Monographs Details:
Authority:
Michelangeli, Fabián A. 2005. (Melastomataceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 98: 1-114. (Published by NYBG Press)
Michelangeli, Fabián A. 2005.
Family:
Melastomataceae
Melastomataceae
Synonyms:
Miconia erioneura Cogn.
Miconia erioneura Cogn.
Description:
Species Description - Tree, to 5-8 m tall; stems with a mix of glandular setae and stellate trichomes, the trichomes 1-2 mm long, persistent, the nodes glabrous. Leaves isophyllous, elliptic to narrowly elliptic, 13-33 X 5-9 cm, apex acute, base acute to obtuse, adaxial surface glabrous to very sparsely setulose, abaxial surface green with the primary and secondary veins densely setose or tomentose, the tertiary veins sparsely tomentose, the rest of the surface glabrous to sparsely glandular-setose, shortly 5(-7)-plinervate, the first pair of secondary veins diverging 7-23 mm above the base of the leaf blade, chartaceous to coriaceous, entire, ciliate; petioles 2.5-4.5 cm long, sparsely glandular-setose; domatia absent. Inflorescence a terminal panicle of 15-30 flowers, 7-20 cm long, the axis slightly flattened, glandular-setose. Flowers on pedicels 0-3.5 mm long, slightly flared at the apex, subtended by persistent bracts, deltoid, 1.0-1.2 X 0.5 mm; hypanthium campanulate, 4.5-5.0 mm long, slightly ver-rucose; outer calyx teeth absent or highly reduced, inner calyx teeth obscurely 5-lobed, truncate, 1.2-1.5 mm long, with sparse, caducous, fine glandular setae at the base; the ring inside the torus glabrous; petals 5, oblong-obovate, 5-6.5 X 2.5-4.0(-5.0) mm, base ‘oblong to slightly attenuate, emarginate, pruinose, glabrous, pink; stamens all the same size; filaments 6.5-7.0 mm long, glabrous; anthers yellow; the connective with a dorsal-basal blunt tooth; thecae 4.5-5.0 mm long, opening by a ventrally inclined pore; ovary 3-locular, ¼ inferior, the superior portion terete, the apex with a glabrous ring 0.5-0.7 mm tall, rarely with sparse, minute, sessile glands; style glabrous, 9-10.5 mm long; stigma slightly funnelform, 1.5 mm wide. Fruits globose, 5.5-6.5 mm long, glabrous; seeds not evident through the pericarp, unknown.
Species Description - Tree, to 5-8 m tall; stems with a mix of glandular setae and stellate trichomes, the trichomes 1-2 mm long, persistent, the nodes glabrous. Leaves isophyllous, elliptic to narrowly elliptic, 13-33 X 5-9 cm, apex acute, base acute to obtuse, adaxial surface glabrous to very sparsely setulose, abaxial surface green with the primary and secondary veins densely setose or tomentose, the tertiary veins sparsely tomentose, the rest of the surface glabrous to sparsely glandular-setose, shortly 5(-7)-plinervate, the first pair of secondary veins diverging 7-23 mm above the base of the leaf blade, chartaceous to coriaceous, entire, ciliate; petioles 2.5-4.5 cm long, sparsely glandular-setose; domatia absent. Inflorescence a terminal panicle of 15-30 flowers, 7-20 cm long, the axis slightly flattened, glandular-setose. Flowers on pedicels 0-3.5 mm long, slightly flared at the apex, subtended by persistent bracts, deltoid, 1.0-1.2 X 0.5 mm; hypanthium campanulate, 4.5-5.0 mm long, slightly ver-rucose; outer calyx teeth absent or highly reduced, inner calyx teeth obscurely 5-lobed, truncate, 1.2-1.5 mm long, with sparse, caducous, fine glandular setae at the base; the ring inside the torus glabrous; petals 5, oblong-obovate, 5-6.5 X 2.5-4.0(-5.0) mm, base ‘oblong to slightly attenuate, emarginate, pruinose, glabrous, pink; stamens all the same size; filaments 6.5-7.0 mm long, glabrous; anthers yellow; the connective with a dorsal-basal blunt tooth; thecae 4.5-5.0 mm long, opening by a ventrally inclined pore; ovary 3-locular, ¼ inferior, the superior portion terete, the apex with a glabrous ring 0.5-0.7 mm tall, rarely with sparse, minute, sessile glands; style glabrous, 9-10.5 mm long; stigma slightly funnelform, 1.5 mm wide. Fruits globose, 5.5-6.5 mm long, glabrous; seeds not evident through the pericarp, unknown.
Discussion:
Tococa erioneura is a rarely collected species from mountain forests in the central Andes. It is closely related to T. oligantha and other species from the Guayana Highlands that lack domatia. It shares with these species the pubescence of the stems and petioles, as well as ovary shape. Wurdack (1964b) suggested a close relationship between T. erioneura and T. tepuiensis based on the overall similarities in habit and leaf morphology. Although these were not found to be sister species, they are still closely related.Cogniaux (in Rusby, 1896) in the description of T. erioneura cited Miconia schlimii as a closely related species. However, the differences in petal and ovary morphology between them do not seem to support this hypothesis (Wurdack, 1963).
Tococa erioneura is a rarely collected species from mountain forests in the central Andes. It is closely related to T. oligantha and other species from the Guayana Highlands that lack domatia. It shares with these species the pubescence of the stems and petioles, as well as ovary shape. Wurdack (1964b) suggested a close relationship between T. erioneura and T. tepuiensis based on the overall similarities in habit and leaf morphology. Although these were not found to be sister species, they are still closely related.Cogniaux (in Rusby, 1896) in the description of T. erioneura cited Miconia schlimii as a closely related species. However, the differences in petal and ovary morphology between them do not seem to support this hypothesis (Wurdack, 1963).
Distribution:
Zamora-Chinchipe Ecuador South America| La Paz Bolivia South America| Cusco Peru South America|
Zamora-Chinchipe Ecuador South America| La Paz Bolivia South America| Cusco Peru South America|