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Family:

Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

Primary Citation:

Fieldiana, Bot. 29: 558. 1963

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: Colombia, Bonpland 1745 (P!).

Description: Shrubs 1-3(-4) m tall, the branchlets, petioles, primary leaf veins below, inflorescences, and hypanthia sparsely to moderately setose with smooth eglandular hairs mostly 4-10 mm long, sparsely glandular-setose with smooth hairs 1-3 mm long, and densely puberulent with short-stalked stellate hairs. Leaves (5-)7(-9)-nerved, ovate, 8.5-21.1 cm long, 6-14 cm wide, above sparsely to moderately covered with smooth hairs 2-3.5 mm and sparsely puberulent with stalked-stellate hairs often restricted to or more abundant on the impressed primary veins, apex acute to acuminate, base cordate, the margin ciliate-denticulate. Inflorescence a pseudolateral paniculiform cyme 4-7 cm long; flowers 7-8-merous, sessile and disarticulating at the point of bracteole insertion, the bracteoles linear to subulate, 1 X 0.5 mm. Calyx lobes broadly ovate to triangular-ovate, 1-1.5 X 2 mm, the subulate exterior teeth 3.5-5 mm long, the torus within bearing a continuous ring of incurved fimbriate scales (to 1.5 mm long) mostly appressed to and concealing the ovary apex. Petals white, glabrous, obovate, 7-10 X 4-5.5 mm. Filaments 2-3.5 mm long; anther sacs yellow, 4-5 mm long with a somewhat dorsally inclined pore; connective prolonged 0.25 mm long. Ovary 7-10-locular, 4/5-inferior to completely inferior, the fluted apical cone and glabrous, lobulate collar collectively 1.5 mm long; berry 8-10 mm diam, purple when ripe. Seeds granulate, brown, 0.5 mm long; 2n=34.

Habitat and Distribution: Common, disturbed sites and light gaps in rain forest. 40-600 m; Southern Mexico (Veracruz and Quintana Roo southward), West Indies (Cuba & Jamaica), through western South America to Bolivia and Central Brazil (Mato Grosso to Minas Gerais). MEXICO: Tabasco (Gliessman S#4, CAS); Chiapas (Breedlove & Almeda 57787, CAS); Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatán (Cabrera & Cabrera 6651, CAS); BELIZE (Holst et al. 7068, CAS); GUATEMALA (Contreras 4608, CAS); HONDURAS (Nelson & Romero 4757, CAS); EL SALVADOR (Sandoval & Rivera 1273, CAS); NICARAGUA (Araquistain 3006, CAS); COSTA RICA (Aguilar 2006, CAS); PANAMA (Sytsma et al. 2818, CAS).

Taxonomy and Systematics: The flowers of this species are often described as long-pedicellate but they are actually sessile and disarticulate at the point of bracteole insertion. The peduncles (7-10 mm long) of the inflorescence are commonly mistaken for the pedicels. Only the typical subspecies is known from Central America; subsp. guayanensis Wurdack with smooth, prevailingly glandular cauline hairs that are only 1-2 mm long, ranges from southeastern Venezuela to Suriname.

Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]