Miconia elata (Sw.) DC.

  • Family

    Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Miconia elata (Sw.) DC.

  • Primary Citation

    Prodr.

  • 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: Jamaica, Swartz s.n. (BM).

    Description: Trees 8-12(-40) m tall, the branchlets, abaxial leaf surfaces, inflorescences, and young hypanthia densely covered with ferrugineous stellulate-lepidote appressed hairs. Leaves 5-nerved (excluding the ill-defined intramarginal pair), elliptic to elliptic-ovate, 13-27(-38.5) X 6.5-17(-21.5) cm, adaxially glabrous and subcoriaceous, apex gradually to abruptly acuminate, base obtuse to rounded, the margin undulate-serrulate; petioles 3-6.1 cm long. Panicle 12-22 cm long, the 5-6(-7)-merous sessile flowers interrupted-glomerulate on the branches, the deciduous bracteoles linear-oblong to narrowly deltoid, ca. 1 X 0.5-0.75 mm. Calyx 0.5-1 mm long, obscurely lobed, the exterior teeth projecting 0.5 mm. Petals oblong-obovate, 2-2.5 X 1.5-1.75 mm. Anthers slightly anisomorphic, 1.5-2 mm long, white, narrowly oblong to clavate with a broad ventrally inclined pore; connective obscurely prolonged ca 0.5 mm, exappendiculate. Style glabrous, 3 mm long; stigma somwhat clavate-truncate; ovary 3-celled, 4/5 inferior, apex stellulate-puberulent; berry 4-5 X 4-5 mm, purple at maturity. Seeds deltoid, smooth, nitid, and rounded-angulate, mostly 1 mm long. Capirote colorado de hoja mediana.

    Habitat and Distribution: Local and uncommon, rain forest. 20-450(-1250) m. Southern Mexico (Veracruz southward) Greater Antilles (Cuba, Jamaica), Venezuela and Colombia to Bolivia, French Guiana and N Brazil. MEXICO: Chiapas (Breedlove & Almeda 57611, CAS); BELIZE (Schipp 150, F); HONDURAS (Nelson & Escobar 8595, CAS); NICARAGUA (Stevens 7564, CAS); COSTA RICA (Almeda & Nakai 4139, CAS); PANAMA (Almeda & McPherson 6013, CAS).

    Taxonomy and Systematics: This species is often confused with M. punctata Desr.) D. Don ex DC. which differs in having 3-nerved entire leaves (excluding the tenuous intramarginal pair), an indument of appressed scales, and flowers that are secund on the ultimate scorpioid branches of the inflorescences.

    Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]

  • Sorry, no descriptions available for this record.