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Family:

Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

Primary Citation:

Bol. Mus. Goeldi Paraense Hist. Nat. Ethnogr. 5: 255. 1909

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: Holotype: Brazil, C. F. Baker 116 (BR!).

Description: Shrubs 1-3 m tall, the young branchlets and inflorescences sparsely and deciduously stellate-furfuraceous. Leaves 3-nerved, elliptic, 7.5-18 X 2.5-9 cm, glabrous on both surfaces, apex acuminate to caudate-acuminate, base acute to obtuse, the margin undulate-crenulate nd deciduously ciliolate; petioles 0.8-3.5 cm long. Inflorescence a short panicle (3-5 cm long) of 3-flowered cymes, the flowers 4-merous and sessile, the deciduous bracteoles subulate, 1-2 mm long. Hypanthia glabrous or sparsely and deciduously stellulate-furfuraceous; the ovate calyx lobes ca. 0.5 mm long but typically concealed and greatly exceeded by the erect narrowly triangular exterior teeth 1.5-2.5 mm long. Petals oblong-obovate, obscurely papillose abaxially, 1.5-2.5 X 1-1.5 mm. Stamens isomorphic; anthers subulate, white, 3-3.5 mm long with a truncate to somewhat dorsally inclined pore; connective not prolonged but dilated dorso-basally into a blunt spur and ventro-basally into a minute bilobed appendage. Style glabrous, 5 mm long; stigma not expanded; ovary 3-locular, 1/3 inferior, apex glabrous; berry prominently costate, 4-6 X 4-6 mm, blue to bluish-white at maturity, sometimes sparsely covered with spreading glandular hairs. Seeds ovoid-pyramidate, irregularly muriculate, mostly 0.5 mm long.

Habitat and Distribution: Local, rain forest, swamp forest, river margins. 0-1000 m. Trinidad, all the Guianas, Venezuela and Colombia south to Bolivia and NE Brazil. MEXICO: Chiapas (Martínez 13496, CAS); BELIZE (Schipp 239, CAS); GUATEMALA (Contreras 7928, CAS); HONDURAS (Evans 1637, CAS); NICARAGUA (Martinez & Riviere 2106, CAS); COSTA RICA (Almeda & Daniel 7021, CAS); PANAMA (McPherson 11524, CAS).

Taxonomy and Systematics: This is the wide-ranging nominate element of the species. In subsp. monticellensis Wurdack of Guyana and Venezuela the leaf bases are obscurely cordate and the lateral flowers in each cyme are borne on pedicels 2-3 mm long.

Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]