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Family:

Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

Primary Citation:

16: 226. 1994

Accepted Name:

This name is currently accepted.

Type Specimens:

Specimen 1: Isotype -- E. L. Ekman

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. Santiago de Cuba [= Prov. Oriente, p.p.]: Sierra Maestra, Cordillera de la Gran Piedra, La Gran Piedra, ca 1200 m, fl, 10 Nov 1917, E. L. Ekman 8855 (holotype: S!; isotype: NY!).

Description: Shrub to 4 m tall. Indumentum of multicellular, ferrugineous, minute-globular, globular-stellate, or irregularly stellate-branched, to elongate-branched hairs. Young twigs not ridged, ± rectangular in cross-section, 1.7-4.5 mm wide, becoming ± terete with age, the indumentum of moderate to dense, irregularly stellate-branched to elongate-branched hairs, these ± persistent; internodes 1-4.5 cm long. Leaves with petiole 0.7-2.9 (-4) cm long, the indumentum similar to that of the twigs; blade 5-12.5 (-16) cm,1.7-4.1 (-4.4) cm wide, ovate to elliptic, flat, coriaceous, the apex acuminate, the base acute to rounded or very slightly cordate, the margin plane to revolute, obscurely serrulate to undulate-serrate, especially distally, proximal 0-40% of margin entire, but frequently appearing entire throughout (when revolute), the largest teeth to 0.2-0.4 mm (occasionally to 0.8 mm) long; venation acrodromous, slightly suprabasal to ± basal, with prominent midvein and 4 secondary veins, with 2 conspicuous secondary veins placed 2-6.5 mm in from margin, 2 inconspicuous secondary veins placed closer to margin, and numerous percurrent tertiary veins oriented subperpendicular to midvein, the tertiary veins sometimes partially separated by composite inter-tertiary veins but usually connected by 1 to numerous quaternary veins, higher order veins ± orthogonal-reticulate; adaxial surface very soon glabrescent, the midvein and major secondary veins impressed, minor secondary veins, tertiary veins, and some quaternary veins slightly impressed, and higher order veins flat, the surface appearing minutely wrinkled-papillose after drying due to sparsely to densely scattered druse crystals; abaxial surface pale green, with moderate to dense, persistent, irregularly stellate-branched or globular-stellate hairs, 0.09-0.2 mm across, on lamina and smaller veins, sometimes also with minute globular hairs, intergrading with slightly larger stellate-branched to elongate-branched hairs on midvein, the midvein and major secondary veins prominently raised, tertiary veins prominently to slightly raised, minor secondary veins, some to all quaternary veins, and sometimes even a few higher order veins slightly raised. Inflorescences many-flowered, broadly-rounded cymes of 3 or 4 branch-pairs, 3-8 cm long, 3-8 cm across; proximal segment of lowermost inflorescence branches 1-2.9 cm long, distal internodes shorter, ultimate branches 1-6.5 mm long, with ± moderate, irregularly stellate-branched to globular-stellate or elongate-branched hairs; peduncle 1.5-5 cm long, with similar indumentum; each branch associated with early caducous, slightly ovate to obovate bract, ca 1.7-4 mm long, 1-2 mm wide, the apices acute to rounded, the lowermost pair sometimes leaf-like; flowers in dichasia, usually distinctly separated from each other, each subtended by 2 caducous, ± ovate bracteoles, 1.5-2.2 mm long, 0.8-1 mm wide, their apices acute to obtuse. Flowers sessile or nearly so, the pedicel 0-0.5 mm long. Hypanthium cylindrical, free portion 1.6-1.9 mm long, the outer surface with sparse to moderate, minute, stellate-branched 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, 0.05-0.1 mm. External calyx lobes 5, 0.3-0.8 mm long, 1.4-2.5 mm wide, broadly triangular, with acute to acuminate apex, indumentum as on hypanthium; internal calyx lobes 5, 0.5-1.5 mm long, 1.4-2.5 mm wide, ± triangular to ovate-triangular, green, glabrous or with sparse stellate hairs, apex rounded, margin entire, sometimes minutely fringed; calyx tube 0.2-0.5 mm long. Petals 5, 2.8-4.2 mm long, 2.6-2.9 mm wide, broadly ovate to obovate, glabrous, white to pink-tinged; margin entire. Stamens 10, geniculate; proximal segment 1.9-2.9 mm long; distal segment 2.6-3.2 mm long, with minute dorsal projection (pointing ± toward anther apex), the anther 1.8-2.5 mm long, with fertile portion of anther sacs 1.2-1.9 mm long, the connective/distal part of filament extending 0.6-0.9 mm beyond the base of the anther. Ovary (2- or) 3-loculate, ca 1/2-inferior (immature) to ca 2/3-inferior (mature), 2.1-3 mm long, 2.4-3.5 mm in diameter, short-ovoid to subglobose, glabrous and strongly ridged, with fluted apical projection to ca 0.5 mm encircling the base of style; style 3.8-5 mm long, glabrous; stigma truncate. Berries ca 4.5-7 mm long, 5.5-7 mm in diameter, globose to subglobose, pale blue. Seeds ca 0.5-0.9 mm long, angular-obovoid; testa smooth. Fig. 26.

Habitat and Distribution: Cuba, Sierra Maestra, both the Cordillera de Turquino and the Cordillera de la Gran Piedra, of southern "Oriente" [prov. Granma and Santiago de Cuba]; moist montane forests, cloud forests and thickets; 750-1974 m. The vegetation of the higher elevations of the Sierra Maestra is summarized in León (1924, 1946), Seifriz (1943), Smith (1954), and Borhidi (1991).

Phenology: Poorly known, but possibly flowering from November through May.

Taxonomy and Systematics: Miconia skeaniana is probably most closely related to M. alternifolia, with which it consistently has been confused (see Judd 1994). It can be readily distinguished from this species by its more prominent abaxial leaf venation, i.e., tertiary veins slightly to prominently raised, some to all quaternary veins, and sometimes even a few higher order veins slightly raised (vs. tertiary veins slightly raised to more or less flat, and higher order veins flat). Additionally, the leaves of M. skeaniana have consistently acuminate apices, while those of M. alternifolia vary from broadly obtuse to acute or acuminate. In M. skeaniana the hairs on the minor veins and lamina of the abaxial leaf surface are lightly ferrugineous, irregularly stellate-branched to occasionally globular stellate and 0.09-0.2 mm across, while in M. alternifolia they are darker, consistently globular-stellate and only 0.04-0.09 mm across. See discussion under M. alternifolia for additional distinguishing characters. Miconia skeaniana was described as a result of taxonomic studies made in connection with this taxonomic revision (Judd 1994). The two species are geographically isolated (Fig. 27). The specimens of Wright 179 collected in 1856-1857 have sometimes been considered as a distinct variety, i.e., M. grisebachii var. reticulata Cogn., but the type of this name actually is a Puerto Rican plant of the Sierra de Luquillo (and the name is a synonym of M. pychoneura Urb.).