Miconia wittii Ule

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1964. The botany of the Guayana Highland--Part V. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10: 1-278.

  • Family

    Melastomataceae

  • Scientific Name

    Miconia wittii Ule

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - BRAZIL, Amazonas: Rio Igana, Sao Felipe, Froes 27884, 27892. COLOMBIA, Vaupes: Soratama, Rio Apaporis, Schultes & Cabrera 12555. VENEZUELA, Amazonas: Cano San Miguel, Rio Guainia, Wurdack d; Adderley 43247; east bank of Rio Casiquiare 300 m below mouth of Rio Pacimoni, Maguire & Wurdack 35727; Savanna No. 1 at northwest base of Cerro Yapacana, Maguire & Wurdack 34496; Cano Cupaven, Rio Orinoco, Wurdack & Adderley 42807.

  • Discussion

    Unfortunately, the available isotype (MG) of this species shows only very young buds. After comparison of foliar and inflorescence details, several recent Brazilian, Colombian, and Venezuelan collections seem at least conspecific with Ule's Manaos material. The leaf blades vary considerably, from narrowly oblongovate to elliptical with shortly acuminate to bluntly acute apices, and from 3- to indistinctly 5-nerved; the recent specimens have generally smaller leaf blades than the type. The anther connectives are clearly prolonged 0.7-0.9 mm basally and with either a cordate dorso-ventral appendage or a blunt dorsal tooth; I cannot interpret if this accords with Pilger's (as M. micrantha Pilger) "antheris . . basi truncatis" statement. The general vegetative features of M. wittii resemble those of the M. elaeagnoides Cogn.-M. dichrophylla Macbr. complex discussed by Gleason (Bull. Torrey Club 58: 242. 1931), but the flowers are not secund as in that southwest Amazon basin species. M. wittii is also suggestive of the rarely collected M . elata (Sw.) DC; that West Indian species differs at least in the tetragonal young branches, undulate-denticulate leaf margins, and less appressed lower leaf surface pubescence. Until topotypical material proves otherwise, the following are referred to M. wittii:

  • Distribution

    BRAZIL, Amazonas: Rio Igana, Sao Felipe, Froes 27884, 27892. COLOMBIA, Vaupes: Soratama, Rio Apaporis, Schultes & Cabrera 12555. VENEZUELA, Amazonas: Cano San Miguel, Rio Guainia, Wurdack d; Adderley 43247; east bank of Rio Casiquiare 300 m below mouth of Rio Pacimoni, Maguire & Wurdack 35727; Savanna No. 1 at northwest base of Cerro Yapacana, Maguire & Wurdack 34496; Cano Cupaven, Rio Orinoco, Wurdack & Adderley 42807.

    Brazil South America| Colombia South America| Venezuela South America|