Taxon Details: Clidemia rodriguezii Almeda
Taxon Profile:
Narratives:
Family:
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Scientific Name:
Clidemia rodriguezii Almeda
Clidemia rodriguezii Almeda
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: Costa Rica, A. Rodriguez et al. 3239 (INB!).
Description: Shrub 0.4-1.5 m tall, the glabrous cauline internodes thick and quadrate, distinctly alate when young becoming carinate with age with opposing faces 0.8-1.2 cm wide, the nodes bearing prominent expanded (0.25-0.75) mm) interpetiolar ridges. Very young nodes, vegetative buds, young petioles (adaxial surface) copiously setose with smooth early deciduous hairs 0.5-1 mm long. Leaves of a pair equal to somewhat unequal, otherwise identical, bearing two pairs of vesicular domatia (2-4 mm long) on the abaxial blade base where the primary veins diverge from one another; blades chartaceous and brittle when dry, 16-23 cm long and 11.7-16.2 cm wide, ovate to subcordate, apex acuminate, base broadly rounded, margin ciliate-serrulate, 7-9-nerved, glabrous on the adaxial surface at maturity or with remnant tufts of smooth hairs along basal portions of the impressed primary veins, essentially glabrous abaxially. Inflorescence a congested cluster of axillary dichasia 1-1.5 cm long, typically paired at each node; rachis nodes persistently setose with flexuous hairs 0.5-1 mm long, the internodes glabrate and the pedicels copiously beset with minute stellulate or branched hairs, bracteoles oblong to narrowly triangular, 1.5-2 x 0.25-0.5 mm, glabrous except for a short terminal hair. Flowers 4-merous on pedicels 1.5-2 mm long. Hypanthia (at anthesis) suburceolate with a cylindric distal neck about 1 mm long, copiously stellulate-puberulent with an occasional scattering of smooth spreading flexuous hairs. Calyx lobes rounded-triangular, 0.5 x 1 mm, fleshy, glabrous, erect and concealed by the calyx teeth; calyx teeth oblong, 2 x 1 mm, glabrous, widely spreading at anthesis and in fruit. Petals glabrous, white, oblong, 2 x 0.75 mm. Filaments glabrous, 2.5 mm long; anthers 2 mm long, 0.25 mm wide, white, subulate with a ventrally inclined pore; connective somewhat thickened dorsally but neither prolonged nor appendaged below the thecae. Ovary 4-locular, completely inferior, apex glabrous and smooth. Berry purple at maturity, 3-5 x 3-5 mm. Seeds 0.5 mm long, the testa vaguely rugose.
Habitat and Distribution: Rare and local in rain forest. 700-1600 m. COSTA RICA (Herrera 8446, CAS). (Endemic).
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: Costa Rica, A. Rodriguez et al. 3239 (INB!).
Description: Shrub 0.4-1.5 m tall, the glabrous cauline internodes thick and quadrate, distinctly alate when young becoming carinate with age with opposing faces 0.8-1.2 cm wide, the nodes bearing prominent expanded (0.25-0.75) mm) interpetiolar ridges. Very young nodes, vegetative buds, young petioles (adaxial surface) copiously setose with smooth early deciduous hairs 0.5-1 mm long. Leaves of a pair equal to somewhat unequal, otherwise identical, bearing two pairs of vesicular domatia (2-4 mm long) on the abaxial blade base where the primary veins diverge from one another; blades chartaceous and brittle when dry, 16-23 cm long and 11.7-16.2 cm wide, ovate to subcordate, apex acuminate, base broadly rounded, margin ciliate-serrulate, 7-9-nerved, glabrous on the adaxial surface at maturity or with remnant tufts of smooth hairs along basal portions of the impressed primary veins, essentially glabrous abaxially. Inflorescence a congested cluster of axillary dichasia 1-1.5 cm long, typically paired at each node; rachis nodes persistently setose with flexuous hairs 0.5-1 mm long, the internodes glabrate and the pedicels copiously beset with minute stellulate or branched hairs, bracteoles oblong to narrowly triangular, 1.5-2 x 0.25-0.5 mm, glabrous except for a short terminal hair. Flowers 4-merous on pedicels 1.5-2 mm long. Hypanthia (at anthesis) suburceolate with a cylindric distal neck about 1 mm long, copiously stellulate-puberulent with an occasional scattering of smooth spreading flexuous hairs. Calyx lobes rounded-triangular, 0.5 x 1 mm, fleshy, glabrous, erect and concealed by the calyx teeth; calyx teeth oblong, 2 x 1 mm, glabrous, widely spreading at anthesis and in fruit. Petals glabrous, white, oblong, 2 x 0.75 mm. Filaments glabrous, 2.5 mm long; anthers 2 mm long, 0.25 mm wide, white, subulate with a ventrally inclined pore; connective somewhat thickened dorsally but neither prolonged nor appendaged below the thecae. Ovary 4-locular, completely inferior, apex glabrous and smooth. Berry purple at maturity, 3-5 x 3-5 mm. Seeds 0.5 mm long, the testa vaguely rugose.
Habitat and Distribution: Rare and local in rain forest. 700-1600 m. COSTA RICA (Herrera 8446, CAS). (Endemic).
Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]