Tococa aristata Benth.

Authority

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

Family

Melastomataceae

Scientific Name

Tococa aristata Benth.

Type

Type. Guayana (British Guiana): sides of creeks, Schomburgk 458 (holotype K; isotypes NY, P).

Description

Species Description - Shrub, to 1.0-2.5 m tall; stems glandular-setose, the trichomes 1.5-3.5 mm long, persistent, the nodes glabrous. Leaves isophyllous, elliptic, (5-) 10-25 (-30) X (3-)5-15 cm, apex abruptly acuminate to shortly caudate or aristate, base acute to broadly acute, adaxial surface glandular-setose, abaxial surface sparsely glandular-setose, hirsute on the primary and secondary nerves, usually light green, purple or dark red in some young individuals, 5(-7)-nervate, membranaceous, ciliolate-serrulate; petioles 1.5-3.5 cm long, glandular-setose; domatia free from the leaf blade, narrowly ovoid to broadly fusiform, the apex attenuate, 1.5-3.5 cm X 0.4-1.0 cm wide. Inflorescence a terminal panicle of 10-30 (or more) flowers, 5-13 cm long, the axis magenta, flattened. Flowers on pedicels 2-3 mm long, not flared at the apex, subtended by lanceolate bracts, caducous, 0.5-0.7 X 0.1 mm, or occasionally persistent, 12-18 X 2-3 mm; hypanthium infundibuliform, 4.0-5.5 mm long, sparsely glandular-setose, with a few caducous stellate trichomes; outer calyx teeth narrowly triangular, projecting above the inner teeth, sparsely setulose, 0.5-3.0 mm long, inner calyx teeth broadly triangular, fused at the base 0.7-1.5 mm, 0.5-2.0 mm long; the ring inside the torus glabrous; petals 5, oblong ovate, 7-10 X 4-7 mm, base attenuate, slightly emarginate, smooth, glabrous, greenish yellow to pale cream; stamens all the same size; filaments 4 mm long, glabrous; anthers yellow; the connective with a dorsal-basal blunt tooth; thecae 4.5-6.0 mm long, opening by a ventrally inclined pore; ovary 3-locular, 1/2 inferior, the superior portion terete, the apex truncate; style glabrous or sparsely pubescent at the base, 7.5-9.5 mm long; stigma funnelform, papillate. Fruits globose, 6-9 mm long, black, glandular-setulose; seeds not evident through the pericarp, triangular, 0.8-1.1 mm long, without capitate trichomes in the raphal area, without sculpturing, anticlinal walls straight, periclinal walls convex, boundaries between periclinal walls flat. Chromosome number n = 17.

Discussion

Tococa aristata can be readily distinguished from T. guianensis by its green to yellowish petals and the outer calyx projecting beyond the inner calyx teeth. Vegetatively, T. aristata is very similar to T. bullifera and T. guianensis, but it usually has longer and denser trichomes on the vegetative and reproductive parts. Some highly pubescent specimens of T. bullifera and T. guianensis have been misidentified as T. aristata, but they can be distinguished by the characters given above. In general, it is found in the understories of forests and along rivers and creeks in moister and more shaded areas than T. guianensis or T. desiliens. Because T. aristata usually inhabits shaded areas, timid ants of the genus Crematogaster often colonize it, although Azteca ants have also been found in its domatia.

Distribution

SE Venezuela, Guyana, and NE Brazil, in scrubs and forests from 0-1400 m. Flowering year-round, but mostly March-August.

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