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Family:

Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

Primary Citation:

Trans. Linn. Soc. London 28(1): 132. 1871

Accepted Name:

This name is currently accepted.

Description:

Description Author and Date: Fabian A. Michelangeli, January 2010, based on Michelangeli, F. A. (2005). Tococa (Melastomataceae). Flora Neotropica Monographs 98: 1-114.

Type: Colombia. Chocó: Triana 36327 (holotype K, isotypes P, COL[n. v.]).

Description: Shrub, up to 3 m tall. Stems densely pubescent, with a mix of thick non-glandular persisten trichomes, up to 6 mm long, and sparse lepidote hairs, caducous in the older branches, the nodes glabrous. Petioles 0.2-1.1 cm long, pubescence as in the stems. Leaves isophyllous, obovate, 22-35 x 10-17 cm, apex obtuse to sliglty acuminate, base acute, adaxial side densely pubescent, the trichomes and up to 6 mm long, addpressed to the leaf surface, abaxial side as the adaxial surface but the trichomes not adpressed, light green, with 2(-3 pairs of secondary veins, basally nervate, membranaceous, obscurely serrulate, ciliate; domatia present, free from the leaf blade, ovoid to narrowly ovoid, deeply corrugated and with large pores opening into the inner chambe throughtout the surface, 1.3-2.2 cm long x 0.6-1.0 cm wide. Inflorescence a terminal raceme, 6-15 cm long, with numerous flowers, the axis green, terete to slightly cuadrangular; flowers sessile; bracts persistent, elliptic, with (6-10) long apical bristles (up to 3 mm long), 1.2-1.6 x 0.5-0.7 mm; hypanthium campanulate, slighlty 10-costate, 2.5-2.6 mm long; sepals broadly deltoid, 1.0 mm long, with 5-10 apical thin bristles up to 3 mm long, calyx teeth incospicous, but with numerous apical setae (up to 4 mm long); the ring inside the torus glabrous. Petals 5, emarginate, 3-4 x 1.5-2 mm, smooth, glabrous, white to green. Stamens all of the same size, the filaments 3-4 mm long, glabrous; anthers yellow; the connective without a dorsal-basal blunt tooth; thecae 72.5 mm long, opening by two small upright pores. Ovary 3-locular, 2/3 inferior, the superior portion conical, the apex glabrous; style pubescent at the base, 7-8 mm long, stigma capitate. Fruits globose, 3.0-3.5 mm long, black. The seeds not evident through the pericarp, truncate-obovate, 0.3-0.4 mm long, without capitate trichomes in the raphal area, without sculpturing, anticlinal walls s-shaped, periclinal walls flat, boundaries between periclinal walls flat. Chromosome number n= unknown.

Habitat and Distribution: Eastern Colombia and northern Ecuador. Growing in the understory of primary and secondary forests up to 1000 m.

Phenology: Flowering year round.

Taxonomy and Systematics: Tococa spadiciflora is easily recognized by its verrucose domatia and thin racemose inflorescences. Both of these characters are not seen elsewhere in the genus, although similar domatia are present in Clidemia killipii. For a detailed discussion of possible affinities of this species, see the section on phylogenetic relationships.

Flora and Monograph Treatment(s):

Tococa spadiciflora Triana: [Article] Michelangeli, Fabián A. 2005. (Melastomataceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 98: 1-114.