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Family:

Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

Primary Citation:

Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 72: 475. 1945

Accepted Name:

This name is currently accepted.

Type Specimens:

Specimen 1: Holotype -- J. Cuatrecasas
Specimen 2: Holotype -- J. Cuatrecasas

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: Colombia, Cuatrecasas 14145 (NY!)

Description: Tree 5-10 m tall with reddish shaggy bark, the compressed-rounded to rounded-quadrate uppermost cauline internodes, petioles, vegetative buds, inflorescence, and hypanthia densely covered with appressed lepidote-stellulate or stellulate hairs. Leaves of a pair essentially equal in size; blades 3-5-nerved, elliptic to oblong-elliptic, 9.7-24 x 3.8-13 cm, apex abruptly short-acuminate, base acute to obtuse, the margin entire; petioles 2-6 cm long. Inflorescence a multiflowered panicle 8-22 cm long, branched well above the base; flowers 5-merous on pedicels 0.5-1 mm long, the bracteoles subulate, 1 x 0.5 mm but early deciduous and typically absent at anthesis. Calyx lobes fused to form a flaring truncate to undulate flange about 2 mm long, the external calyx teeth evident as knobby callosities about 0.2 mm long. Petals pink, moderately to densely stellulate puberulent abaxially but glabrous adaxially, obovate-oblong, 1.6-2 x 0.9-1.1 cm. Anthers alternately somewhat unequal in length, 4.5-7 mm long, yellow, curved-subulate with a ventrally inclined pore; connective conspicuously thickened dorsally, incurved and ± bilobulate dorso-basally and moderately gland-edged. Style moderately to sparsely stellulate- and glandular-puberulent basally, 9-14 mm long; stigma peltate; ovary 5-locular, completely inferior, apex glabrous and elevated into a ± fluted collar 0.5 mm high surrounding the style base; berry 5 x 8-9 mm when dry. Seeds angulate-pyramidate, the testa indistinctly rugulate, 0.5-0.75 mm long.

Habitat and Distribution: Locally common in secondary rain forest and low cloud forest. 300-500 m. Colombia and Ecuador. PANAMA (McPherson 12517, CAS).

Taxonomy and Systematics: Among the Mesoamerican species with a 5-merous flower and 5-locular ovary, M. centronioides is distinctive in having stellulate puberulent abaxial petal surfaces, glandular-puberulent filaments, a style that is moderately to sparsely stellulate and glandular-puberulent basally, and a peltate stigma. Miconia centronioides is very similar to M. brachycalyx Triana of Colombia and Ecuador which differs in having a very scattered stellulate-lepidote indument on abaxial leaf surfaces, warty hypanthia, and prominent exterior calyx teeth that form laterally compressed wings or ridges.

Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]