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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: Syntype: Colombia, Triana 4011 (BM!).

Description: Shrubs or small trees 1-7 m tall, glabrous throughout, the distal branches acutely 4-angled with a well-defined interpetiolar line or ridge at the nodes. Leaves 5-nerved or 5-plinerved, oblong-elliptic, (6.5)10-18(-30) X 2.5-8(-12) cm, apex acute to short-acuminate, base varying from acute to rounded or auriculate, the margin entire; petioles 1-3 cm long. Panicle 6-14(-18) cm long, the 5-merous flowers sessile and secund on the ultimate branchlets, the persistent bracteoles triangular-ovate, 0.5 mm long. Calyx ca. 1-1.5 mm long from the torus, flange-like and flaring with undulate or depressed semicircular ciliolate lobes, the exterior teeth merely blunt protuberances becoming obscure on mature hypanthia. Petals glabrous, oblong-obovate, 5-6.5 X 2.5-3 mm. Stamens isomorphic; anthers linear-oblong, purple, 3-4.5 mm long with a dorsally inclined pore; connective neither prolonged nor appendaged. Style glabrous, 3-4 mm long; stigma clavate-truncate to capitellate; ovary 3-locular, 2/3 inferior, apex dilated into a sparsely glandular-puberulent costulate cone that becomes rounded with age; berries 5-6 X 5-6 mm, purple at maturity. Seeds ovoid, rounded and coarsely rugulate, 0.5 mm long.

Habitat and Distribution: Local and uncommon, rain forest. 0-1180 m. Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador. MEXICO: Chiapas (Martínez 15460, CAS); BELIZE (Monro & Cafferty 2616, CAS); GUATEMALA (Schipp 1244, NY); HONDURAS (Nelson & Vargas 4992, TEFH); NICARAGUA (Holdridge 6623, US); COSTA RICA (Stevens et al. 25081, CAS); PANAMA (Almeda & Nakai 3461, CAS).

Taxonomy and Systematics: This species is part of a difficult complex that includes M. aponeura Triana, M. curvipetiolata Cogn. & Gleason, M. foliosa Triana, M. robinsoniana Cogn., and M. subnodosa Triana. These species differ modally in foliar size, petiole length, prominence of the exterior calyx teeth, and development of the nodal interpetiolar lines or ridges on distal branches. When the considerable variation in these characters is better understood it seems likely that some reductions will have to be made.

Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]