Tococa bolivarensis Gleason

Description

Description Author and Date: Fabian A. Michelangeli, January 2010, based on Michelangeli, F. A. (2005). Tococa (Melastomataceae). Flora Neotropica Monographs 98: 1-114.

Type: Venezuela. Bolívar: Southeastern portion of Carrao-tepui, alt. 1460-1615 m, Steyermark 60856 (holotype F; isotypes US, NY).

Description: Subprostrate to procumbent shrub, to 1.0-1.5 m tall, the branches up to 2.5 m long, with adventitious roots developing on the portions closer to the ground. Stems with a mix of short glandular setae 0.2 mm long, and stellate hairs, caducous, the nodes glabrous. Petioles 0.3-1.0 cm long, glandular setose. Leaves isophyllous, elliptic to ovate, 2-5 x 1.2-3.0 cm, apex broadly acute to obtuse, base rounded to broadly acute, adaxial surface sparsely glandular setose, sometimes the trichomes disposed in lines parallel to the secondary veins, abaxial surface sparsely glandular pubescent, densely hirsute on the primary and secondary veins, light green, with 1(-2) pairs of secondary veins, basally nervate, the veins impressed on the adaxial surface, the tertiary veins not evident, coriaceous, entire or ciliolate, the setae up to 1.8 mm long, sometimes revolute; domatia absent. Inflorescence a terminal cyme of 2-4 flowers, 1-3 cm long, the axis dark red to magenta, terete. Flowers on pedicels 1-3 mm long, flared at the apex, subtended by bracts persistent until anthesis, elliptic, 0.7-1.3 x 0.3 mm, glandular setulose; hypanthium globose, with the base as wide as the pedicel, 4.4-5.0 mm long, sparsely glandular setulose; sepals deltoid, fused at the base, 1.0-1.5 mm long, calyx teeth reduced and inconspicuous, sometimes with a short apical glandular seta or a sessile gland, 0.2 mm long; the ring inside the torus glabrous. Petals 5, obovate, 6.5-11 x 5.0-6.5 mm, base attenuate, apex emarginated, slightly pruinosus, glabrous, red to dark pink. Stamens all of the same size, the filaments 5-6 mm long, glabrous; anthers yellow; the connective with a dorsal-basal blunt tooth; thecae 5 mm long, opening by a slightly ventrally inclined pore. Ovary 3-locular, 1/3 inferior, the superior portion terete, the apex truncate; style glabrous, 12-14 mm long; stigma truncate. Fruits globose, 4.5-6 mm long, black, glabrous, with the calyx persistent and slightly reflexed. The seeds not evident through the pericarp, truncate-obovate, 0.4-0.5 mm long, without capitate trichomes in the raphal area, without sculpturing, anticlinal walls straight, periclinal walls flat, boundaries between periclinal walls flat. Chromosome number n= unknown.

Habitat and Distribution: SE Venezuela, common on shrub lands on top of the eastern tepuis in Bolívar State, from 1600 m to 2100 m.

Taxonomy and Systematics: Tococa bolivarensis is a creeping shrub endemic to the eastern Guayana Highlands. Although it has only been collected in Venezuela, it can probably be found on the Brazilian side of Serra do Sol and in Guyana on the slopes or summit of Roraima. Even though there are only a handful of collections, it is locally abundant in the summit of Auyán-tepui, and can be easily recognized from other tepui Melastomataceae by its ciliolate leaves and reddish thick petals. For alliances and similarities, see discussion under T. raggiana.

Floras and Monographs

Tococa bolivarensis Gleason: [Article] Michelangeli, Fabián A. 2005. (Melastomataceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 98: 1-114.

Map Distribution

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Objects

Images

Tococa bolivarensis: Illustration by J. J. Wurdack. (image/jpeg)

Tococa bolivarensis: Photo taken in the field. (image/jpeg)

Tococa bolivarensis (image/jpeg)