Brachyotum lycopodioides Triana

  • Authority

    Wurdack, John J. 1953. A revision of the genus Brachyotum (Tibouchineae-Melastomataceae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 8 (4): 343-407.

  • Family

    Melastomataceae

  • Scientific Name

    Brachyotum lycopodioides Triana

  • Description

    Species Description - Trichomes minutely but moderately roughened. Branchlets obscurely quadrangular, densely to moderately strigose. Petiole 1-2 mm. Blade 3-5 x 2-2.5 mm., ovate to oblong-elliptic with the apex rounded and the base obtuse, the 3 primaries completely hidden by the pubescence; above completely covered with stout tubercles l/mm.2 in 4 rows at widest part of the blade and 12-20 per blade, with their abruptly attenuate tips about 0.5 mm. long; below very densely short-strigose. Flowers 5-merous, compact-ternate or with an additional pair of flowers at the node below the dichasial node or also with another additional pair at the next-lower node, the dichasium subtended by leaves. Pedicel 0-3 mm. below the bracteoles, 2-3 mm. above; pedicellar bracteoles 2.5-4 x 1.5-2 mm., elliptic and 3-nerved, mostly persistent until anthesis, above glabrous, below densely strigulose. Hypanthium 3—3.5 x 4.5 mm., 0.3 mm. thick medianly, densely sericeousstrigose, the hairs 6-12/mm.2 and to 2 mm. long. Sepals 3-4 x 2.5-3 mm., ovate to oblong-ovate with acute apices, united at bases 0.5-0.7 mm., the sinuses acute. Petals light violet (fide Pennell), 12-14 x 9-10 mm., asymmetrically obovate with obtuse to rounded-obtuse apices, the gland-tipped cilia 0.1-0.2 mm. (the terminal one 0.3-0.4 mm.). Filaments 3.5-4 mm.; anthers 2-3 mm., with the flaring apical pore 0.5 mm. in diam. and nearly as wide as the anther; connective at anther base 0.6-2 mm., free of the anther 0.3-1.2 mm., the ventral lobes 0.4-1.1 mm. Style 15-17 x 0.3-0.4 mm., exserted 4-5 mm. Ovary 3-4 x 2.5-3 mm., densely strigulose on the apical 1-1.5 mm., the apical lobes 0.1-0.2 mm. above the locules.

    Distribution and Ecology - Distribution: Dept. Amazonas, Peru, alt. 3000-3200 m.

  • Discussion

    Brachyotum minimum Markgraf, Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 13: 459. 1937.

    Type Collection and Locality: Mathews 1254 (LECTOTYPE K); Peru, Dept. Amazonas, "ad Bajasan prov. Chachapoyas."

    Illustration: Weberbauer, El Mundo Vegetal de Los Andes Peruanos 525, f. 61a (1945).

    Markgraf recognized the two entities involved in the collections of B. lycopodioides and B. markgrafii, but did not realize that Triana's description encompassed both elements. Unfortunately, Macbride (1941, p. 269) designated Mathews 1254 as the type collection of B. lycopodioides, and this collection coincides with B. minimum. Triana's description is so inconclusive that Macbride's designation must stand, thus synonymizing Markgraf's epithet.

    The packet containing the only specimen examined of Weberbauer 4399 (BR, collected at Chachapoyas) has a mixture of B. lycopodioides and B. markgrafii. The photograph (Gleason 27-9) of a sheet of this collection at Berlin seems to indicate that a portion of another collection, perhaps Weberbauer 2072 which is B. markgrafii, was inadvertently mixed with Weberbauer 4399.