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Family:

Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

Primary Citation:

Prodr.

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: Holotype: French Guiana, Leblond s.n. (P!).

Description: Shrubs 0.5- m tall, the uppermost branchlet nodes and distal adaxial petiolar surface beset with a moderate to dense cover of smooth spreading hairs. Leaves 3-5-nerved, elliptic to oblong-ovate, 6-17(-20) X 2.5-7 cm, adaxially essentially glabrous, abaxially glabrous to sparingly strigose, apex acute to abruptly acuminate, base acute, obtuse, or rounded, the margin conspicuously ciliate-serrulate; petioles 0.4-3.5 cm long. Panicle 4-13 cm long, the 5-merous flowers sessile and secund on the arching ultimate branches, the persistent bracteoles oblong-ovate and entire, 0.5-0.7 mm long. Hypanthia glabrous; calyx ca. 0.5-0.7(-1) mm long from the torus, truncate or with 5 obscure shallowly undulate glabrous lobes, exterior teeth not developed. Petals glabrous, oblong-obovate, 2-2.5 X 1.5 mm. Stamens isomorphic; anthers oblong, pink-purple, 1-1.5 mm long with a ventrally inclined pore; connective neither prolonged nor appendaged. Style glabrous, 2-2.5 mm long; stigma not expanded; ovary 3-4-locular, completely inferior, apex obscurely glandular-puberulent; berry 4-6 X 4-6 mm, blue-black at maturity. Seeds ovoid, rounded to somewhat angulate, obscurely rugulate, 0.5 mm long.

Habitat and Distribution: Locally common, pine savanna, gallery forest, evergreen forest, coastal scrub. 0-900 m. Greater Antilles (Jamaica), Trinidad, all the Guianas, Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, to SE Brazil. MEXICO: Chiapas (Martínez 7723, CAS); BELIZE (Bartlett 11299, CAS); GUATEMALA (Contreras 520, CAS); HONDURAS (Nelson 4116, CAS); NICARAGUA (Seymour 6020, CAS); COSTA RICA (Almeda et al. 3088, CAS); PANAMA (Croat 67050, CAS).

Taxonomy and Systematics: The sessile flowers of this species are each nestled in a ciliate node subtended by 2 or 3 bracteoles. This species is very close to M. oinochrophylla which differs in its glabrous nodes and leaf blades that are brilliantly red-purple beneath. Hammel et al. 20245 (CAS) from Llanuras de San Carlos, Costa Rica is anomalous in having inflorescence and floral details of typical M. ciliata with leaf blades that are moderately strigose adaxially like M. schippii. Field study of this population is needed to better understand this kind of character sorting and variation.

Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]

Flora and Monograph Treatment(s):

Miconia ciliata (Rich.) DC.: [Article] Maguire, Bassett, et al. 1953. The Botany of the Guayana Highland. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 8 (2): 87-160.