Taxon Details: Miconia purulensis Donn.Sm.
Taxon Profile:
Narratives:
Family:
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Scientific Name:
Miconia purulensis Donn.Sm.
Miconia purulensis Donn.Sm.
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, Tuerckheim II.1718 (US!).
Description: Dioecious shrub 2-5 m tall, the uppermost rounded-quadrate cauline internodes, petioles, elevated primary and secondary veins on abaxial leaf surfaces and inflorescence branches moderately to densely covered with spreading curly or crisped ± flattened roughened hairs. Leaves of a pair equal to subequal in size, 6.5-25 x 2.6-12 cm, oblong-elliptic to elliptic-ovate, 5-nerved; apex acuminate, base rounded to obtuse or acute, the margin inconspicuously crenulate to subentire, the adaxial surface glabrous, the abaxial surface glabrous or nearly so; petioles 1.6-7 cm long. Inflorescence a multiflowered panicle 4.5-11 (-14) cm long, flowers 5-merous on pedicels 0.25-1 mm long; the bracteoles ovate varying to oblong or obovate, 0.5-1 x 0.25-0.5 mm, early deciduous. Hypanthium glabrous or moderately to sparsely covered with inconspicuous sessile glands. Calyx tube 0.1 mm long, the calyx lobes ovate to rounded-triangular, 0.5 x 0.5 mm, the exterior calyx teeth deltoid to narrowly triangular, 0.25-1 mm long, shorter than or slightly exceeding the calyx lobes. Petals glabrous, obovate, 1.5 x 1 mm. Anthers isomorphic 0.75-1 mm long, oblong-cuneate, 4-celled with two ± ventrally inclined apical pores; connective prolonged 0.25 mm abaxially the thecae but neither dilated nor appendaged. Style and stigma not seen; ovary 3-locular, 5/6 inferior, apex glabrous. Berry reportedly white when mature, 4-5 x 4-5 mm when dry. Seeds narrowly ovoid, minutely granulate, 0.5 mm long.
Habitat and Distribution: Locally common in cloud forest. 1000-1675 m. Mexico (Oaxaca). GUATEMALA (Lundell & Contreras 19209, CAS).
Taxonomy and Systematics: The protologue and other descriptions of M. purulensis make no mention of dioecism in this species. I have examined only staminate flowering collections and fruiting collections. Pistillate flowers at anthesis are needed for a complete description of the reproductive morphology of this species. Although M. purulensis was long thought to be endemic to Guatemala, a number of collections have been made in Oaxaca, Mexico. In Guatemalan populations, the calyx teeth are inconspicuous and shorter than the calyx lobes. In Oaxacan material the calyx teeth are conspicuous and somewhat longer than the calyx lobes. One fruiting collection from Honduras (Meigs 1909, TEFH) is very reminiscent of M. purulensis but better material is needed for a definitive determination.
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, Tuerckheim II.1718 (US!).
Description: Dioecious shrub 2-5 m tall, the uppermost rounded-quadrate cauline internodes, petioles, elevated primary and secondary veins on abaxial leaf surfaces and inflorescence branches moderately to densely covered with spreading curly or crisped ± flattened roughened hairs. Leaves of a pair equal to subequal in size, 6.5-25 x 2.6-12 cm, oblong-elliptic to elliptic-ovate, 5-nerved; apex acuminate, base rounded to obtuse or acute, the margin inconspicuously crenulate to subentire, the adaxial surface glabrous, the abaxial surface glabrous or nearly so; petioles 1.6-7 cm long. Inflorescence a multiflowered panicle 4.5-11 (-14) cm long, flowers 5-merous on pedicels 0.25-1 mm long; the bracteoles ovate varying to oblong or obovate, 0.5-1 x 0.25-0.5 mm, early deciduous. Hypanthium glabrous or moderately to sparsely covered with inconspicuous sessile glands. Calyx tube 0.1 mm long, the calyx lobes ovate to rounded-triangular, 0.5 x 0.5 mm, the exterior calyx teeth deltoid to narrowly triangular, 0.25-1 mm long, shorter than or slightly exceeding the calyx lobes. Petals glabrous, obovate, 1.5 x 1 mm. Anthers isomorphic 0.75-1 mm long, oblong-cuneate, 4-celled with two ± ventrally inclined apical pores; connective prolonged 0.25 mm abaxially the thecae but neither dilated nor appendaged. Style and stigma not seen; ovary 3-locular, 5/6 inferior, apex glabrous. Berry reportedly white when mature, 4-5 x 4-5 mm when dry. Seeds narrowly ovoid, minutely granulate, 0.5 mm long.
Habitat and Distribution: Locally common in cloud forest. 1000-1675 m. Mexico (Oaxaca). GUATEMALA (Lundell & Contreras 19209, CAS).
Taxonomy and Systematics: The protologue and other descriptions of M. purulensis make no mention of dioecism in this species. I have examined only staminate flowering collections and fruiting collections. Pistillate flowers at anthesis are needed for a complete description of the reproductive morphology of this species. Although M. purulensis was long thought to be endemic to Guatemala, a number of collections have been made in Oaxaca, Mexico. In Guatemalan populations, the calyx teeth are inconspicuous and shorter than the calyx lobes. In Oaxacan material the calyx teeth are conspicuous and somewhat longer than the calyx lobes. One fruiting collection from Honduras (Meigs 1909, TEFH) is very reminiscent of M. purulensis but better material is needed for a definitive determination.
Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]