Taxon Details: Miconia bicolor (Mill.) Triana
Taxon Profile:
Narratives:
Family:
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Scientific Name:
Miconia bicolor (Mill.) Triana
Miconia bicolor (Mill.) Triana
Accepted Name:
This name is currently accepted.
This name is currently accepted.
Description:
Description Author and Date: Walter S. Judd, Eldis R. Bécquer Granados, James D. Skean Jr., and Lucas C. Majure modified from "Taxonomic studies in the Miconieae (Melastomataceae). XII. Revision of Miconia sect. Miconiastrum, with emphasis on the Miconia bicolor complex". Judd, Walter S., Bécquer Granados, Eldis R., Skean, James D., Jr., Majure, Lucas C.; J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas. 8 (2): 457-491. 2014
Description: Evergreen shrub or tree to 10 m. Young stems terete to slightly quadrangular, the indumentum of moderate to dense, ± ferrugineous, peltate scales, or globular-stellate to dendritic hairs, these persistent to ± deciduous and stems then glabrescent, with or without elongate, multicellular, non-glandular hairs, internodes 0.8–8.5 cm long, lacking longitudinal ridges, nodal line present, faint to well-developed transverse ridge. Leaves isophyllous or nearly so; petiole 1.2–4.7 cm long, the indumentum of dense, peltate scales, but sometimes glabrescent; the blade 5–21.2 × 1.4–6.6 cm, ovate to elliptic or oblong, coriaceous to thinly coriaceous, the apex acuminate to attenuate, the base obtuse to rounded or very slightly cordate, the margin plane to slightly revolute, entire to slightly undulate; secondary veins 2 pairs, one pair conspicuous and one pair inconspicuous, acrodromous, basal or suprabasal, the innermost pair joining midvein at base to 15 mm above the leaf base, the conspicuous secondary veins placed 1.5–12 mm in from margin, the inconspicuous secondary veins intramarginal to 1.8 mm in from margin, tertiary veins percurrent, oriented subperpendicular to midvein, 2–12 mm apart, connected by 1–3 quaternary veins, which are ± reticulate, or not connected by quaternary veins, and separated by composite inter-tertiary vein, the higher order veins reticulate, the midvein and major secondary veins flat to slightly impressed, tertiary veins flat to slightly impressed, remaining veins flat on adaxial surface; the midvein strongly raised, the major secondary veins moderately to slightly raised, the minor secondary veins and tertiary veins slightly raised to flat, and the higher order veins flat on abaxial surface; adaxial surface appearing slightly wrinkled or punctate after drying, with scattered druse crystals, and drying darker than the abaxial surface or sometimes with a distinctive yellowish color when dried, the indumentum initially of dense, pale ferrugineous to translucent, stellate-peltate scales, but quickly glabrescent, although often with a few hairs proximally on midvein, or occasionally even scattered on the surface; abaxial surface pale green but ferrugineous to white due to indumentum, the epidermal surface smooth, with dense ferrugineous to white, or translucent, stellate-peltate scales, 0.13–0.28 mm across, the veins with similar scales, such scales on lamina persistent to ± deciduous, and persistent to deciduous on the primary to tertiary veins, and lamina surface occasionally sticky; mite domatia present or absent, usually (when present) at junction of midvein and major secondary veins, but sometimes also at junction of midvein and minor secondary veins, junction of tertiary veins and midvein, and/or junction of tertiary veins and major secondary veins, composed of elongate, multicellular, ± ferrugineous, yellow to reddish, eglandular, barbate hairs, 0.2–1.6 mm long. Inflorescences terminal, paniculate cymes, 3.5–19 cm long, 2–13.5 cm across, with (1–) 2–6 major branch pairs, the peduncle 1–6.7 cm long, the ultimate axes (pseudopedicels) 1.5–7 mm long, and the numerous flowers well separated from each other; bracts 0.3–8.5 x 0.15–1 mm, triangular or narrowly triangular to linear, with acute to rounded apex, quickly deciduous; bracteoles 0.3–0.6 × 0.15–0.3 mm, narrowly triangular, with acute apex, deciduous. Flowers 5- or less commonly 6-merous, zygomorphic (due to positioning of the stamens), with pedicel 1–3 mm long. Hypanthium 3.7–7.5 mm long, terete and moderately to not at all constricted above ovary, the free portion 2–4 mm long, 2–3.5 mm wide at the torus, the outer surface with sparse to dense stellate-peltate scales (and sometimes sticky), the internal surface smooth to very slightly longitudinally ridged, glabrous. Calyx lobes 5 or 6, separate (and valvate or open) in bud, the tube 0.5–2 mm long, not tearing between lobes (but rarely with a few irregular tears), with moderate to dense stellate-peltate scales abaxially, and sparse to moderate branched to stellate-peltate scales adaxially, the lobes obsolete or 0.1–1 × 1.5–3 mm, obsolete (with a rim-like calyx) or obscurely to clearly developed, ± broadly triangular to triangular, the apex rounded to obtuse or acute, with hairs similar to those of the tube, green, but often red-tinged or red; calyx teeth absent or present, 0–0.3 mm long, round or ellipsoidal bump (near apex of lobes), green, often red-tinged or red, with rounded to acute apex, and hairs similar to those of calyx. Petals 5 or 6, 5–11.5 × 2.7–6.7 mm, asymmetrically obovate, spreading, white, occasionally red-tinged, glabrous but both surfaces densely papillose-granulate, the apex rounded, ± shallowly notched, the base slightly narrowed to a broad attachment, the margin entire. Stamens 10 or 12, isomorphic, ± geniculate near filament apex; staminal filament 4–8 mm long, glabrous, pale yellow, occasionally pink-tinged, anther thecae 4.5–7.3 × 0.8–1.5 mm, subulate, straight to slightly incurved, opening by a small dorso-apical pore, yellow, the connective not prolonged below the thecae, glabrous, but the filament emerging from slight depression in sterile, minutely dorso-lobed anther base. Ovary 3-locular, 2/3–4/5 inferior, ellipsoidal to oblong or ovoid, 3–5 mm long, 1.5–4 mm in diameter, apically cylindric-conical , glabrous, the apex with short, slightly ridged collar but lacking crown, with axile placentation, the ovules numerous, borne on slightly expanded placenta that extends only slightly into locule; style 8–18 mm long, distally curved, white to rose, glabrous; stigma punctate, minutely papillose, ca. 0.15 mm wide. Berries 5–14 mm long, 4–14 mm in diameter, globose to ellipsoid, purple-black, with scattered stellate-peltate scales hairs, the hypanthium constricted, 1.5–2.3 mm wide at narrowest point and 2–3.5 mm wide at torus, but appearing strongly constricted due to flaring calyx tube. Seeds 1–1.9 mm long, angular-obovoid, with ± rectangular raphe, the testa completely smooth, or smooth on flattened distal surface, and ± slightly roughened on the sides, due to slightly bulging cells; appendage absent.
Description Author and Date: Walter S. Judd, Eldis R. Bécquer Granados, James D. Skean Jr., and Lucas C. Majure modified from "Taxonomic studies in the Miconieae (Melastomataceae). XII. Revision of Miconia sect. Miconiastrum, with emphasis on the Miconia bicolor complex". Judd, Walter S., Bécquer Granados, Eldis R., Skean, James D., Jr., Majure, Lucas C.; J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas. 8 (2): 457-491. 2014
Description: Evergreen shrub or tree to 10 m. Young stems terete to slightly quadrangular, the indumentum of moderate to dense, ± ferrugineous, peltate scales, or globular-stellate to dendritic hairs, these persistent to ± deciduous and stems then glabrescent, with or without elongate, multicellular, non-glandular hairs, internodes 0.8–8.5 cm long, lacking longitudinal ridges, nodal line present, faint to well-developed transverse ridge. Leaves isophyllous or nearly so; petiole 1.2–4.7 cm long, the indumentum of dense, peltate scales, but sometimes glabrescent; the blade 5–21.2 × 1.4–6.6 cm, ovate to elliptic or oblong, coriaceous to thinly coriaceous, the apex acuminate to attenuate, the base obtuse to rounded or very slightly cordate, the margin plane to slightly revolute, entire to slightly undulate; secondary veins 2 pairs, one pair conspicuous and one pair inconspicuous, acrodromous, basal or suprabasal, the innermost pair joining midvein at base to 15 mm above the leaf base, the conspicuous secondary veins placed 1.5–12 mm in from margin, the inconspicuous secondary veins intramarginal to 1.8 mm in from margin, tertiary veins percurrent, oriented subperpendicular to midvein, 2–12 mm apart, connected by 1–3 quaternary veins, which are ± reticulate, or not connected by quaternary veins, and separated by composite inter-tertiary vein, the higher order veins reticulate, the midvein and major secondary veins flat to slightly impressed, tertiary veins flat to slightly impressed, remaining veins flat on adaxial surface; the midvein strongly raised, the major secondary veins moderately to slightly raised, the minor secondary veins and tertiary veins slightly raised to flat, and the higher order veins flat on abaxial surface; adaxial surface appearing slightly wrinkled or punctate after drying, with scattered druse crystals, and drying darker than the abaxial surface or sometimes with a distinctive yellowish color when dried, the indumentum initially of dense, pale ferrugineous to translucent, stellate-peltate scales, but quickly glabrescent, although often with a few hairs proximally on midvein, or occasionally even scattered on the surface; abaxial surface pale green but ferrugineous to white due to indumentum, the epidermal surface smooth, with dense ferrugineous to white, or translucent, stellate-peltate scales, 0.13–0.28 mm across, the veins with similar scales, such scales on lamina persistent to ± deciduous, and persistent to deciduous on the primary to tertiary veins, and lamina surface occasionally sticky; mite domatia present or absent, usually (when present) at junction of midvein and major secondary veins, but sometimes also at junction of midvein and minor secondary veins, junction of tertiary veins and midvein, and/or junction of tertiary veins and major secondary veins, composed of elongate, multicellular, ± ferrugineous, yellow to reddish, eglandular, barbate hairs, 0.2–1.6 mm long. Inflorescences terminal, paniculate cymes, 3.5–19 cm long, 2–13.5 cm across, with (1–) 2–6 major branch pairs, the peduncle 1–6.7 cm long, the ultimate axes (pseudopedicels) 1.5–7 mm long, and the numerous flowers well separated from each other; bracts 0.3–8.5 x 0.15–1 mm, triangular or narrowly triangular to linear, with acute to rounded apex, quickly deciduous; bracteoles 0.3–0.6 × 0.15–0.3 mm, narrowly triangular, with acute apex, deciduous. Flowers 5- or less commonly 6-merous, zygomorphic (due to positioning of the stamens), with pedicel 1–3 mm long. Hypanthium 3.7–7.5 mm long, terete and moderately to not at all constricted above ovary, the free portion 2–4 mm long, 2–3.5 mm wide at the torus, the outer surface with sparse to dense stellate-peltate scales (and sometimes sticky), the internal surface smooth to very slightly longitudinally ridged, glabrous. Calyx lobes 5 or 6, separate (and valvate or open) in bud, the tube 0.5–2 mm long, not tearing between lobes (but rarely with a few irregular tears), with moderate to dense stellate-peltate scales abaxially, and sparse to moderate branched to stellate-peltate scales adaxially, the lobes obsolete or 0.1–1 × 1.5–3 mm, obsolete (with a rim-like calyx) or obscurely to clearly developed, ± broadly triangular to triangular, the apex rounded to obtuse or acute, with hairs similar to those of the tube, green, but often red-tinged or red; calyx teeth absent or present, 0–0.3 mm long, round or ellipsoidal bump (near apex of lobes), green, often red-tinged or red, with rounded to acute apex, and hairs similar to those of calyx. Petals 5 or 6, 5–11.5 × 2.7–6.7 mm, asymmetrically obovate, spreading, white, occasionally red-tinged, glabrous but both surfaces densely papillose-granulate, the apex rounded, ± shallowly notched, the base slightly narrowed to a broad attachment, the margin entire. Stamens 10 or 12, isomorphic, ± geniculate near filament apex; staminal filament 4–8 mm long, glabrous, pale yellow, occasionally pink-tinged, anther thecae 4.5–7.3 × 0.8–1.5 mm, subulate, straight to slightly incurved, opening by a small dorso-apical pore, yellow, the connective not prolonged below the thecae, glabrous, but the filament emerging from slight depression in sterile, minutely dorso-lobed anther base. Ovary 3-locular, 2/3–4/5 inferior, ellipsoidal to oblong or ovoid, 3–5 mm long, 1.5–4 mm in diameter, apically cylindric-conical , glabrous, the apex with short, slightly ridged collar but lacking crown, with axile placentation, the ovules numerous, borne on slightly expanded placenta that extends only slightly into locule; style 8–18 mm long, distally curved, white to rose, glabrous; stigma punctate, minutely papillose, ca. 0.15 mm wide. Berries 5–14 mm long, 4–14 mm in diameter, globose to ellipsoid, purple-black, with scattered stellate-peltate scales hairs, the hypanthium constricted, 1.5–2.3 mm wide at narrowest point and 2–3.5 mm wide at torus, but appearing strongly constricted due to flaring calyx tube. Seeds 1–1.9 mm long, angular-obovoid, with ± rectangular raphe, the testa completely smooth, or smooth on flattened distal surface, and ± slightly roughened on the sides, due to slightly bulging cells; appendage absent.