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Family:

Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

Primary Citation:

Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot. ser. 3, 16: 190. 1851

Accepted Name:

This name is currently accepted.

Description:

Description Author and Date: Walter S. Judd, 2010, based on Judd, W. S. (2007). Revision of Miconia sect. Chaenopleura (Melastomataceae) in the Greater Antilles. Systematic Botany Monographs 81:1-235.

Type: HAITI, without definite locality, N. J. Thiery de Menonville s.n. (holotype: “Herb. Thouin,” possibly at G-DC, not seen (and not at MPU, P. Schaefer, pers. comm.); probable isotype, P, not seen; photo of isotype at P: F!, NY!).

Description: Shrub to 3 m tall. Indumentum of multicellular, ferrugineous, short- to moderately long-stalked dendritic to ± irregularly stellate-branched hairs, and minute globular hairs. Young twigs not ridged, square to rectangular in cross section, 2.5-6.5 mm wide, becoming ± terete with age, the indumentum of very sparse dendritic to ± stellate-branched hairs, especially in grooved portion of stem, and minute globular hairs, glabrescent; internodes 2.4-7 (-10) cm long; nodes with U-shaped flanges on each side and below point of petiole attachment, derived from conspicuous lenticels. Leaves with petiole 1-8 cm long, the indumentum very sparse to moderate, ± dendritic hairs and sparse minute globular hairs; blade 5.2-17.5 cm long, 3.5-9.8 cm wide, ovate to elliptic, flat, coriaceous, the apex acute to acuminate, the base (acute-) obtuse to cordate, the margin plane to slightly revolute, serrulate to obscurely serrate to base or nearly so, proximal 0-25% of margin entire, the largest teeth 0.2-0.5 mm long, not associated with long-stalked hairs; venation acrodromous, ± basal, with prominent midvein and 6 secondary veins, with 2 conspicuous secondary veins placed 9-23 mm in from margin, with 4 less conspicuous secondary veins closer to margin, and numerous percurrent tertiary veins oriented subperpendicular to midvein, the tertiary veins joined by percurrent quaternary veins, the higher order veins orthogonal-reticulate; adaxial surface green (sometimes yellowish after drying), the indumentum initially of sparse to very sparse stout-stalked, dendritic to irregularly stellate-branched hairs and minute globular hairs but quickly glabrescent except for a few hairs along basal portion of midvein, the midvein and secondary veins clearly impressed, tertiary and quaternary veins (and sometimes even higher order veins) also clearly impressed, thus delimiting raised areoles, especially toward margin, i.e., bullate, each areole bulging-rounded and lacking a thick-based hair, the surface minutely papillose-roughened after drying due to presence of numerous druse crystals; abaxial surface pale green, sparsely covered with ferrugineous, stout and short-stalked to long-stalked dendritic to elongate-branched or irregularly stellate-branched hairs and scattered minute-globular hairs on sides of midvein and secondary through quaternary veins, the hairs ± persistent, those on midvein and secondary veins 0.2-0.8 mm long/across, those on higher order veins 0.2-0.5 mm across, the midvein and major secondary veins prominently raised, minor secondary and tertiary veins moderately raised, quaternary veins slightly to moderately raised, higher order veins ± flat. Inflorescences many-flowered, broadly rounded cymes of 2 to 4 branch-pairs, 5-12.7 cm long, 4.5-10 cm across; proximal segment of lowermost inflorescence branches 1.1-3.3 cm long, distal internodes shorter, ultimate branches 1.2-6.7 mm long, with very sparse minute-globular hairs along with a few dendritic hairs at nodes; peduncle 2.2-7.3 cm long, with similar indumentum or ± glabrous; each inflorescence branch associated with quickly caducous, ovate to obovate bract, 6.3-12 mm long, 4-5 mm wide, reddish, the apices rounded; flowers in dichasia, each subtended by 2 caducous ovate to obovate bracteoles, 5.2-11 mm long, 2.8-5 mm wide, the indumentum of very sparse branched hairs along margin, otherwise glabrous, their apices rounded. Flowers nearly sessile; pedicels 0.5-1 mm long. Hypanthium cylindrical, free portion 1.3-2.3 mm long, the outer surface glabrous or with very sparse minute globular hairs, the inner surface glabrous and clearly ridged, the apices of the ridges slightly projecting, to 0.05-0.1 mm. External calyx lobes 5, 0.4-1 mm long, 1.7-2.4 mm wide, broadly triangular, with apex acuminate, glabrous; internal calyx lobes 5, 0.8-2.1 mm long, 1.3-2.8 mm wide, broadly ovate-triangular, green or green with red tinge, glabrous, the apex rounded, the margin entire; calyx tube 0.1-0.25 mm long. Petals 5, 4-9 mm long, 2.8-6 mm wide, broadly ovate to elliptic, glabrous, white; margin entire. Stamens 10, geniculate; proximal segment 1.2-2.3 mm long; distal segment 2.9-3.8 mm long, with minute dorsal projection, the anther 2.1-2.8 mm long, with fertile portion of anther sacs 1.7-2.1 mm long, the connective/distal part of filament extended 0.7-1.1 mm beyond the base of the anther. Ovary 5-loculate, 1/2-2/3-inferior, 2.6-3.6 mm long, 2.1-4.1 mm in diameter, short-ovoid, apically glabrous and obscurely 10-ridged, with toothed apical projection to 0.5 mm encircling base of style; style 2.9-4.7 mm long, glabrous; stigma truncate. Berries globose, 7-9.2 mm long, 7.3-9 mm in diameter, ± globose, pale gray-blue, glabrous or with sparse minute-globular hairs (stellate?). Seeds 0.7-0.9 mm long, angular-obovoid; testa ± smooth. Figs. 84, 86, 87.

Habitat and Distribution: Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Massif de la Selle/Sierra de Baoruco, Massif des Matheux, and Sierra de Neiba; moist montane forests; 1600-2200 m. Associated melastomes include Clidemia umbellata, Mecranium multiflorum, Meriania involucrata, Miconia ferruginea, M. lanceolata, M. selleana, M. subcompressa, and M. tetrastoma (see also Judd 1987).

Phenology: Flowering from March through September.

Taxonomy and Systematics: Miconia favosa is a member of the bullate-leaved clade (see discussion under M. foveolata, and phylogenetic analyses). It may be most closely related to M. xenotricha, M. howardiana, M. campanensis, and M. sintenisii, all of which have dendritic hairs on the abaxial surface of their leaf blades (see discussion under M. sintenisii). Among these, M. favosa may be most closely related to M. xenotricha, and both have leaves that lack long-stalked hairs on the strongly bullate abaxial surface (vs. the presence of such hairs in M. campanensis and M. howardiana, and on seedling leaves of M. sintenisii). They are also similar in having broadly rounded to more or less paniculate cymes (vs. paniculate cymes in M. sintenisii, M. howardiana, M campanensis) and inflorescence bracts caducous, and thus lacking when flowers are open (vs. less quickly deciduous bracts in M. sintenisii, M. howardiana, and M. campanensis, and thus bracts and bracteoles commonly associated with flowers/fruits). Miconia favosa can be distinguished from the phenetically similar M. xenotricha by the characters listed in the key (see also Judd et al. 1995). Most notable is the U-shaped nodal flange, which is located on the stem just below the petiole attachment. In addition, the twigs have very sparse dendritic to more or less stellate hairs (while those of M. xenotricha have sparse to moderate shortly and irregularly branched conical to globular or globular-stellate hairs, and minute-globular hairs. The two species are geographically isolated: M. favosa grows in the Massif de la Selle/Sierra de Baoruco, Sierra de Neiba, and Massif de Matheux; M. xenotricha in the Massif de la Hotte.