Tococa stenoptera Gleason

Authority

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

Family

Melastomataceae

Scientific Name

Tococa stenoptera Gleason

Type

Type. Peru. Junín: Puerto Yessup, 400 m. Killip & Smith 26280 (holotype NY; isotypes F, US)

Description

Species Description - Shrub or small tree, to 3-4 (-6) m tall; stems sparsely glandular-setose, the trichomes 1.5-2.0 mm long, persistent, the nodes glabrous. Leaves anisophyllous, elliptic to ovate, the large ones 13-22(-28) X 6.5-10(-l 3) cm, the short ones 6-9 X 4.5-6.5 cm, apex acute to slightly acuminate, base acute to obtuse, adaxial surface glabrous to adpressed nonglandular-setose, occasionally glandular-setose, abaxial surface sparsely glandular-pubescent, densely hirsute to glandular-setose on the primary and secondary veins, light green, 5-nervate, membranaceous, entire to serrulate, slightly ciliolate; petioles 0.8-1.5 cm long, sparsely glandular-setose; domatia present in the larger leaves, rarely in both leaves of a pair, free from the leaf blade, globose to ovoid, (1.5-)2.0-3.0 X 1.5-2.0 cm. Inflorescence a terminal panicle of 10-20 flowers, 8-15 cm long, the axis dark red to magenta, quadrangular and winged, the wings glandular-setose, with lanceolate bracteoles, 3-4 mm long, at the base of the branchlets. Flowers on pedicels 2-7 mm long, flared at the apex, subtended by persistent bracts, lanceolate, 1.0-1.5 X 0.1 mm; hypanthium conical, 7-8 mm long, with 5 wings (0.2-0.5 mm wide) that run from its base up to the torus, opposite the calyx, sparsely to densely puberulent, the trichomes red, glandular-setose on the wings; outer calyx teeth projecting upwards, subulate, 1-3 mm long, glandular-setose, inner calyx teeth round, fused 1/3 of the length, membranaceous, 1.0-1.4 mm long; the ring inside the torus glabrous; petals 5, obovate-oblong, 11-13 X 5-6 mm, base oblong to slightly attenuate, emarginate at the apex, the margins revolute, smooth, glabrous at the base, slightly pruinose at the apex, pink; stamens all the same size; filaments 7.0-7.5 mm long, glabrous; anthers yellow; the connective with a dorsal-basal blunt tooth; thecae 7.0-7.5 mm long, opening by a ventrally inclined pore; ovary 3-locular, 1/2-1/4 inferior, the superior portion globose to broadly conical, the apex with a ring elevated 0.1-0.5 mm, the ring densely pilose or with a corona of long nonglandular setae; style glabrous, 17-18 mm long; stigma peltate, 3 mm wide. Fruits globose, 9-11 mm long, black, glabrous between the hypanthium wings, glandular-setose on the wings; seeds evident through the pericarp, truncate-obovate to triangular, 0.6-1.5 mm long, without capitate trichomes in the raphal area, without sculpturing, anticlinal walls straight, periclinal walls convex, boundaries between periclinal walls flat.

Discussion

Tococa stenoptera is closely related to T. stephanotricha, T. quadrialata, and, T. gonoptera, with which it shares a winged hypanthium; howeverer, it differs in having only one set of wings that are opposite the calyx. Tococa stenoptera also has denser pubescence than these three species. Additionally, the axes of the inflorescences of T. stenoptera are distinctively quadrangular, whereas T. stephanotricha, T. quadrialata, and, T. gonoptera have inflorescences with terete axes. The inflorescence of T. stenoptera is also similar to that of T. bullifera, but the latter is always single-branched.

Distribution

N Peru and SE Ecuador, in the understories of rain forests from 100-300 m.

Pastaza Ecuador South America| Loreto Peru South America|