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
Description:
Species Description - Erect nonbranching shrub or slender small tree, to 4 m tall; stems densely hirsute, the trichomes 2.5 mm long, mostly nonglandular, persistent, the nodes glabrous. Leaves isophyllous, oblong-lanceolate, (7-)11-27(-33) X (4-)7-9 cm, apex abruptly acuminate to shortly caudate or aristate, base attenuate, round to cordate, the sinus up to 5 mm long, adaxial surface hirsute, the trichomes nonglandular and slightly ad-pressed, abaxial surface sparsely hirsute, densely setose on the primary and secondary veins, the trichomes becoming denser toward the convergence of the first pairs of secondary veins and the primary vein, light green, 5-7-plinervate, membranaceous, densely ciliolate-serrulate to crenulate; petioles 0.3-1.5 cm long, densely hirsute; domatia immersed in the leaf blade with the base of the leaf blade attached to the adaxial surface of the domatium, ovoid to narrowly ovoid, 0.5-1.8 cm X 0.4-1.7 cm. Inflorescence a terminal strongly condensed raceme, often resembling a capitulum, of 12-25 flowers. Flowers sessile, subtended by persistent bracts, highly variable in shape from deltoid to lanceolate, 1.0-4.5 X 0.3-4 mm, ciliate, the adaxial surface with small sessile glands, the abaxial surface glabrous; hypanthium campanulate, 5.0-6.0 mm long, glabrous; outer calyx teeth reduced, subulate, glandular-setose, 2.0 mm long, inner calyx teeth deltoid to round, fused at the base, 3.0 mm long, membranaceous; the ring inside the torus glabrous; petals 5, obovate, 6-7 X 4.5-5.5 mm, base slightly attenuate, emarginate, smooth, glabrous, purple to pink or lilac; stamens all the same size; filaments 4.0-4.5 mm long, glabrous; anthers blue to lilac (yellow and brown on dried specimens); the connective without a dorsal-basal blunt tooth; thecae 5.5-6.0 mm long, opening by a ventrally inclined pore; ovary 3-locular, 2/3-4/5 inferior, the superior portion slightly conical, the apex with a collar composed of 10 setae up to 1.2 mm long, terminated in a triangular head; style glabrous, 7.5-9.0 mm long; stigma capitate, 1.5 mm wide (appearing funnelform when dry). Fruits urceolate, 10-13 mm long, blue, sparsely glandular-setose; seeds not evident through the pericarp, narrowly ovate, 1.0-2.0 mm long, with capitate trichomes in the raphal area, without sculpturing, anticlinal walls straight, periclinal walls flat, boundaries between periclinal walls flat.
Species Description - Erect nonbranching shrub or slender small tree, to 4 m tall; stems densely hirsute, the trichomes 2.5 mm long, mostly nonglandular, persistent, the nodes glabrous. Leaves isophyllous, oblong-lanceolate, (7-)11-27(-33) X (4-)7-9 cm, apex abruptly acuminate to shortly caudate or aristate, base attenuate, round to cordate, the sinus up to 5 mm long, adaxial surface hirsute, the trichomes nonglandular and slightly ad-pressed, abaxial surface sparsely hirsute, densely setose on the primary and secondary veins, the trichomes becoming denser toward the convergence of the first pairs of secondary veins and the primary vein, light green, 5-7-plinervate, membranaceous, densely ciliolate-serrulate to crenulate; petioles 0.3-1.5 cm long, densely hirsute; domatia immersed in the leaf blade with the base of the leaf blade attached to the adaxial surface of the domatium, ovoid to narrowly ovoid, 0.5-1.8 cm X 0.4-1.7 cm. Inflorescence a terminal strongly condensed raceme, often resembling a capitulum, of 12-25 flowers. Flowers sessile, subtended by persistent bracts, highly variable in shape from deltoid to lanceolate, 1.0-4.5 X 0.3-4 mm, ciliate, the adaxial surface with small sessile glands, the abaxial surface glabrous; hypanthium campanulate, 5.0-6.0 mm long, glabrous; outer calyx teeth reduced, subulate, glandular-setose, 2.0 mm long, inner calyx teeth deltoid to round, fused at the base, 3.0 mm long, membranaceous; the ring inside the torus glabrous; petals 5, obovate, 6-7 X 4.5-5.5 mm, base slightly attenuate, emarginate, smooth, glabrous, purple to pink or lilac; stamens all the same size; filaments 4.0-4.5 mm long, glabrous; anthers blue to lilac (yellow and brown on dried specimens); the connective without a dorsal-basal blunt tooth; thecae 5.5-6.0 mm long, opening by a ventrally inclined pore; ovary 3-locular, 2/3-4/5 inferior, the superior portion slightly conical, the apex with a collar composed of 10 setae up to 1.2 mm long, terminated in a triangular head; style glabrous, 7.5-9.0 mm long; stigma capitate, 1.5 mm wide (appearing funnelform when dry). Fruits urceolate, 10-13 mm long, blue, sparsely glandular-setose; seeds not evident through the pericarp, narrowly ovate, 1.0-2.0 mm long, with capitate trichomes in the raphal area, without sculpturing, anticlinal walls straight, periclinal walls flat, boundaries between periclinal walls flat.
Discussion:
Tococa capitata is readily distinguished from all other species of Tococa by the combination of capituliform inflorescences, blue anthers, and domatia immersed in the leaf blade. It is closely related to the remaining species of Tococa that have blue fruits and pubescent seeds; T. caudata, T. cordata, T. coronata, T. lancifolia, and T. subciliata. In this group, T. capitata is probably more closely related to T. cordata, which shares with it the developed membranaceous inner sepals. Tococa capitata is one of the few species of Tococa sensu stricto that lacks a dorsal basal tooth on the anther connective. In every other aspect of morphology, the anthers are identical to those of the other species.The domatia of T. capitata are often inhabited by ants of the genus Azteca, which cut trails along the dense trichomes of the petioles and stems. Additionally, these ants build carton tunnels using the trichomes as pillars. These tunnels allow the ants to move along the plant.See note on T. bracteata under excluded and invalid taxa.
Tococa capitata is readily distinguished from all other species of Tococa by the combination of capituliform inflorescences, blue anthers, and domatia immersed in the leaf blade. It is closely related to the remaining species of Tococa that have blue fruits and pubescent seeds; T. caudata, T. cordata, T. coronata, T. lancifolia, and T. subciliata. In this group, T. capitata is probably more closely related to T. cordata, which shares with it the developed membranaceous inner sepals. Tococa capitata is one of the few species of Tococa sensu stricto that lacks a dorsal basal tooth on the anther connective. In every other aspect of morphology, the anthers are identical to those of the other species.The domatia of T. capitata are often inhabited by ants of the genus Azteca, which cut trails along the dense trichomes of the petioles and stems. Additionally, these ants build carton tunnels using the trichomes as pillars. These tunnels allow the ants to move along the plant.See note on T. bracteata under excluded and invalid taxa.
Distribution:
Amazonas Colombia South America| Loreto Peru South America| Requena Peru South America| Acre Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America|
Amazonas Colombia South America| Loreto Peru South America| Requena Peru South America| Acre Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America|
Common Names:
Pucacuru-caspi
Pucacuru-caspi