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Family:

Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

Primary Citation:

Publ. Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Bot. Ser. 18: 816. 1937

Accepted Name:

This name is currently accepted.

Type Specimens:

Specimen 1: Isotype -- A. M. Brenes

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 21981 (F!)

Description: Shrub or tree 2-10 m tall, the rounded-quadrate uppermost cauline internodes, young vegetative buds, petioles, elevated primary veins on abaxial foliar surfaces, and inflorescence branches moderately to sparsely ferrugineous scurfy- or stellulate-puberulent. Leaves of a pair equal to somewhat unequal in size; blades 3-5-plinerved with the innermost pair of primary veins diverging from the midvein 0.4-1.7 cm above the blade base in opposite or irregularly alternate fashion, 3.5-9.5 x 1.5-3.8 cm, elliptic, apex attenuate to gradually acuminate, base acute to obtuse and typically inaequilateral but not decurrent on the petiole, the margin distally crenulate, the adaxial surface glabrous, the abaxial surface sparsely scurfy-puberulent on the secondary and higher order veins and essentially glabrous on the actual surface; petioles 0.4-1.7 cm long. Inflorescence a paniculiform dichasium 4-7.5 cm long branched from the base; flowers 5-merous on pedicels 0.5-2 mm long, the persistent bracteoles narrowly triangular to subulate, 0.5-1 x 0.2-0.25 mm, fused basally into a shallow inconspicuous nodal collar or elevated ridge. Hypanthia sparsely ferrugineous scurfy-puberulent, calyx tube 0.1 mm long, the calyx lobes depressed undulate, 0.5 x 1 mm; the exterior calyx teeth bluntly triangular, 0.25 mm long, equaling or barely exceeding the calyx lobes. Petals white, glabrous throughout, oblong and reflexed at anthesis, 2.5 x 1-1.5 mm. Anthers isomorphic, 0.5-1 mm long, yellow, cuneate in outline and widest at the apex with a dorsally inclined apical pore; connective somewhat thickened and prolonged ca. 0.25 mm abaxially the thecae but unappendaged. Style glabrous, 3.5-4 mm long; stigma capitellate; ovary 5-locular, completely inferior, apex glabrous, ± rounded to somewhat depressed; berry 4-5 x 4-5 mm when dry, purple-black at maturity. Seeds ± pyramidal with a smooth testa and a raphe that is somewhat inflated at the wider basal end into a vesicular sac, 0.5 mm long.

Habitat and Distribution: Uncommon in primary and secondary cloud forest. 550-1600 m. COSTA RICA (Almeda et al. 5050, CAS). (Endemic).

Taxonomy and Systematics: Miconia brenesii is vegetatively very similar to M. grayumii. The latter has exterior calyx teeth that conspicuously exceed and conceal the calyx lobes, the petals are papillose adaxially, the anther thecae are oblong, the style is conspicuously curved distally, the stigma is punctiform to truncate, and the seeds are distinctly angulate pyramidate with obscure but distinct verruculose angles on the convex face.

Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]