Tococa pachystachya Wurdack
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Authority
Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1961. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part IV (2). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10: 1-87.
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Family
Melastomataceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Ut videtur T. hirtae Berg ex Tr. affinis sed cum floribus sessilibus in racemo pachystachyo. Sect. Epiphysca. Frutex 0.5-3 m. Kami cum petiolis laminis inflorescentiisque modice setosi setis glanduliferis plerumque ca. 1.5 mm longis sed in formicariis crassioribus et ad 3 mm. Folia plerumque vesiculifera sed pro parte vesieulis nullis; petioli (formieario excluso) ad 1 cm longi; formicaria in foliis maioribus ca. 2-2.5 cm longa et usque ad 1 cm lata 1/2-2/3 in lamina immersa; lamina vesiculifera plerumque 12-21 X 6-9 cm (m lamina non-vesiculifera 4-7 X 2-3 cm) elliptica vel vix obovato-elliptica apice per ca. 1-1.5 cm subcaudato-acuminata basi supra formicarium cordulata breviter 7-plinervata (vel in folio minore 7-nervata) nervis omnino supra indistincte impressis subtus vix elevatis nervis secundariis plerumque 3-5 mm inter se distantibus, ad margines indistincte irregulariterque undulata. Inflorescentia tetragona et 4-alata 7—15 cm longa 5-8 mm crassa racemiformis; flores 5-meri sessiles in angulis oppositis rhachis distichi et ut videtur in paribus, ad basim cum bracteolis duabus ca. 2-3 X 1-1.5 mm late ovatis apice obtusis extus apicem versus paucisetosis investi. Hypanthium (ad torum) 3-3.2 mm altum glabrum; calycis tubus 0.9-1 mm altus apice indistincte 5-lobatus lobis rotundatis usque ad 2 mm altis apice 1-2-setosis setis glanduliferis ca. 1.5 mm longis. Petala 6.8-7 X 4.2-4.4 mm oblongo-obovata apice oblique truncata glabra. Stamina isomorphica; filamenta 4 mm longa; antherae 3.3-3.5 mm longae oblongae leviter arcuatae ventraliter uniporosae non appendiculatae. Stylus ca. 6 X 0-6 mm; stigma capitatum 1.6-1.9 mm diam.; ovarium 4-loculare apice glabrum et in collum conicum 1 mm altum circum stylum protractum; bacca nigro-caerulea ca. 7 mm diam., seminibus 1 X 0.6-0.7 mm laevibus angiilato-pyramidatis.
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Discussion
Fig. 33, C-G.
In Cogniaux' treatment, T. pachystachya would key closest to T. capitata Trail ex Cogn. and T. tradlii Cogn., both of which have a very short inflorescence axis and rather different flowers with a setulose ovary apex. In vegetative and flower characters, T. hirta seems the closest relative, but differs widely in inflorescence nature, having a loose panicle with a few pedicellate flowers. The thickened inflorescence axis of T. pachystachya is not at all teratologic, being constant throughout the abundant Neblina population; such an axis can be seen developed to some extent in such other species as T. setifera Pilger and T. stellata Gleason, both of which have otherwise nothing suggestive of very close relationship with T. pachystachya.