Miconia bracteolata (Bonpl.) DC.
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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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Discussion
A series of recent collections (with Camp E-4176 showing the young inflorescence bracts) has established this hitherto obscure species as a common one in south-central Ecuador. The young leaf margins are minutely callose-ciliolate. Of the three numbers with flowers at anthesis, Rimbach 161 (which is probably the same collection as Rimbach 10, Yale Forestry School 16915) and Asplund 18237 show flowers with well-developed anthers but no trace of a style or ovary (a completely concave hypanthium bottom) ; Gilmartin 523, however, has both well formed anthers and styles. The specimens studied are from Pichincha (Asplund 18237), Cañar (Asplund 17658, Camp E-1802A, Camp E-1802B), and Azuay (Camp E-2066, Camp E-4176, Gilmartin 523, Maguire & Maguire 44273). Miconia biap-pendiculata (Naud.) Uribe is a close relative, but with more obvious leaf den-ticulation and relatively narrower obovate-oblong anthers; despite Cogniaux’ key character of entire leaves, the many recent collections, as well as the Bonpland illustration, show minutely denticulate margins on the young leaves.