Meriania sanguinea Wurdack
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Authority
Wurdack, John J. 1967. Plants collected in Ecuador by W. H. Camp. Melastomataceae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 16: 1-45.
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Family
Melastomataceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - M. tetragonae (Cogn.) Wurdack affinis, sed ramis sulcato-quadrangulatis angulis rotundatis foliis subtus superficie excepta densiuscule puberulis. Ramuli quadrisulcati demum rotundato-quadrangulati in nodos eolio stipu-liformi crasso 3-8 mm alto inter petiolos armati primum sicut petioli inflorescen-tiaque modice granuloso-furfuracei demum glabrati vel in ramulis novellis petio-lisque sparse setulosi pilis ad 1 mm longis. Petioli (3-) 4-8 cm ad apicem subtus biglandulosi glandulis crassis 2-3 mm longis; lamina 11-22 X 6-13 cm rigide fragilis serrata dentibus 1-2.5 mm profundis et 3-6 mm inter se distantibus, ovata vel elliptico-ovata ápice acuto basi 5-13 mm cordata, 7-9-nervata nervis secundaras ca. 5 mm inter se distantibus nervulis reticulatis, supra glabra et dense aspero-bullata, subtus reticulato-foveolata in superficie glabra in nervis ner-vulisque modice vel densiuscule setulosa pilis crassiusculis 0.2-0.3 mm longis paulo resinosis clavatis sparse asperis. Panícula terminalis 18-45 cm longa angusta, ramulis principalibus ascendentibus plerumque 1-3 cm longis; flores 5-meri, pedi-cellis 8-12 mm longis, bracteolis nullis vel 1 mm longis lanceolatis mox caducis. Hypanthium (ad torum) 2.7-3 mm altum late campanulatum primum obscure furfuraceum mox glabratum; calycis tubus 1.2-1.5 mm altus ampliatus ápice integro vel obscure 5-undulato, dentibus exterioribus obscuris callosis non emi-nentibus. Petala 11-12 X 9.5-12 mm elliptico-obovata apice rotundato glabra. Stamina glabra isomorphica; filamenta 6-6.2 mm; antherarum thecae 6.5 mm longae subulatae curvatae ad apicem uniporosae poro 0.3 mm diam. terminali vel paulo dorsaliter inclinato, connectivo ad basim dorsaliter in appendice 2-2.9 mm prolonga to, appendice ad apicem hebeto-acuta vel truncata et dorsaliter paulo rugoso-elevata vel dente ascendenti hebeti 0.8 mm longo armata.
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Discussion
Type Collection: W. H. Camp E-4620 (holotype US 2404717; isotype NY; 3 additional isotypes to be distributed), collected on the eastern cordillera 1-8 km north of Sevilla de Oro, Prov. Azuay, Ecuador, elev. 2400-2700 m, 27 July-12 Aug. 1945. “Plants woody at base, to 4 m. Leaves deep green, rugose, nitid above; pale green below. Hypanthium nigrescent green, especially in calyx region. Corolla very deep crimson; anthers yellow, filaments and appendages crimson with salmony tinge.” Paratypes (all Ecuador) : Cañar, Parroquia Luis Cordero at Ayapamba 15 km east-northeast of Azogues, elev. 2950-3000 m, Prieto P-154; Azuay-“Oriente” border, Páramo del Castillo and surrounding forested areas on the trail between Sevilla de Oro and Mendez, elev. 2800-3450 m, Camp E-719, Camp E-1623; Loja-“Oriente” border, km 45-51 on road from Loja to Zamora, elev. 1400-1600 m, Dodson fa Thien 1462. Typical M. tetragona has acutely (subalate) quadrate branches, well-developed nodal flaps, upper leaf surfaces with low distant bullae, lower leaf surfaces and petioles nearly glabrous, petals 10-12 mm long, and stamen connective dorsally with both a short ascending blunt appendage and a descending acute tooth. Typical M. radula (Benth.) Triana has rotund-quadrate branches, an interpetiolar line (but not a flap) , upper leaf surfaces with contiguous well-raised bullae, lower leaf surfaces with a dense tomentum (the primary veins as well as the petioles roughened-setulose), petals 18-21 mm long, and the stamen connective dorsally with a blunt descending appendage but no ascending tooth. M. sanguinea shows tendencies to both M. tetrágono and M. radula, the ample series of the type number being perhaps somewhat shaded toward M. tetragono. Among the paratypes, Dodson fa Thien 1462 shows an ascending connective tooth as in the type collection, but the other paratypes have merely a rugose slightly elevated region instead of a distinct appendage. Both Camp E-1623 and Dodson & Thien 1462 have more obvious seta development on the young stems and petioles than the other cited collections. The Ecuadorian material of M. radula seen by me (Lehmann 7791, Lehmann s.n., both K) equals the Hartweg type collection (fide holotype notes sent by N. Y. Sandwith) and also Peruvian collections. The only “pure” M. tetragona known to me from Ecuador is represented by Harling 6219 (S), from 16 km south of Saraguro, Loja, elev. 3000 m. Unfortunately, in northern Peru I never saw M. tetragona and M. radula in flower together in a restricted zone; there may well be a species disparity in the time of peak flowering in any one region. It is distasteful for me to describe a possible interspecific hybrid; that I do so is a tribute to Camp s astute field eye (and also his glee at confounding alpha-taxonomists by collecting both parents and hybrids) . I feel sure that the lack of either putative parent in Cañar and Azuay is a reality; M. sanguinea seems to be a relatively stabilized population, sympatric with its two relatives in Loja. Perhaps the phytogeography in this Meriania complex is indicative of an analogy with the situation in Vaccinium corymbosum or Abies borisii-regis mentioned by Stebbins (Variation and Evolution in Plants. 280-282. 1950) .