Taxon Details: Miconia rufostellulata Pittier
Taxon Profile:
Narratives:
Family:
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Scientific Name:
Miconia rufostellulata Pittier
Miconia rufostellulata Pittier
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 6535 (US!).
Description: Sprawling viny shrub to 2 m tall with pronounced divaricate branching, the uppermost rounded-quadrate cauline internodes, petioles, inflorescence branchlets, bracteoles (abaxial surface), and hypanthia densely covered with ferrugineous sessile and short-stalked, stellate hairs. Leaves of a pair equal to subequal in size; blades 5-nerved, elliptic-ovate, 2.6-7 x 1.3-3 cm, apex acuminate, base rounded to cordulate, the margin inconspicuously ciliate-crenulate to subentire, the abaxial surface moderately covered with smooth hairs 0.75-1 mm long sometimes sparsely intermixed with stellate hairs, the abaxial surface copiously to moderately beset with ferrugineous sessile and short-stalked stellate hairs on the elevated primary and secondary veins but sparsely so to essentially glabrous on the actual surface; petioles 2.5-8 mm long. Inflorescence a multiflowered panicle 2-5 cm long; flowers 4-merous on pedicels 0.5-0.75 mm long, the persistent to tardily deciduous bracteoles subulate, 1-2 x 0.1-0.25 mm. Hypanthium 8-ribbed (especially evident when in fruit). Calyx tube 0.2-0.25 mm long, the broadly triangular calyx lobes 0.5 x 0.75 mm; exterior calyx teeth consisting of slender spreading smooth hairs 0.5 mm long. Petals white, glabrous, 1.5-3 x 1 m. Anthers somewhat dimorphic in size and form, white, linear-oblong; thecae 1.5-2 mm long with a somewhat dorsally inclined pore or 1.75-2.5 mm long with a ventrally inclined pore; connective modified dorso-basally into a cordulate clasping appendage 0.25 mm long (in larger anthers) and into a similar but smaller appendage 0.2 mm long in the smaller anthers. Style glabrous, 4-4.5 mm long; stigma capitate to capitellate; ovary 3-locular, 5/6 inferior in fruit, apex glabrous, elevated into a shallow lobulate bowl-like collar 0.25 mm high that more or less flattens out in fruit. Berry 3.5-4 x 3.5-4 mm when dry, reportedly dark blue at maturity. Seeds ovoid, the testa muricate, 0.5-0.75 mm long.
Habitat and Distribution: Lowland rain forest and stream banks. 0-100 m. PANAMA (D’Arcy 5216, CAS).
Taxonomy and Systematics: This is an unusual species without close relatives. It is readily recognized by its sprawling habit with divaricate branching, 4-merous flowers, and muricate seeds.
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 6535 (US!).
Description: Sprawling viny shrub to 2 m tall with pronounced divaricate branching, the uppermost rounded-quadrate cauline internodes, petioles, inflorescence branchlets, bracteoles (abaxial surface), and hypanthia densely covered with ferrugineous sessile and short-stalked, stellate hairs. Leaves of a pair equal to subequal in size; blades 5-nerved, elliptic-ovate, 2.6-7 x 1.3-3 cm, apex acuminate, base rounded to cordulate, the margin inconspicuously ciliate-crenulate to subentire, the abaxial surface moderately covered with smooth hairs 0.75-1 mm long sometimes sparsely intermixed with stellate hairs, the abaxial surface copiously to moderately beset with ferrugineous sessile and short-stalked stellate hairs on the elevated primary and secondary veins but sparsely so to essentially glabrous on the actual surface; petioles 2.5-8 mm long. Inflorescence a multiflowered panicle 2-5 cm long; flowers 4-merous on pedicels 0.5-0.75 mm long, the persistent to tardily deciduous bracteoles subulate, 1-2 x 0.1-0.25 mm. Hypanthium 8-ribbed (especially evident when in fruit). Calyx tube 0.2-0.25 mm long, the broadly triangular calyx lobes 0.5 x 0.75 mm; exterior calyx teeth consisting of slender spreading smooth hairs 0.5 mm long. Petals white, glabrous, 1.5-3 x 1 m. Anthers somewhat dimorphic in size and form, white, linear-oblong; thecae 1.5-2 mm long with a somewhat dorsally inclined pore or 1.75-2.5 mm long with a ventrally inclined pore; connective modified dorso-basally into a cordulate clasping appendage 0.25 mm long (in larger anthers) and into a similar but smaller appendage 0.2 mm long in the smaller anthers. Style glabrous, 4-4.5 mm long; stigma capitate to capitellate; ovary 3-locular, 5/6 inferior in fruit, apex glabrous, elevated into a shallow lobulate bowl-like collar 0.25 mm high that more or less flattens out in fruit. Berry 3.5-4 x 3.5-4 mm when dry, reportedly dark blue at maturity. Seeds ovoid, the testa muricate, 0.5-0.75 mm long.
Habitat and Distribution: Lowland rain forest and stream banks. 0-100 m. PANAMA (D’Arcy 5216, CAS).
Taxonomy and Systematics: This is an unusual species without close relatives. It is readily recognized by its sprawling habit with divaricate branching, 4-merous flowers, and muricate seeds.
Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]