Tococa filiformis (Gleason) Wurdack

  • Family

    Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Tococa filiformis (Gleason) Wurdack

  • Primary Citation

    Phytologia 9: 424. 1964

  • Basionym

    Myrmidone filiformis 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: Colombia. Caquetá: between Santa Marta and Marsella, 4 AUG 1926, Woronow & Juzepczuck 6421 (holotype L [n. v.], photo at US).

    Description: Shrub, to 1.5-2.0 m tall. Stems hirsute, the trichomes 6-9 (-12) mm long, flattened at the base, caducous in the older branches, the nodes glabrous. Petioles 1.5-2.5 cm (0.5-1.0 in the small leaves) long, hirsute. Leaves anisophyllous, the larger ones elliptic to oblong, 11-20 x 5-8 cm, the smaller ones 4.5-6 x 1.0-2.5 cm, apex acute to acuminate, base acute to narrowly obtuse, adaxial surface sparsely adpressed-setose, abaxial surface with sparse setae on the primary and secondary veins, light green, with 2 pairs of secondary veins, basally nervate (1 pair of secondary veins in the small leaf of each node), membranaceous, ciliolate-serrulate; domatia present in the larger leaves only, free from the leaf blade, globose to ovoid, 1.2-1.7 x 1.2-1.5 cm. Inflorescence a terminal panicle, up to 30 cm long, glabrous to sparsely hirsute. Flowers on pedicels 10-20 mm long, not flared at the apex, subtended by caducous bracts, lanceolate, 1.5 x 0.1 mm; hypanthium obconical, 4.5-5.0 mm long, glabrous to sparsely glandular setose near the base; sepals broadly deltoid, connate 2/3 to 4/5 of the length, flaring towards the outside of the central axis of the hypanthium, 1.1-1.3 mm long, calyx teeth filiform, 11-16 mm long; the ring inside the torus glabrous. Petals 6, elliptic to oblong, 8-9 x 5 mm, base truncate to obtuse, apex obtuse, surface pruinosus to smooth, glabrous, pink. Stamens all of the same size, the filaments 4-5 mm long, glabrous; anthers yellow; the connective with a dorsal-basal blunt tooth; thecae 5.0 mm long, opening by a ventrally inclined pore. Ovary 4-locular, 2/3 inferior, the superior portion broadly conical, the apex truncate; style glabrous, 11 mm long; stigma funneliform, papillate. Fruits unknown. Seeds unknown. Chromosome number n= unknown.

    Habitat and Distribution: Endemic to Caquetá, SW Colombia.

    Taxonomy and Systematics: Tococa filiformis is a poorly known species from the foothills of the SW Colombian Andes. It is readily distinguished by its unusual broad based trichomes similar to that of the petioles of T. pachystachya, the filiform calyx teeth and the broadly conical hypanthium. The habit of T. filiformis resembles that of T. guianensis, but with the exception of the pubescence. Tococa filiformis was originally described as Myrmidone (Gleason, 1930) due to its six-merous flowers. However, it was later transferred to Tococa by Wurdack (1964), given it does not have the outer calyx fused as in Myrmidone, and because he did not consider flower merosity as an important character to exclude this taxon from Tococa.

  • Floras and Monographs

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