Miconia brevitheca Gleason

  • Family

    Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Miconia brevitheca Gleason

  • Primary Citation

    Brittonia 2: 322. 1937

  • Type Specimens

    Specimen 1: Holotype -- Y. E. J. Mexia 6730, verif. F. Almeda, 2004

  • Description

    Description Author and Date: Frank Almeda, based on Almeda, F. (2009). Melastomataceae. In: G. Davidse, M. Sousa-Sânchez, S. Knapp, & F. Chiang (eds.), Flora Mesoamericana: Cucurbitaceae a Polemoniaceae. 4(1): 164-338.

    Type: Holotype: Ecuador, Mexia 6730 (NY!).

    Description: Shrub or tree 3-10 m tall, the rounded-quadrate uppermost cauline internodes, petioles, primary and higher order veins on abaxial foliar surface, inflorescence branches, pedicels, and basal portions of the hypanthium moderately to sparsely covered with roughened or ± flattened spreading bran-like hairs. Leaves of a pair equal to subequal in size, the blades 3-plinerved (excluding the tenuous intramarginal pair) with the innermost pair of primary veins diverging from the midvein in opposite or alternate fashion 0.2-2.2 cm above the blade base, the blades broadly (rarely narrowly) elliptic to broadly oblong-elliptic, 6.5-20.2 x 2.5-17.7 cm, the apex acuminate, the base attenuate to obtuse, the margin subentire to distantly callose-serrulate, the adaxial surface of the blade glabrous; petioles 0.7-5 cm long. Inflorescence a multiflowered panicle 6-23 cm long; flowers 5-merous on pedicels 0.25-0.5 mm long; the early deciduous bracteoles broadly elliptic to obovate, 1-1.5 x 0.5-0.75 mm. Calyx tube 0.1 mm long, the calyx lobes broadly depressed triangular, 0.5 x 0.5-0.75 mm; the exterior calyx teeth broadly triangular, inconspicuous and shorter than the calyx lobes. Petals yellowish-white, glabrous, obovate, 1-1.3 x 1 mm. Anthers isomorphic, 0.75-1 mm long, yellowish-white, obovate-oblong, 4-celled with 4 ventrally inclined pores and a septum that protudes somewhat beyond the pores; the dorsal pair of anther cells typically about half as long as the ventral pair; connective thickened dorso-basally but unappendaged and barely prolonged abaxially below the anther-thecae. Style glabrous, 2 mm long; stigma capitellate; ovary 3-locular, 2/3 to ¾ inferior, the apex glabrous, elevated into a low cone and collar ca. 0.25 mm high. Berry 2-3 x 2-3.5 mm when dry, yellow to yellow-orange at maturity. Seeds ovoid, the testa muriculate, 0.5 mm long.

    Habitat and Distribution: Locally common in cloud forest. 500-1350 m. Ecuador. COSTA RICA (Almeda & Nakai 3866, CAS); PANAMA (Folsom 4320, CAS).

    Taxonomy and Systematics: Miconia brevitheca was described from and thought to be endemic to Ecuador. It is reported here from Central America for the first time. For comments on the differences between M. brevitheca and the closely related M. theaezans see the discussion under the latter species.

    Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]

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