Taxon Details: Clidemia diffusa Donn.Sm.
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Family:
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Scientific Name:
Clidemia diffusa Donn.Sm.
Clidemia diffusa Donn.Sm.
Primary Citation:
Bot. Gaz. (Crawfordsville) 46: 112. 1908
Bot. Gaz. (Crawfordsville) 46: 112. 1908
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: Guatemala, von Tuerckheim II 1717 (US!).
Description: Shrub 2-3 m tall, the upper terete internodes, petioles, and main inflorescence axis sparsely and deciduously hirtellous with smooth spreading hairs 1.5-4 mm long and sometimes with an inconspicuous sparse ground layer of deciduous appressed glands. Leaves of a pair typically unequal in size, oblong-ovate to ovate, apex long-acuminate, base subcordate, margin denticulate and ciliate, 5-7-nerved, glabrous on both surfaces; larger blade 8.5-12.5 x 4.5-7.6 cm; smaller blade 6.4-8 x 3-5.4 cm. Inflorescence an elongate pseudolateral paniculiform dichasium 7.5-18 cm long; flowers 5-merous on pedicels 1-2 mm long, the persistent glabrous bracts and bracteoles subulate, 1-2 x 0.25 mm. Hypanthia campanulate to suburceolate, sparingly and inconspicuously beset with appressed glands but soon glabrescent. Calyx lobes 0.5-0.75 x 1 mm, rounded-triangular to semicircular, glabrous; exterior calyx teeth conic to ± triangular, 0.5 mm long, typically concealing calyx lobes. Petals glabrous, pinkish-white, oblong to narrowly obovate, 3-4 x 1.5-2 mm. Filaments 1-1.75 mm long; anthers 1-1.5 mm long, yellow, oblong with a truncate apex and ± dorsally inclined pore; connective thickened but not prolonged or appendaged dorso-basally. Ovary 5-locular, 2/3-inferior, apex glabrous and rounded; berry reddish (fide Lundell & Contreras 21061), 4-5 x 4-5 mm when dry. Seeds 0.5 mm long, the testa ± rugulate.
Habitat and Distribution: Local and evidently uncommon in rainforest. 1800 m. GUATEMALA (Lundell & Contreras 21061, CAS). (Endemic).
Taxonomy and Systematics: Only one of the few collections of this species, all of which come from Baja Verapaz, Guatemala has elevational data. The protologue states that this species has yellow petals. Petals of several species in the tribe Miconieae become yellowish with age or on drying. Until this color can be verified by field observations I am inclined to accept only the observations of Lundell and Contreras who described the petals as pinkish-white.
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: Guatemala, von Tuerckheim II 1717 (US!).
Description: Shrub 2-3 m tall, the upper terete internodes, petioles, and main inflorescence axis sparsely and deciduously hirtellous with smooth spreading hairs 1.5-4 mm long and sometimes with an inconspicuous sparse ground layer of deciduous appressed glands. Leaves of a pair typically unequal in size, oblong-ovate to ovate, apex long-acuminate, base subcordate, margin denticulate and ciliate, 5-7-nerved, glabrous on both surfaces; larger blade 8.5-12.5 x 4.5-7.6 cm; smaller blade 6.4-8 x 3-5.4 cm. Inflorescence an elongate pseudolateral paniculiform dichasium 7.5-18 cm long; flowers 5-merous on pedicels 1-2 mm long, the persistent glabrous bracts and bracteoles subulate, 1-2 x 0.25 mm. Hypanthia campanulate to suburceolate, sparingly and inconspicuously beset with appressed glands but soon glabrescent. Calyx lobes 0.5-0.75 x 1 mm, rounded-triangular to semicircular, glabrous; exterior calyx teeth conic to ± triangular, 0.5 mm long, typically concealing calyx lobes. Petals glabrous, pinkish-white, oblong to narrowly obovate, 3-4 x 1.5-2 mm. Filaments 1-1.75 mm long; anthers 1-1.5 mm long, yellow, oblong with a truncate apex and ± dorsally inclined pore; connective thickened but not prolonged or appendaged dorso-basally. Ovary 5-locular, 2/3-inferior, apex glabrous and rounded; berry reddish (fide Lundell & Contreras 21061), 4-5 x 4-5 mm when dry. Seeds 0.5 mm long, the testa ± rugulate.
Habitat and Distribution: Local and evidently uncommon in rainforest. 1800 m. GUATEMALA (Lundell & Contreras 21061, CAS). (Endemic).
Taxonomy and Systematics: Only one of the few collections of this species, all of which come from Baja Verapaz, Guatemala has elevational data. The protologue states that this species has yellow petals. Petals of several species in the tribe Miconieae become yellowish with age or on drying. Until this color can be verified by field observations I am inclined to accept only the observations of Lundell and Contreras who described the petals as pinkish-white.
Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]