Tococa stenoptera Gleason

  • Family

    Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Tococa stenoptera Gleason

  • Primary Citation

    Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 58: 248. 1931

  • Type Specimens

    Specimen 1: Holotype -- E. P. Killip 26280, 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. Junín: Puerto Yessup, 400 m. Killip & Smith 26280 (holotype NY; isotypes F, US).

    Description: Shrub or small tree, to 3-4 (-6) m tall. Stems sparsely glandular setose, the trichomes 1.5-2.0 mm long, persistent, the nodes glabrous. Petioles 0.8-1.5 cm long, sparsely glandular setose. Leaves anisophyllous, elliptic to ovate, the large ones 13-22 (-28) x 6.5-10 (-13) cm, the short ones 6-9 x 4.5-6.5 cm, apex acute to slightly acuminate, base acute to obtuse, adaxial surface glabrous to adpressed non-glandular setose, occasionally glandular 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, membranaceous, entire to serrulate, slightly ciliolate; domatia present in the larger leaves, rarely in both leaves of a pair, free from the leaf blade, globose to ovoid, (1.5-) 2.0-3.0 x 1.5-2.0 cm. Inflorescence a terminal panicle, of 10-20 flowers, 8-15 cm long, the axis dark red to magenta, quadrangular and winged, the wings glandular setose, with lanceolate bracteoles, 3-4 mm long, at the base of the branchlets. Flowers on pedicels 2-7 mm long, flared at the apex, subtended by persistent bracts, lanceolate, 1.0-1.5 x 0.1 mm; hypanthium conical, 7-8 mm long, with 5 wings (0.2-0.5 mm wide) that run from the base of the hypanthium up to the torus, opposite the sepals, sparsely to densely puberulent, the trichomes red, glandular setose in the wings; sepals round, fused 1/3 of the length, membranaceous, 1.0-1.4 mm long, calyx teeth projecting upwards, subulate, 1-3 mm long, glandular setose; the ring inside the torus glabrous. Petals 5, obovate-oblong, 11-13 x 5-6 mm, base oblong to slightly attenuate, emarginated at the apex, the margins revolute, smooth, glabrous at the base, slightly pruinosus at the apex, pink. Stamens all of the same size, the filaments 7.0-7.5 mm long, glabrous; anthers yellow; the connective with a dorsal-basal blunt tooth; thecae 7.0-7.5 mm long, opening by a ventrally inclined pore. Ovary 3-locular, 1/2 to 1/4 inferior, the superior portion globose to broadly conical, the apex with a ring elevated 0.1-0.5 mm, the ring densely pillose or with a corona of long glandular setae; style glabrous, 17-18 mm long; stigma peltate, 3 mm wide. Fruits globose, 9-11 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: Growing in the understory of rain forests in N Peru and SE Ecuador, from 100 to 300 m.

    Taxonomy and Systematics: Tococa stenoptera is closely related to T. stephanotricha, T. quadrialata, and, T. gonoptera, with which it shares the winged hypanthia. However, it differs from these three species in that it has only one set of wings opposite the calyx, lacking the wings alternating with the calyx. Tococa stenoptera also differs from these three species in that the pubescence is denser. Additionally, the axes of the inflorescences of T. stenoptera are distinctively quadrangular, while T. stephanotricha, T. quadrialata, and, T. gonoptera have inflorescences with terete axes. The inflorescence of T. stenoptera is also similar to that of T. bullifera, but it differs in that the latter is always single-branched. This species has been collected only on a few occasions, in spite of the extensive collecting work carried out throughout its range of distribution.

  • Floras and Monographs

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