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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: Peru, Mathews 1180 (K!).

Description: Shrub or small tree 2-8 m tall, the uppermost cauline internodes rounded-quadrate becoming terete with age, essentially glabrous throughout. Leaves of a pair essentially equal in size, blades 3-5-plinerved with the innermost pair of primary veins diverging from the midvein 0.5-2 cm above the blade base, oblong-elliptic, 6.2-15 x 1.8-3.7 cm, apex caudate-acuminate, base narrowly acute, the margin distantly and deciduously ciliolate; petioles 0.3-2 cm long. Inflorescence a multiflowered panicle 5-17 cm long; flowers 5-merous, mostly sessile or sometimes with pedicels to 0.25 mm long, borne on peduncles 2-7 mm long, the early deciduous bracteoles linear-oblong, 2-2.5 x 0.1-0.75 mm. Calyx tube 0.25 mm long, the calyx lobes ovate-oblong to ± triangular varying to oblate 0.5 x 0.75-1 mm, the margin vaguely erose, the exterior calyx teeth triangular, 0.25-0.75 mm and typically exceeding the calyx lobes, the margins consistently puberulent. Petals obovate, white, 1.5-2.5 x 1.25-2 mm, minutely and vaguely granulose. Anthers isomorphic, 1.5-2 mm long, yellow, oblong with a ± emarginate to somewhat dorsally inclined pore; connective somewhat thickened but neither prolonged nor appendaged. Style glabrous, 4.5-5 mm long; stigma truncate; ovary 5-locular, 1/3 to 1/2 inferior, apex glabrous, somewhat concave or crateriform; berry 3-6 x 4-6 mm when dry, reportedly pinkish-white turning purple at maturity. Seeds ovoid, the testa smooth, 0.5 mm long.

Habitat and Distribution: Cloud forest, montane forest. 1600-2700 m. Mexico (Guerrero and Michoacan). Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. MEXICO: Chiapas (Breedlove & Keller 49300, CAS); GUATEMALA (Lundell & Contreras 21077, CAS); HONDURAS (Evans 1360, CAS); COSTA RICA (Grayum et al. 7756, CAS); PANAMA (McPherson 10385, CAS).

Taxonomy and Systematics: When Miconia pergamentacea Cogn. of Colombia is better understood it may prove to be nothing more than a geographic variant of M. livida with smaller calyx lobes.

Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]