Tococa cinnamomea Triana
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Authority
Michelangeli, Fabián A. 2005.
(Melastomataceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 98: 1-114. (Published by NYBG Press) -
Family
Melastomataceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Venezuela. Amazonas: humid forest near San Carlos, Spruce 3098 (holotype K; isotype BR).
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Description
Species Description - Shrub, often procumbent, to 2-4 m tall; stems glabrous to sparsely setulose, the trichomes 1-2 mm long, caducous, the nodes glabrous. Leaves isophyllous, elliptic-oblong to narrowly oblong, 9-22 X 4.5-9.0 cm, apex acuminate, occasionally obtuse, base round to slightly cordate, the sinus up to 3 mm long, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface glabrous to very sparsely setulose, 5-nervate, occasionally the outermost pair of secondary veins inconspicuous, chartaceous to coriaceous, entire, adpressed-ciliolate; petioles 1.5-3.5 cm long, very sparsely glandular-setose; domatia absent. Inflorescence a terminal panicle of 4-9 flowers, 5-15 cm long, the axis slightly flattened. Flowers on pedicels 2-(5.5) mm long, articulated at the base of the hypanthium, abruptly flared at the apex; bracts unknown, perhaps early caducous; hypanthium conical, 8-9 mm long, glabrous; outer calyx teeth absent, inner calyx teeth obscurely 5-lobed, truncate, 1.5-2.0 mm long; the ring inside the torus glabrous; petals 5, obovate-oblong, 6-7 X 4.0-4.5 mm, truncate to slightly emarginate, pruinose, glabrous, pink; stamens all the same size; filaments 5.0-5.5 mm long, glabrous; anthers yellow apically subulate; the connective with a dorsal-basal blunt tooth; thecae 8.0-9.0 mm long, opening by a dorsally inclined pore; ovary 3-locular, 1/4 inferior, the superior portion terete, the apex with a glabrous ring, 0.50.7 mm tall; style glabrous, 16 mm long; stigma slightly funnelform, 1.5 mm wide. Fruits globose, 11-12 mm long, black, glabrous; seeds not evident through the pericarp, truncate-obovate, 0.8-1.0 mm long, without capitate trichomes in the raphal area, without sculpturing, anticlinal walls straight, periclinal walls flat, boundaries between periclinal walls flat.
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Discussion
Tococa cinnamomea is a rare species, which has been seldom collected. Similarities in floral and seed morphology indicate an obvious relationship with T. caryophyllea. However, they differ in their habit and inflorescence. The type locality of San Carlos de Río Negro is in Venezuela, not in Brazil as cited in the original description.
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Distribution
S Venezuela and N Brazil along the Río Negro from 100-150 m.
Amazonas Brazil South America|