Tococa gonoptera Gleason

  • Family

    Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Tococa gonoptera Gleason

  • Primary Citation

    Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 58: 247. 1931

  • Type Specimens

    Specimen 1: Holotype -- E. P. Killip 28092, verif. F. A. Michelangeli, 2000

  • 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: Peru. Loreto: Between Yurimaguas and Balsapuerto, lower Río Huallaga basin, 26-31 AUG 1929, Killip & Smith 28902 (holotype NY; isotypes F, K, US).

    Description: Shrub, to 1-4 m tall. The younger stems quadrangular, with a mix of glandular and non-glandular setae, the trichomes 4-7 mm long, persistent, the nodes glabrous. Petioles 0.5-1.5 (-2.5) cm long, with glandular and non glandular setae. Leaves anisophyllous, elliptic to ovate, 13-22 x 9-13 cm, apex acuminate, rarely obtuse to round, base acute to obtuse, adaxial surface adpressed-setose, abaxial surface sparsely glandular pubescent, densely hirsute to glandular setose on the primary and secondary veins, light green, with 2 pairs of secondary veins, basally nervate, occasionally the outermost pair very thin and inconspicuous, membranaceous, crenulate, ciliate; domatia free from the leaf blade, ovoid to elliptic, occasionally narrowly elliptic, 1.0-2.0 -(3.0) x 0.8-1.2 cm. Inflorescence a cyme condensed and subumbellate, of 4-9 flowers, 2-5 cm long, the axis green, terete, usually terminal but quickly becoming axillary by overgrowth of the lateral meristem, occasionally axillary at the base of the younger leaves. Flowers on pedicels thin (less than 0.5 mm wide), 3-6 mm long, with small sessile trichomes, slightly flared at the apex, the bracts absent; hypanthium conical, 5.5-7.5 (-9) mm long, with 10 wings (0.2-0.5 mm wide) that run from the base of the hypanthium up to the torus, the larger set opposite the sepals, projecting 2-4 mm from the surface of the hypanthium, the smaller one alternate the sepals, the wings densely glandular setose, glabrous in between; sepals broadly deltoid, fused 3/5 to the apex, 5-6 mm long, calyx teeth projecting upwards as subulate teeth, and laterally compressed, 2-5 mm long, glandular pubescent; the ring inside the torus glabrous. Petals 5, obovate-oblong, 9-12 x 4.5-5.5 mm, base oblong to slightly attenuate, emarginated at the apex, the margins retuse, smooth, glabrous, 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 (4.0-) 4.5-5.0 mm long, opening by a ventrally inclined pore. Ovary 3-locular, inferior, the superior portion broadly conical, the apex with a corona of short (1. 5 mm long) setae; style glabrous, 9-11 mm long; stigma peltate, 2 mm wide. Fruits globose, with the calyx persistent and slightly reflexed, 6-8 mm long, black, glabrous between the hypanthium wings, glandular setose on the wings. The seeds evident through the pericarp, truncate-obovate to triangular, 0.6-1.5 mm long, without capitate trichomes in the raphal area, without sculpturing, anticlinal walls straight, periclinal walls convex, boundaries between periclinal walls flat. Chromosome number n= unknown.

    Habitat and Distribution: In E Peru, growing in the forest understory between 100-500 m, occasionally up to 1200 m.

    Taxonomy and Systematics: Tococa gonoptera is very similar to T. quadrialata, but it has 5 merous flowers. Unlike T. stephanotricha in which both 4 and 5 merous flowers are found in the same individual, the number of petals seems to be fixed for T. quadrialata and T. gonoptera. For a detailed discussion of the affinities and systematics of T. gonoptera, see discussion under T. stephanotricha.

  • Floras and Monographs

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