Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1964. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part V. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10: 1-278.
Melastomataceae
Latin Diagnosis - C. fiexuosae (Tr.) Cogn. affinis sed foliis alternis integris marginibus exceptis glabris floribus breviter pedicellatis. Rami teretes glabri. Folia ut videtur alterna uno abortivo ca. 1 mm longo; petioli 0.5-1 cm; lamina (acumine excluso) 6-8 X 2-3.5 cm elliptico-lanceolata apice per 2-3 cm caudato-acuminata basi obtusa membranacea trinervata (jugo exteriori irregulari excluso) nervis primariis in acumine coalitis nervulis subtus creberrime reticulato-elevatis glabra, ad margines integra et patento-ciliolata pilis p. p. glanduliferis demum plusminusve deciduis. Flores in foliorum axillis solitarii vel bini 4-meri; pedunculus communis ad 2 mm longus; pedicelli 1-1.5 mm longi glabri; bracteolae 0.6 mm longae lanceolatae appressae glabrae 0.4 mm infra hypanthium insertae. Hypanthium (ad torum) 2.2-2.5 mm longum modice glanduloso-setulosum pilis gracilibus ca. 1 mm longis; calycis tubus 0.2 mm altus, lobis interioribus 0.4-0.5 mm longis rotundatis, dentibus exterioribus 0.4-0.5 mm eminentibus lanceolatis acutis glabris. Petala 2 X 0.5-0.7 mm oblonga apice rotundata extus subapicaliter glanduloso-setulosa setulis 1-2 et 0.5 mm infra apicem dorsaliter insertis. Stamina isomorphica glabra; filamenta 1.8 mm longa; antherarum thecae 1.1 mm longae curvatae oblongae apice dorsaliter minute uniporosae. Stylus 4.5 X 0.2 mm glaber; stigma vix expansum 0.25 mm diam; ovarium 4-loculare omnino inferum apice sparse granuloso-furfuraceum et in collum 0.35 mm altum circum stylum protractum. Bacca globosa teres; semina 1 X 0.3-0.6 mm pyramidata vel curvato-pyramidata minutissime irregulariterque muriculata.
Type. Flowers white, fruit nigrescent, locally frequent in high forest along trail to (Juzman Blanco 1-5 km southeast of Maroa, Rio Guainia, Terr. Amazonas, Venezuela, alt. 120-140 ni, 9 Oct 1957, Bassett Maguire, John J. Wurdack, & William M. Keith 41777 (holotype U S 2342589). Paratypes. VENEZUELA. Terr. Amazonas. Cano Temi: Yavita, Llewelyn Williams 13980. Rio Negro: San Carlos, Llewelyn Williams 14518.
C. flexuosa has reniform or cordate small leaves, sinuate-margined large leaves, stellate-puberulent and setose branches, and sessile (with pedicel less than 0.2 mm long) flowers. Of the 4-merous species of Sect. Calophysoides, only C. semijuga (Gleas.) Wurdack shows as complete a degree of leaf abortion as C. alternifolia; that species, however, has eciliate leaf blades, well-developed inflorescences, glabrous hypanthia, stamen connectives with a dorsal appendage, and costate fruit.