Taxon Details: Miconia tonduzii var. hirtella Almeda
Taxon Profile:
Narratives:
Family:
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Scientific Name:
Miconia tonduzii var. hirtella Almeda
Miconia tonduzii var. hirtella 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, Almeda & Nakai 4809 (CAS!).
Description: Shrub or tree 1-5 m tall, the rounded-quadrate to quadrisulcate uppermost cauline internodes and petioles sparsely covered with smooth spreading hairs 0.5-3 mm long underlain with a sparse brown-lepidote indument. Leaves of a pair equal to subequal in size; blades 5-plinerved, the innermost pair of primary veins diverging from the midvein 1.5-3(-9) mm above the blade base, the blade elliptic to elliptic-ovate rarely varying to almost obovate, 4.3-13 x 1.6-5 (-8) cm, the apex acuminate, the base obtuse to almost rounded, the margin ciliate-serrulate, the adaxial surface essentially glabrous or sometimes with a few scattered smooth spreading hairs 0.5-1 mm long, the abaxial surface sparsely covered with spreading smooth hairs 0.5-2 mm long on primary and higher order veins and sparsely brown lepidote on the actual surface; petioles 1-3 cm long. Inflorescence a multiflowered panicle 8-15 cm long, the main branches and pedicels sparsely brown-lepidote; flower 5-merous on pedicels 1-2.5 mm long, the early deciduous bracteoles linear-subulate and filiform, 0.5-0.75 mm. Calyx tube 0.25 mm long, the calyx lobes rounded-triangular, 0.3 mm long appressed to and shorter than the calyx lobes. Petals white, glabrous, obovate, 1.5-2.5 x 1.5-2 mm. Anthers isomorphic, white, cuneate and widest apically 1.5 mm long, 4-celled with two ventrally inclined pores and a septum protruding somewhat beyond the perimeter of the pores; connective thickened and somewhat dilated dorso-basally and prolonged ventro-basally into a bilobulate appendage. Style glabrous, 4-5 mm long; stigma capitate; ovary 3-locular, ½-inferior, the apex glabrous and ± rounded on mature fruits. Berry 3.5-4 x 3.5-4 mm when dry, pale blue-green at maturity. Seeds ovoid, the testa granulate, 0.5 m long.
Habitat and Distribution: Locally common in cloud forest and montane pastures. 2300-3000 m. COSTA RICA (Fernández 1466, CAS). (Endemic).
Taxonomy and Systematics: This variety is known only from Costa Rica’s Cordillera Central, Cordillera de Talamanca, and the Cerros de Escazu. Populations from the latter (Cerro Daser) differ in having modally larger leaf blades (up to 13 cm long and 8 cm wide) that are ± obovate. In all other features this foliar variant is identical to typical populations of this variety.
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, Almeda & Nakai 4809 (CAS!).
Description: Shrub or tree 1-5 m tall, the rounded-quadrate to quadrisulcate uppermost cauline internodes and petioles sparsely covered with smooth spreading hairs 0.5-3 mm long underlain with a sparse brown-lepidote indument. Leaves of a pair equal to subequal in size; blades 5-plinerved, the innermost pair of primary veins diverging from the midvein 1.5-3(-9) mm above the blade base, the blade elliptic to elliptic-ovate rarely varying to almost obovate, 4.3-13 x 1.6-5 (-8) cm, the apex acuminate, the base obtuse to almost rounded, the margin ciliate-serrulate, the adaxial surface essentially glabrous or sometimes with a few scattered smooth spreading hairs 0.5-1 mm long, the abaxial surface sparsely covered with spreading smooth hairs 0.5-2 mm long on primary and higher order veins and sparsely brown lepidote on the actual surface; petioles 1-3 cm long. Inflorescence a multiflowered panicle 8-15 cm long, the main branches and pedicels sparsely brown-lepidote; flower 5-merous on pedicels 1-2.5 mm long, the early deciduous bracteoles linear-subulate and filiform, 0.5-0.75 mm. Calyx tube 0.25 mm long, the calyx lobes rounded-triangular, 0.3 mm long appressed to and shorter than the calyx lobes. Petals white, glabrous, obovate, 1.5-2.5 x 1.5-2 mm. Anthers isomorphic, white, cuneate and widest apically 1.5 mm long, 4-celled with two ventrally inclined pores and a septum protruding somewhat beyond the perimeter of the pores; connective thickened and somewhat dilated dorso-basally and prolonged ventro-basally into a bilobulate appendage. Style glabrous, 4-5 mm long; stigma capitate; ovary 3-locular, ½-inferior, the apex glabrous and ± rounded on mature fruits. Berry 3.5-4 x 3.5-4 mm when dry, pale blue-green at maturity. Seeds ovoid, the testa granulate, 0.5 m long.
Habitat and Distribution: Locally common in cloud forest and montane pastures. 2300-3000 m. COSTA RICA (Fernández 1466, CAS). (Endemic).
Taxonomy and Systematics: This variety is known only from Costa Rica’s Cordillera Central, Cordillera de Talamanca, and the Cerros de Escazu. Populations from the latter (Cerro Daser) differ in having modally larger leaf blades (up to 13 cm long and 8 cm wide) that are ± obovate. In all other features this foliar variant is identical to typical populations of this variety.
Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]