Myrceugenia scutellata D.Legrand

• Authority

  Landrum, Leslie R. 1981. A monograph of the genus Myrceugenia (Myrtaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 29: 1-137. (Published by NYBG Press)

• Family

  Myrtaceae

• Scientific Name

  Myrceugenia scutellata D.Legrand

• Type

  Type. Reitz & Klein 11937, Santa Catarina, Lajes, Otacilio Costa (Encruzilhada), 900 m, 10 Jan 1962 (holotype, MVM; isotype, HBR).

• Description

  Species Description - Tree ca. 6-10 m high; hairs reddish-brown to whitish, symmetrically dibrachiate, very small, inconspicuous; twigs glabrous to very sparsely pubescent, light grey to light reddish-brown; leaves elliptic, oblanceolate, or obovate, 2-8 cm long, 1-2(-3.5) cm wide, 2-3.5 times as long as wide, glabrous above, appearing glabrous below but covered with minute appressed hairs, these only visible with the compound microscope; apex acuminate, acute or rounded; base acute, cuneate, or acuminate; petiole channeled, 1-4 mm long, 0.5-1 mm wide, glabrous or nearly so, sometimes covered with thin, whitish, membranous scales, otherwise dark reddish-brown; midvein impressed for entire length or nearly so above, prominent below; lateral veins indistinct or up to ca. 10 pairs faintly visible; marginal veins about equalling laterals in prominence; blade drying reddish-brown to light green above, silvery light grey to reddish-tan below, coriaceous; peduncles 0.7-2 cm long, ca. 1 mm wide, glabrous, uniflorous, solitary or in pairs in the axils of leaves or at nodes where leaves have already fallen; bracteoles suborbicular, 1-2 mm long, somewhat broader than long, glabrous within and without; Calyx-lobes broadly ovate, ca. 2-3 mm long, ca. 2-4 mm wide, ca. 0.7-1 times as long as wide, glabrous within and without; hypanthium ca. 1.5 mm long, broadly obconic, appearing glabrous when dry, but covered with a gelatinous matrix when wet, this matrix containing and covering hairs; disk sparsely puberulent, ca. 3-4 mm across; style sparsely pubescent to glabrous, ca. 5 mm long; stamens ca. 200-250, ca. 4-8 mm long; anthers ca. 0.50.8 mm long when dry; petals suborbicular, ca. 5-6 mm in diam.; ovary 3-locular in flowers seen; ovules 6-10 per locule; normal fruit unknown, probably purple black, subglobose, ca. 1 cm in diam.

• Discussion

  This species seems to be similar on the one hand to Myrceugenia glaucescens and M. chrysocarpa and on the other to M. planipes, M. kleinii, M. reitzii, and M. correifolia. It may represent a phylogenetic link between them or perhaps similarity to one of the groups is due to parallel evolution. When more material has been collected a better estimate of its position can be made.

  Myrceugenia scutellata is easily distinguishable from all the other species by its suborbicular bracteoles which are somewhat wider than long, and by its scarcity of hairs. It is known to flower in December and the fruits may mature shortly thereafter. A map of its distribution is shown in Fig. 15.

• Distribution

  Brazil South America| Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America| Paraná Brazil South America| Santa Catarina Brazil South America|