Taxon Details: Clidemia oblonga Gleason
Taxon Profile:
Narratives:
Family:
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Scientific Name:
Clidemia oblonga Gleason
Clidemia oblonga Gleason
Accepted Name:
This name is currently accepted.
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 4304 (US!).
Description: Shrub 0.5-2 m tall, the uppermost terete internodes and young petioles densely and evanescently beset with matted ± compressed spreading to reflexed stramineous hairs 3-8 mm long. Leaves of a pair unequal in size, oblong-obovate to elliptic-ovate, apex acuminate, base cordate, margin entire to obscurely undulate, 3-7-nerved, the adaxial surface glabrous, the elevated primary veins on the abaxial surface evanescently covered with spreading tangled hairs like the upper internodes and underlain with a mixture of dendritic, stalked stellate and sessile stellate hairs, the higher order veins beset with dendritic and/or matted stellate hairs; larger blade at each node 19-34.2 x 9-16.5 cm; smaller blade 12.2-24.3 x 7-14.5 cm. Inflorescence an axillary dichasium 2-4.5 cm long, typically branched at or near the base and borne in opposite leaf axils on defoliated branchlets; flowers 5-merous, essentially sessile or on pedicels to 0.25 mm long, the persistent bracts and bracteoles 0.25-1 x 0.25 mm Hypanthia 10-ribbed, cylindric-urceolate and prolonged distally 1-1.5 mm above the ovary apex, moderately resinous-glandular. Calyx lobes 0.5 x 1 mm, depressed semicircular, glabrous; exterior calyx teeth subulate, 0.5-0.75 mm long with an indument like the hypanthium. Petals minutely papillose on both surfaces, white, obovate, 1.5 x 1 mm. Filaments 1.5 mm long; anthers 2 mm long, yellow with a somewhat dorsally inclined pore; connective thickened dorsally and prolonged dorso-basally into a blunt appendage 0.25 mm long. Ovary 5-locular, completely inferior, apex flat and glabrous, berry 4 x 4 mm when dry. Seeds 0.4-0.5 mm long with a smooth testa.
Habitat and Distribution: Local and uncommon in low rainforests, rocky stream banks. 0-350 m. Also in Colombia. PANAMA (de Nevers et al. 6214, CAS).
Taxonomy and Systematics: This is a little-collected species readily distinguished by the combination of 10-ribbed resinous-glandular hypanthia, paired axillary inflorescence arising from defoliated nodes, sessile flowers, papillose petals, and dorsally appendiculate anther connectives.
Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]
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 4304 (US!).
Description: Shrub 0.5-2 m tall, the uppermost terete internodes and young petioles densely and evanescently beset with matted ± compressed spreading to reflexed stramineous hairs 3-8 mm long. Leaves of a pair unequal in size, oblong-obovate to elliptic-ovate, apex acuminate, base cordate, margin entire to obscurely undulate, 3-7-nerved, the adaxial surface glabrous, the elevated primary veins on the abaxial surface evanescently covered with spreading tangled hairs like the upper internodes and underlain with a mixture of dendritic, stalked stellate and sessile stellate hairs, the higher order veins beset with dendritic and/or matted stellate hairs; larger blade at each node 19-34.2 x 9-16.5 cm; smaller blade 12.2-24.3 x 7-14.5 cm. Inflorescence an axillary dichasium 2-4.5 cm long, typically branched at or near the base and borne in opposite leaf axils on defoliated branchlets; flowers 5-merous, essentially sessile or on pedicels to 0.25 mm long, the persistent bracts and bracteoles 0.25-1 x 0.25 mm Hypanthia 10-ribbed, cylindric-urceolate and prolonged distally 1-1.5 mm above the ovary apex, moderately resinous-glandular. Calyx lobes 0.5 x 1 mm, depressed semicircular, glabrous; exterior calyx teeth subulate, 0.5-0.75 mm long with an indument like the hypanthium. Petals minutely papillose on both surfaces, white, obovate, 1.5 x 1 mm. Filaments 1.5 mm long; anthers 2 mm long, yellow with a somewhat dorsally inclined pore; connective thickened dorsally and prolonged dorso-basally into a blunt appendage 0.25 mm long. Ovary 5-locular, completely inferior, apex flat and glabrous, berry 4 x 4 mm when dry. Seeds 0.4-0.5 mm long with a smooth testa.
Habitat and Distribution: Local and uncommon in low rainforests, rocky stream banks. 0-350 m. Also in Colombia. PANAMA (de Nevers et al. 6214, CAS).
Taxonomy and Systematics: This is a little-collected species readily distinguished by the combination of 10-ribbed resinous-glandular hypanthia, paired axillary inflorescence arising from defoliated nodes, sessile flowers, papillose petals, and dorsally appendiculate anther connectives.
Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]