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Family:

Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

Primary Citation:

J. Washington Acad. Sci. 13: 390. 1923

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: Panama, Pittier 6748 (US!).

Description: Shrubs 1-2 m tall, the flattened 2-edged branchlets, primary leaf veins below, and inflorescences arachnoid-stellulate with finely matted ferrugineous hairs that superficially appear simple. Leaves strongly dimorphic in each pair, glabrous above, caducously stellulate-furfuraceous to glabrate below, apex acuminate, base obtuse to rounded or somewhat oblique, the margin entire; larger leaf at each node 5-nerved, ovate-lanceolate, 9.2-20(-26.3) cm long, 4-7.3(-11.7) cm wide, subsessile or with petioles (0.2-)0.6-0.9 cm long; smaller leaf 3-nerved, early deciduous, elliptic to lanceolate, 1.4-3 cm long, 0.4-1.1 cm wide, sessile or with petioles 1.5-2 mm long. Inflorescence a long-pedunculate, laxly branched axillary cyme 8-15 cm long; flowers 4-merous, subsessile or with pedicels 0.5-1 mm long, the bracteoles subulate or linear-oblong, 0.2-0.5 X 0.2 mm. Hypanthia caducously stellulate puberulent; calyx lobes depressed ovate, ca 0.2 mm long, the linear-oblong exterior teeth 0.5 mm long. Petals white, minutely farinose, oblong, 1.5-2 X 1-2 mm. Filaments 1.5 mm long; anther sacs yellow, 1.5-1.7 mm long with a dorsally inclined pore; connective prolonged dorso-basally into a subrotund obscurely lobed appendage ca 0.2 mm long. Ovary 4-locular, completely inferior, the apex glabrous; berry 5-6 mm diam, deep blue when ripe. Seeds smooth and angulate, tan to brown, 0.5-1 mm long.

Habitat and Distribution: Uncommon, stream banks, rain forest.90-800 m. Also in Colombia. NICARAGUA (Stevens 7084, CAS); COSTA RICA (Grayum 8631, CAS); PANAMA (Hammel 3226, CAS).

Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]