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Family:

Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

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: Panama, Pittier 5610 (US!).

Description: Shrubs 1-3 m tall, the distal branchlets, elevated primary leaf veins below, inflorescences, and hypanthia caducously furfurate-lepidote. Leaves 3-5-plinerved, elliptic, 8-17.7 cm long, 2.8-5.5 cm wide, above glabrous, below sparsely and caducously lepidote, apex caudate-acuminate, base cuneate, the margin entire. Inflorescence a pseudolateral, divaricately branched, paniculiform cyme 2-4 cm long; flowers 4-merous, sessile or subsessile, the bracteoles 1-1.5 X 0.5-1 mm, triangular to subulate, fused basally to form a persistent, shallow amplexicaul collar. Calyx lobes broadly triangular-ovate, 0.5 X 0.5 mm, the subulate, exterior teeth 0.5 mm long. Petals white, glabrous, acute to elliptic, 1-2 X 0.5-1 mm. Filaments 1.5 mm long; anther sacs white, ca 1 mm long with a truncate to somewhat dorsally inclined pore; connective simple. Ovary 4-locular, completely inferior, the sparsely lepidote, lobulate collar ca 0.5 mm high enclosing a shallow crateriform cavity; berry 4-5 mm diam, purple when ripe. Seeds ruminate, beige, 0.5 mm long.

Habitat and Distribution: Rare, stream banks and second growth in rain forest. ). 100-1200 m. NICARAGUA (Stevens 12706, MO); COSTA RICA (Pittier 12373, BR); PANAMA (McPherson 12707, CAS). (Endemic).

Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]