Miconia coniophora Urb. & Ekman

Description

Description Author and Date: Walter S. Judd, 2010, based on Judd, W. S. (2007). Revision of Miconia sect. Chaenopleura (Melastomataceae) in the Greater Antilles. Systematic Botany Monographs 81:1-235.

Type: HAITI. Dept. de L’Ouest: Massif des Matheux, near St.-Marc, crest of Morne Haut de St. Marc, 1300 m, fl, young fr, 8 May 1927, E. L. Ekman H8067 (holotype: S!; isotypes: A!, NY!, S!, US!).

Description: Shrub or small tree to 3 m tall. Indumentum of multicellular, pale ferrugineous, irregularly stellate-branched to elongate-branched hairs, intergrading with minute branched to ± globular hairs, and long-stalked, gland-headed hairs to 0.7 mm long. Young twigs not ridged, ± rectangular in cross-section, 2-3.5 mm wide, becoming terete with age, the indumentum of moderate to dense multicellular, pale ferrugineous, stellate-branched to elongate and irregularly branched hairs, and sometimes sparse long-stalked, gland-headed hairs; internodes 1-2.1 cm long. Leaves with petiole 0.5-1.4 cm long, the indumentum dense, pale ferrugineous, irregularly stellate-branched hairs; blade 3.5-9.7 (-11) cm long, 1.6-3.7 cm wide, ovate, flat, coriaceous, the apex acuminate, the base acute to rounded, the margin plane to very slightly revolute near base, irregularly serrate, especially distally, ca 0-35% of margin entire, the largest teeth 0.3-1 mm long; venation acrodromous, slightly suprabasal, with prominent midvein and 4 secondary veins, with 2 conspicuous secondary veins placed 2-5.5 mm in from margin, with 2 inconspicuous secondary veins closer to margin, and numerous percurrent tertiary veins oriented subperpendicular to midvein, the tertiary veins separated by composite inter-tertiary veins and the quaternary and higher-order veins ± orthogonal-reticulate; adaxial surface green, the indumentum initially of moderate to dense irregularly stellate-branched hairs, but very quickly glabrescent, the midvein and major secondary veins impressed, minor secondary veins and tertiary veins slightly impressed to ± flat, and higher order veins flat, the surface appearing ± minutely papillose after drying due to presence of numerous druse crystals; abaxial surface pale ferrugineous, densely covered with persistent, irregularly stellate-branched hairs (intergrading with elongate-branched hairs on midvein) to 0.1-0.25 mm across on major and minor veins and lamina surface, the midvein and major secondary veins prominently raised, minor secondary veins, tertiary veins, and some inter-tertiary veins slightly raised, remaining veins ± flat. Inflorescences many-flowered paniculate cymes of 4 to 8 branch pairs, 3.5-11.5 cm long, 2.2-4 cm across; proximal segment of lowermost inflorescence branches 3-8 mm long, distal internodes of inflorescence branches increasingly shorter, ultimate branches 0-1 mm long and terminating in 3-flowered clusters (the lateral flowers of which are non-pedunculate), sparse to dense pale ferrugineous, stellate-branched hairs; peduncle 0.8-2.3 cm, with similar indumentum, but sometimes also with long-stalked gland-headed hairs; each inflorescence branch associated with early caducous, linear to ovate-triangular bract, ca 2.5-14 mm long, 1-3 mm wide, the apices acute, the lower pair sometimes expanded and intergrading with leaves; flowers in dichasia, each subtended by 2 caducous, ovate-triangular to narrowly triangular bracteoles 1-1.5 mm long, 0.4-0.7 mm wide, the indumentum of sparse to moderate stellate-branched hairs, their apices acute. Flowers sessile or nearly so, the pedicel 0-0.5 mm long. Hypanthium cylindrical, free portion ca 0.9-1.25 mm long, the outer surface with sparse, minute, branched to globular hairs, the inner surface glabrous and slightly ridged, the apices of the ridges not projecting. External calyx lobes 5, 0.4-1.2 mm long, 1.1-1.7 mm wide, ± triangular, with acuminate to acute or obtuse apex, indumentum of very sparse minute branched to globular hairs, or glabrous; internal calyx lobes 5, 0.7-1.5 mm long, 1.1-1.7 mm wide, ± triangular to ovate-triangular, green to reddish, glabrous, the apex rounded, the margin entire; calyx tube ca 0.1 mm long. Petals 5, ovate or broadly so, 2.3-3 x 1.6-2 mm, glabrous, white; margin entire. Stamens 10, geniculate; proximal segment 1.4-1.8 mm long; distal segment 2.1-2.6 mm long, with minute dorsal projection, the anther 1.4-1.6 mm long, with fertile portion of anther sacs 1.2-1.5 mm long, the connective/distal part of filament extended 0.7-1.5 mm beyond the base of the anther sacs. Ovary 3-loculate, ca 4/5-inferior, ca 1.7 mm long, 1.6-2.4 mm in diameter, globose to subglobose, glabrous and slightly ridged, with fluted apical projection to 0.2-0.3 mm encircling the base of style; style 4-5 mm long, glabrous; stigma truncate. Berries 3-4 mm long, 3-4.5 mm in diameter [slightly immature], globose or subglobose, red, probably turning blue at maturity, with sparse branched to globular hairs. Seeds ca 0.9-1.2 mm long, angular-obovoid; testa smooth. Fig. 40.

Habitat and Distribution: Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Massif des Matheux, Massif de la Selle, and Sierra de Neiba; moist montane forests; 1200-1400 m. Miconia coniophora has been collected with Clidemia angustilamina.

Phenology: Flowering specimens only known from March and May.

Taxonomy and Systematics: Miconia coniophora is a member of the crisped-hair clade (see phylogenetic analysis and discussion under M. lanceolata, above). It probably is most closely related to M. lanceolata (see comparison under that species) and M. mansfeldiana. Miconia coniophora can be distinguished from M. mansfeldiana by its somewhat darker stellate hairs, smaller flowers, i.e., free portion of hypanthium 0.9-1.25 mm long (vs. 2-2.4 mm), petals 2.3-3 mm long (vs. 3.7-4.8 mm), distal stamen segment 2.1-2.6 mm long (vs. 3.2-3.5 mm), anthers 1.4-1.6 mm long (vs. 2-2.5 mm), ovary ca 1.7 mm long (vs. 3.3-3.8 mm), and probably smaller fruits, i.e., 3-4.5 mm long (vs. 5-7 mm). Although both M. coniophora and M. lanceolata grow in the Massif de la Selle, the two do not occur together, as Miconia coniophora usually occurs at lower elevations than M. lanceolata. Miconia coniophora, occurring in the Massif des Matheux, Massif de la Selle, and Sierra de Neiba, is geographically isolated from M. mansfeldiana, which is endemic to the Sierra de Ocoa (part of the Cordillera Central of Hispaniola).

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Miconia coniophora: Botanical line drawing. (image/jpeg)