour 5076, CAS); COSTA RICA (Almeda et al. 2935, CAS); PANAMA (Croat 66949, CAS).
Taxonomy and Systematics: In Costa Rica, this species exhibits some puzzling variation that may be the result of hybridization with L. mexicana.
Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]