Taxon Details: Miconia concinna Almeda
Taxon Profile:
Narratives:
Family:
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Scientific Name:
Miconia concinna Almeda
Miconia concinna 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: Panama, Pittier 3276 (US!).
Description: Epiphytic or terrestrial shrub with lax arching branches to 2 m long, the uppermost terete cauline internodes glabrous. Leaves of a pair isomorphic to anisomorphic, blades 3-nerved, elliptic to elliptic-ovate, 1.7-4.7 X 1.4- 3 cm, apex acuminate, base acute, the margin ciliate-serrulate, sparsely pubescent to glabrate at maturity but usually lepidote to brown-punctate abaxially, sparsely brown furfuraceous to glabrous adaxially, the pubescence usually tardily deciduous and imparting a brown-punctate appearance; petioles 0.5-2 cm long. Inflorescence a pendent, congested, trichotomously branched corymbiform panicle 1-1.5 cm long (shorter than foliage leaves borne at the node initiating the inflorescence) borne on a stout peduncle 2-5 mm long; flowers 5-merous on pedicels mostly 0.5 mm long; bracteoles foliaceous, persisting on the infructescence, oblanceolate to narrowly spatulate, 3-6(-10) X 1-2 mm. Hypanthia (at anthesis) glabrous. Calyx lobes (on fruiting hypanthia) persistent, semicircular but varying to rounded-deltoid, 1 X 1.5 mm; calyx teeth persistent, triangular, 0.5 mm long. Petals glabrous, ± concave, white but sometimes yellowish or greenish-yellow, suborbicular, 2-2.5 X 2-2.5 mm. Anthers 0.5 mm long, ± cuneate, 2-celled, broadly flared and terminated by a ± ovoid ventrally inclined pore; connective thickened and prolonged (0.5 x 0.5 mm) abaxially thecae, truncate to shallowly bilobed in ventral view, dilated dorsally into a blunt projecting appendage in profile view. Style glabrous, 3 mm long; stigma ± clavate to subcapitate; ovary 3-locular, ca. 4/5 inferior. Berry reportedly black or bright blue at maturity, 2-2.5 X 2.5-3 mm. Seeds ± pyriform, smooth, mostly 0.75 mm long.
Habitat and Distribution: Cloud forest, windswept elfin forest. 1900-2600 m. (Endemic).
Taxonomy and Systematics: Miconia concinna is recognized by its large, persistent, foliaceous floral bracts, and pendent, few-flowered inflorescences that are markedly shorter than subtending foliage leaves. For a detailed account of the species with which M. concinna has been confused in the past see the protologue.
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 3276 (US!).
Description: Epiphytic or terrestrial shrub with lax arching branches to 2 m long, the uppermost terete cauline internodes glabrous. Leaves of a pair isomorphic to anisomorphic, blades 3-nerved, elliptic to elliptic-ovate, 1.7-4.7 X 1.4- 3 cm, apex acuminate, base acute, the margin ciliate-serrulate, sparsely pubescent to glabrate at maturity but usually lepidote to brown-punctate abaxially, sparsely brown furfuraceous to glabrous adaxially, the pubescence usually tardily deciduous and imparting a brown-punctate appearance; petioles 0.5-2 cm long. Inflorescence a pendent, congested, trichotomously branched corymbiform panicle 1-1.5 cm long (shorter than foliage leaves borne at the node initiating the inflorescence) borne on a stout peduncle 2-5 mm long; flowers 5-merous on pedicels mostly 0.5 mm long; bracteoles foliaceous, persisting on the infructescence, oblanceolate to narrowly spatulate, 3-6(-10) X 1-2 mm. Hypanthia (at anthesis) glabrous. Calyx lobes (on fruiting hypanthia) persistent, semicircular but varying to rounded-deltoid, 1 X 1.5 mm; calyx teeth persistent, triangular, 0.5 mm long. Petals glabrous, ± concave, white but sometimes yellowish or greenish-yellow, suborbicular, 2-2.5 X 2-2.5 mm. Anthers 0.5 mm long, ± cuneate, 2-celled, broadly flared and terminated by a ± ovoid ventrally inclined pore; connective thickened and prolonged (0.5 x 0.5 mm) abaxially thecae, truncate to shallowly bilobed in ventral view, dilated dorsally into a blunt projecting appendage in profile view. Style glabrous, 3 mm long; stigma ± clavate to subcapitate; ovary 3-locular, ca. 4/5 inferior. Berry reportedly black or bright blue at maturity, 2-2.5 X 2.5-3 mm. Seeds ± pyriform, smooth, mostly 0.75 mm long.
Habitat and Distribution: Cloud forest, windswept elfin forest. 1900-2600 m. (Endemic).
Taxonomy and Systematics: Miconia concinna is recognized by its large, persistent, foliaceous floral bracts, and pendent, few-flowered inflorescences that are markedly shorter than subtending foliage leaves. For a detailed account of the species with which M. concinna has been confused in the past see the protologue.
Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]