Taxon Details: Miconia alternifolia (Griseb.) Alain
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Family:
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Scientific Name:
Miconia alternifolia (Griseb.) Alain
Miconia alternifolia (Griseb.) Alain
Accepted Name:
This name is currently accepted.
This name is currently accepted.
Synonyms:
Catachaenia alternifolia Griseb.
Miconia pinetorum C.Wright
Catachaenia parviflora Griseb.
Miconia grisebachii Triana
Catachaenia alternifolia Griseb.
Miconia pinetorum C.Wright
Catachaenia parviflora Griseb.
Miconia grisebachii Triana
Description:
Description Author and Date: Walter S. Judd, 2010, based on Judd, W. S. (2007). Revision of Miconia sect. Chaenopleura (Melastomataceae) in the Greater Antilles. Systematic Botany Monographs 81:1-235.
Type: CUBA. Prov. Oriente [Prov. Guantánamo]: Monte Verde, in pinal, fl, 2 May, 1859-1864, C. Wright 179 p.p. (holotype: GOET!; isotypes: BM!, GH!, NY!, S (2 sheets)!).
Description: Shrub to 3 m tall. Indumentum of multicellular, darkly ferrugineous, globular-stellate to elongate-branched hairs. Young twigs not ridged, ± rectangular in cross-section, 2-5 mm wide, becoming terete with age, the indumentum of dense globular-stellate to elongate-branched hairs; internodes 1-5 cm long. Leaves with petiole 0.7-3.5 cm long, the indumentum similar to that of the twigs; blade 3-14.6 cm long, 1.3-5.8 cm wide, ovate to elliptic, flat, coriaceous, the apex acute to acuminate or broadly obtuse, the base acute to rounded (very slightly cordate), the margin plant to revolute, ± serrulate, especially distally, ca 0-45% of margin entire, but frequently appearing entire throughout due to revolute condition, the largest teeth 0.15-0.5 mm long; venation acrodromous, slightly suprabasal, with prominent midvein and 4 secondary veins, with 2 conspicuous secondary veins placed 2-8.5 mm in from margin, with 2 inconspicuous secondary veins placed closer to margin, and numerous percurrent tertiary veins oriented subperpendicular to midvein, the tertiary veins often partially separated by composite inter-tertiary veins but usually connected by at least 1 or 2 quaternary veins, higher order veins ± orthogonal-reticulate; adaxial surface green, the indumentum initially of moderate to dense globular-stellate hairs, but very quickly glabrescent or nearly so, the midvein and major secondary veins impressed, minor secondary veins and tertiary veins slightly impressed to flat, and higher order veins flat, the surface appearing minutely wrinkled-papillose after drying due to scattered druse crystals; abaxial surface pale green to reddish, but appearing ferrugineous due to indumentum, moderately to densely covered with persistent, globular-stellate hairs to 0.04-0.09 mm across on lamina and minor veins, intergrading with slightly larger elongate-branched hairs on midvein, the midvein and major secondary veins prominently raised, minor secondary veins slightly raised, tertiary veins slightly raised to ± flat, remaining veins ± flat. Inflorescences many-flowered broadly-rounded cymes of 2 to 4 branch pairs, 2-6 cm long, 2.5-7 cm across; proximal segment of lowermost inflorescence branches 0.5-2.5 cm long, distal internodes shorter, ultimate branches 0.5-5.5 mm long, terminal flowers only occasionally in ± sessile clusters, usually distinctly separated from each other, with ± dense globular-stellate hairs; peduncle 1-4 cm long, with similar indumentum; each inflorescence branch associated with early caducous, linear to narrowly ovate or obovate bract, ca 3-7 mm long, 0.7-2 mm wide, the apices acute, the lowermost pair sometimes expanded and intergrading with leaves; flowers in dichasia, each subtended by 2 caducous, linear to narrowly ovate or obovate bracteoles 2-4 mm long, 0.5-1 mm wide, the indumentum of ± dense globular-stellate hairs, their apices acute to rounded. Flowers sessile or nearly so, the pedicel 0-0.5 mm long. Hypanthium cylindrical, free portion 1.2-1.8 mm long, the outer surface with moderate to dense, minute globular-stellate hairs, the inner surface glabrous and strongly ridged, i.e., with 10 prominent ridges alternating with 10 weaker ridges, the apices of the stronger ridges projecting, 0.1-0.18 mm. External calyx lobes 5, 0.4-1.1 mm long, 1.4-1.9 mm wide, ± triangular, with acute to acuminate apex, indumentum of moderate to dense globular-stellate hairs; internal calyx lobes 5, 0.5-1.4 mm long, 1.4-2 mm wide, ± triangular to ovate-triangular, green to reddish, with sparse globular-stellate hairs, the apex rounded, the margin entire; calyx tube 0.2-0.4 mm long. Petals 5, 3-4.1 mm long, 2.1-2.7 mm wide, broadly obovate, glabrous, white; margin entire. Stamens 10, geniculate; proximal segment 1.7-3 mm long; distal segment 2.6-3.5 mm long, with minute dorsal projection, the anther 2.1-2.8 mm long, with fertile portion of anther sacs 0.9-1.4 mm long, the connective/distal part of filament extended 0.6-1 mm beyond the base of the anther. Ovary 3-loculate, 1/2-2/3-inferior (immature) to ca 3/4-inferior (mature), 2.6-3.4 mm long, 2.8-3.8 mm in diameter, ovoid to short-ovoid, glabrous and strongly ridged, with fluted apical projection to 0.4-0.6 mm encircling the base of style; style ca 5 mm long, glabrous; stigma truncate. Berries ca 4 mm in diameter [immature, thus color at maturity not known], globose, with moderate to dense globular-stellate hairs. Seeds ca 0.5-0.8 mm long, angular-obovoid; testa smooth. Fig. 26.
Habitat and Distribution: Cuba, mountains of northern Oriente, i.e., provinces of Holguin and Guantánamo, in the Sierra de Cristal, Sierra de Moa, Sierra de Toa, and the Alturas de Baracoa; moist broad-leaved thickets, moist forest over serpentine, and pinelands; 760-1325 m. Some associated species are listed in Alain (1946, 1956), Borhidi (1991), Borhidi & Muñiz (1986), and Fa et al. (2002). This species likely occurs with M. calycina.
Phenology: Known to flower from December through May.
Taxonomy and Systematics: Miconia alternifolia is phenetically similar, and likely most closely related, to M. skeaniana, with which it often has been confused (Judd 1994). Both have rounded cymes, a possible synapomorphy. Miconia alternifolia can be readily distinguished from M. skeaniana by its less prominent abaxial leaf venation, i.e., tertiary veins slightly raised to more or less flat, and higher order veins flat (vs. tertiary veins slightly to prominently raised, some to all quaternary veins, and sometimes even a few higher order veins slightly raised). The leaves of M. alternifolia vary from broadly obtuse to acute or acuminate, while those of M. skeaniana have consistently acuminate apices. In M. alternifolia, the hairs on the minor veins and lamina of the abaxial leaf surface are darkly ferrugineous, consistently globular-stellate, and quite small (i.e., 0.04-0.09 mm across). In contrast, the hairs of M. skeaniana are lighter, irregularly stellate-branched to occasionally globular-stellate, and somewhat larger (i.e., 0.09-0.2 mm across). The basal and sterile portion of the anthers of M. alternifolia is longer than that in M. skeaniana, i.e., anther with fertile portion 0.9-1.4 mm long and occupying 39-58% of the anther length (vs. 1.2-1.9 mm long and occupying 66-77% of the anther length in M. skeaniana). Finally, the tertiary veins of M. alternifolia are frequently more widely spaced than those of M. skeaniana, i.e., 4-11 (avg. 7) veins vs. 5-12 (avg. 9) veins per 2 cm in middle portion of leaf. The two species are completely allopatric and are, thus, geographically isolated (Fig. 27), with M. alternifolia occurring in the mountains of northern “Oriente,” i.e., Sierra del Frijol, Minas de Iberia, Sierra de Cristal, and Sierra de Moa, while M. skeaniana is restricted to the Sierra Maestra. The type of Miconia alternifolia, collected by Charles Wright (no. 179), is a mixed collection composed of material collected at Monte Verde (Prov. Guantánamo) on March 2nd, 1859 (see original label on isotype at GH and label on holotype at GOET) and presumably at Loma del Gato in the Sierra Maestra (Prov. Santiago de Cuba) in 1856-1859. The exact locality of the 1856-1857 collections is not known because no original label is present; however, plants matching these specimens occur only in the Sierra Maestra and it is known that Wright did collect in the Loma del Gato region of the Sierra Maestra in 1856-1857 (Underwood 1905; Howard 1988). These collections of Charles Wright were all assigned the same number by Asa Gray (Howard 1988). The holotype of Miconia alternifolia (at GOET) represents the “Monte Verde element,” which is considered conspecific with phenetically similar collections from other localities in northern “Oriente,” i.e., prov. Holguin and Guantánamo. Isotypes representing this collection are found at BM, GH, NY, and S (all with printed labels giving the incorrect date of 1860-1864). Collections of Wright 179 at GH, GOET, and M (collected in 1856-1857, probably at Loma del Gato) actually represent M. skeaniana (see below). Additional information relating to the nomenclatural history of these species is presented in Judd (1994).
Description Author and Date: Walter S. Judd, 2010, based on Judd, W. S. (2007). Revision of Miconia sect. Chaenopleura (Melastomataceae) in the Greater Antilles. Systematic Botany Monographs 81:1-235.
Type: CUBA. Prov. Oriente [Prov. Guantánamo]: Monte Verde, in pinal, fl, 2 May, 1859-1864, C. Wright 179 p.p. (holotype: GOET!; isotypes: BM!, GH!, NY!, S (2 sheets)!).
Description: Shrub to 3 m tall. Indumentum of multicellular, darkly ferrugineous, globular-stellate to elongate-branched hairs. Young twigs not ridged, ± rectangular in cross-section, 2-5 mm wide, becoming terete with age, the indumentum of dense globular-stellate to elongate-branched hairs; internodes 1-5 cm long. Leaves with petiole 0.7-3.5 cm long, the indumentum similar to that of the twigs; blade 3-14.6 cm long, 1.3-5.8 cm wide, ovate to elliptic, flat, coriaceous, the apex acute to acuminate or broadly obtuse, the base acute to rounded (very slightly cordate), the margin plant to revolute, ± serrulate, especially distally, ca 0-45% of margin entire, but frequently appearing entire throughout due to revolute condition, the largest teeth 0.15-0.5 mm long; venation acrodromous, slightly suprabasal, with prominent midvein and 4 secondary veins, with 2 conspicuous secondary veins placed 2-8.5 mm in from margin, with 2 inconspicuous secondary veins placed closer to margin, and numerous percurrent tertiary veins oriented subperpendicular to midvein, the tertiary veins often partially separated by composite inter-tertiary veins but usually connected by at least 1 or 2 quaternary veins, higher order veins ± orthogonal-reticulate; adaxial surface green, the indumentum initially of moderate to dense globular-stellate hairs, but very quickly glabrescent or nearly so, the midvein and major secondary veins impressed, minor secondary veins and tertiary veins slightly impressed to flat, and higher order veins flat, the surface appearing minutely wrinkled-papillose after drying due to scattered druse crystals; abaxial surface pale green to reddish, but appearing ferrugineous due to indumentum, moderately to densely covered with persistent, globular-stellate hairs to 0.04-0.09 mm across on lamina and minor veins, intergrading with slightly larger elongate-branched hairs on midvein, the midvein and major secondary veins prominently raised, minor secondary veins slightly raised, tertiary veins slightly raised to ± flat, remaining veins ± flat. Inflorescences many-flowered broadly-rounded cymes of 2 to 4 branch pairs, 2-6 cm long, 2.5-7 cm across; proximal segment of lowermost inflorescence branches 0.5-2.5 cm long, distal internodes shorter, ultimate branches 0.5-5.5 mm long, terminal flowers only occasionally in ± sessile clusters, usually distinctly separated from each other, with ± dense globular-stellate hairs; peduncle 1-4 cm long, with similar indumentum; each inflorescence branch associated with early caducous, linear to narrowly ovate or obovate bract, ca 3-7 mm long, 0.7-2 mm wide, the apices acute, the lowermost pair sometimes expanded and intergrading with leaves; flowers in dichasia, each subtended by 2 caducous, linear to narrowly ovate or obovate bracteoles 2-4 mm long, 0.5-1 mm wide, the indumentum of ± dense globular-stellate hairs, their apices acute to rounded. Flowers sessile or nearly so, the pedicel 0-0.5 mm long. Hypanthium cylindrical, free portion 1.2-1.8 mm long, the outer surface with moderate to dense, minute globular-stellate hairs, the inner surface glabrous and strongly ridged, i.e., with 10 prominent ridges alternating with 10 weaker ridges, the apices of the stronger ridges projecting, 0.1-0.18 mm. External calyx lobes 5, 0.4-1.1 mm long, 1.4-1.9 mm wide, ± triangular, with acute to acuminate apex, indumentum of moderate to dense globular-stellate hairs; internal calyx lobes 5, 0.5-1.4 mm long, 1.4-2 mm wide, ± triangular to ovate-triangular, green to reddish, with sparse globular-stellate hairs, the apex rounded, the margin entire; calyx tube 0.2-0.4 mm long. Petals 5, 3-4.1 mm long, 2.1-2.7 mm wide, broadly obovate, glabrous, white; margin entire. Stamens 10, geniculate; proximal segment 1.7-3 mm long; distal segment 2.6-3.5 mm long, with minute dorsal projection, the anther 2.1-2.8 mm long, with fertile portion of anther sacs 0.9-1.4 mm long, the connective/distal part of filament extended 0.6-1 mm beyond the base of the anther. Ovary 3-loculate, 1/2-2/3-inferior (immature) to ca 3/4-inferior (mature), 2.6-3.4 mm long, 2.8-3.8 mm in diameter, ovoid to short-ovoid, glabrous and strongly ridged, with fluted apical projection to 0.4-0.6 mm encircling the base of style; style ca 5 mm long, glabrous; stigma truncate. Berries ca 4 mm in diameter [immature, thus color at maturity not known], globose, with moderate to dense globular-stellate hairs. Seeds ca 0.5-0.8 mm long, angular-obovoid; testa smooth. Fig. 26.
Habitat and Distribution: Cuba, mountains of northern Oriente, i.e., provinces of Holguin and Guantánamo, in the Sierra de Cristal, Sierra de Moa, Sierra de Toa, and the Alturas de Baracoa; moist broad-leaved thickets, moist forest over serpentine, and pinelands; 760-1325 m. Some associated species are listed in Alain (1946, 1956), Borhidi (1991), Borhidi & Muñiz (1986), and Fa et al. (2002). This species likely occurs with M. calycina.
Phenology: Known to flower from December through May.
Taxonomy and Systematics: Miconia alternifolia is phenetically similar, and likely most closely related, to M. skeaniana, with which it often has been confused (Judd 1994). Both have rounded cymes, a possible synapomorphy. Miconia alternifolia can be readily distinguished from M. skeaniana by its less prominent abaxial leaf venation, i.e., tertiary veins slightly raised to more or less flat, and higher order veins flat (vs. tertiary veins slightly to prominently raised, some to all quaternary veins, and sometimes even a few higher order veins slightly raised). The leaves of M. alternifolia vary from broadly obtuse to acute or acuminate, while those of M. skeaniana have consistently acuminate apices. In M. alternifolia, the hairs on the minor veins and lamina of the abaxial leaf surface are darkly ferrugineous, consistently globular-stellate, and quite small (i.e., 0.04-0.09 mm across). In contrast, the hairs of M. skeaniana are lighter, irregularly stellate-branched to occasionally globular-stellate, and somewhat larger (i.e., 0.09-0.2 mm across). The basal and sterile portion of the anthers of M. alternifolia is longer than that in M. skeaniana, i.e., anther with fertile portion 0.9-1.4 mm long and occupying 39-58% of the anther length (vs. 1.2-1.9 mm long and occupying 66-77% of the anther length in M. skeaniana). Finally, the tertiary veins of M. alternifolia are frequently more widely spaced than those of M. skeaniana, i.e., 4-11 (avg. 7) veins vs. 5-12 (avg. 9) veins per 2 cm in middle portion of leaf. The two species are completely allopatric and are, thus, geographically isolated (Fig. 27), with M. alternifolia occurring in the mountains of northern “Oriente,” i.e., Sierra del Frijol, Minas de Iberia, Sierra de Cristal, and Sierra de Moa, while M. skeaniana is restricted to the Sierra Maestra. The type of Miconia alternifolia, collected by Charles Wright (no. 179), is a mixed collection composed of material collected at Monte Verde (Prov. Guantánamo) on March 2nd, 1859 (see original label on isotype at GH and label on holotype at GOET) and presumably at Loma del Gato in the Sierra Maestra (Prov. Santiago de Cuba) in 1856-1859. The exact locality of the 1856-1857 collections is not known because no original label is present; however, plants matching these specimens occur only in the Sierra Maestra and it is known that Wright did collect in the Loma del Gato region of the Sierra Maestra in 1856-1857 (Underwood 1905; Howard 1988). These collections of Charles Wright were all assigned the same number by Asa Gray (Howard 1988). The holotype of Miconia alternifolia (at GOET) represents the “Monte Verde element,” which is considered conspecific with phenetically similar collections from other localities in northern “Oriente,” i.e., prov. Holguin and Guantánamo. Isotypes representing this collection are found at BM, GH, NY, and S (all with printed labels giving the incorrect date of 1860-1864). Collections of Wright 179 at GH, GOET, and M (collected in 1856-1857, probably at Loma del Gato) actually represent M. skeaniana (see below). Additional information relating to the nomenclatural history of these species is presented in Judd (1994).