Tococa hirta O.Berg ex Triana

  • Authority

    Michelangeli, Fabián A. 2005. (Melastomataceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 98: 1-114. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Melastomataceae

  • Scientific Name

    Tococa hirta O.Berg ex Triana

  • Type

    Type. Venezuela. Amazonas: San Carlos de Río Negro, Spruce 3145 (lectotype, K, designated by Michelangeli (2001a); isolectotypes BR, P).

  • Description

    Species Description - Shrub, to 0.5-2.0 (-3.0) m tall; stems densely glandular-setose, the trichomes 1.5-2.5 mm long, persistent, the nodes glabrous. Leaves isophyllous, ovate to oblong, 8-16 X 4-8 cm, apex acute, base cordate, the sinus up to 1 cm wide, adaxial surface adpressed-setose, abaxial surface sparsely glandular-setose, hirsute on the primary and secondary nerves, light green, 5-nervate, membranaceous, ciliolate; petioles 0.5-1.0(-l.5) cm long, glandular-setose; domada 1/4-1/3 immersed in the leaf blade, globose to ovoid, 0.8-1.2 X 0.7-1.1 cm. Inflorescence a pseudoaxillary panicle, rarely terminal, of 3-9 flowers, 512 cm long, the axis dark red to magenta, flattened, sparsely glandular-setose, branched above a peduncle 2-3 cm long, subtended by a caducous, sheathing bract, 2.5 cm long. Flowers on pedicels 6-10 mm long, not flared at the apex, articulated at the base of the hypanthium; bracts unknown; hypanthium conical, 3.5-5.0 mm long, glabrous; outer calyx teeth reduced and inconspicuous, sometimes with a short apical glandular seta or a sessile gland, 0.2 mm long, inner calyx teeth deltoid to ovate, fused at the base 1/2 of the length, 2.5 mm long, the inner surface covered by minute sessile glands; the ring inside the torus glabrous; petals 5, oblong, 10.5-12.0(-13.5) X 4.0-5.5 mm, base oblong to slightly attenuate, apex round and slightly emarginate, smooth, glabrous, white; stamens all the same size; filaments 5.0-5.5 mm long, glabrous; anthers yellow; the connective with a dorsal-basal blunt tooth; thecae 2.7-3.2 mm long, opening by a ventrally inclined pore; ovary 3-locular, 1/3 inferior, the superior portion broadly conical, the apex truncate; style glabrous, 12-14 mm long; stigma funnelform to capitate, papillate. Fruits globose, with the calyx persistent and slightly reflexed, 4.5-6 mm long, black, glabrous; seeds not evident through the pericarp, truncate-obovate, 0.7-1.3 mm long, without capitate trichomes in the raphal area, without sculpturing, anticlinal walls straight, periclinal walls straight, boundaries between periclinal walls raised.

  • Discussion

    Tococa hirta is a rarely collected species, which distinguishable by the sheathing bracts of the inflorescence peduncle; white petals; and small, round, pubescent domada. Great variations occur in the sizes of the flowers and fruits of T. hirta, but are not seen in other species.

    The cladistic analysis presented here indicates that this species is related to the T. gonoptera group, based on the presence of pseudo-axillary inflorescences. However, floral morphology closely resembles that of T. guianensis and T. bullifera.

  • Distribution

    Upper Río Negro Basin in SE Colombia and S Venezuela, endemic, often in savannas and scrub vegetation from 75-150 m.

    Vaupés Colombia South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America|