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Family:

Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

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: Mexico, Schiede s.n. (HAL!)

Description: Shrub 1-5.5 m tall, the uppermost terete cauline internodes, petioles, abaxial leaf surfaces and inflorescence rachis copiously covered with a varying mixture of spreading smooth hairs, apically bifid hairs, and stalked-stellate hairs. Leaves of a pair equal to somewhat unequal in size; blades 5-7-nerved or –plinerved with the innermost pair of primary veins diverging from the midvein in opposite or alternate fashion 1-2.7 cm above the blade base, ovate to lance-ovate, 7.3-19.8 x 3.5-9.7 cm, apex long-acuminate, base obtuse to broadly rounded and commonly oblique, the adaxial surface densely covered with spreading smooth hairs, the margin inconspicuously ciliate-serrulate to subentire; petioles 1.2-5.7 cm long. Inflorescence a panicle 4-9 cm long, the flowers aggregated into capitate clusters of more than three flowers at the ends of the branchlets; flowers 5-merous, essentially sessile at anthesis, pedicels lengthening to 1 mm in fruit, the deciduous bracteoles subulate, 2-4 x 0.25-0.5 mm. Hypanthia beset with spreading simple and stalked-bifid hairs 1-1.5 mm long that conceal the actual surface at anthesis. Calyx tube 0.5 mm long, the calyx lobes bluntly triangular, 1.5 x 1.5 mm (at anthesis); the exterior calyx teeth subulate, 0.5-1 mm long and barely exceeding the calyx lobes. Petals white, glabrous, oblong-obovate to oblong, 2.5-3.5 x 1.5-2 mm. Anthers isomorphic, 2.5-3 mm long, yellow, linear-oblong with a ventrally inclined pore; connective thickened dorsally but neither prolonged nor appendaged. Style glabrous, 6-7.5 mmlong; stigma punctiform; ovary 5-locular, 2/3 inferior, apex truncate to ± depressed, sparsely glandular-puberulent to glabrous; berry 5 x 4-5 mm when dry, purple-black at maturity. Seeds ovoid, the testa vaguely rugulate, 0.75-1 mm long.

Habitat and Distribution: Infrequent to locally common in montane rain forest and cloud forest. 1200-2500 m. Southern Mexico (Oaxaca, Veracruz). MEXICO: Chiapas (Breedlove 68829, CAS); G (Seler & Seler 2938, CAS).

Taxonomy and Systematics: For comments on similarities and differences between this species and M. chinantlana see comments under the latter.

Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]