Ossaea macrophylla (Benth.) Cogn.

  • 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.

    Description: Shrub or small tree 2-6(-10) m, the young branchlets, petioles, primary leaf veins abaxially and juvenile inflorescences densely covered with a cobwebby mat of simple, brown hairs. Leaves 16-40 X 9-18 cm, elliptic to oblong-elliptic, 5-nerved, base acute, apex short-acuminate, the margin subentire to denticulate, glabrous adaxially, sparsely arachnoid-puberulent on the secondary and tertiary veins abaxially but glabrous on actual surface. Inflorescences 5-9 cm long, typically branched at or near the base; flowers 5-merous, subsessile or on pedicels 0.25-0.5 mm long, the deciduous linear-oblong bracteoles 1-3 mm long. Hypanthium moderately to densely brown-furfuraceous; calyx ca 0.25-0.5 mm long, vaguely undulate, the external teeth (on fruiting hypanthia) tuberculiform, 0.25-0.5 mm long or obsolete. Petals lanceolate, 2.5-4 X 1-1.5 mm, essentially glabrous but typically with a thinly appressed-puberulent, median line on the abaxial side. Filaments 1.5 mm long; anther thecae 0.75-1 mm long with a dorsally inclined pore; connective prolongation and dorso-basal gland-edged tooth collectively 0.75-1 mm long. Ovary 4-5-celled, 2/3 inferior; berry 10-costate.

    Habitat and Distribution: Rainforest, swampy areas, light gaps. 0-1,400 m. (Colombia, Ecuador.) NICARAGUA (Martinez 2161, CAS); COSTA RICA (Zamora 1251, CAS); PANAMA (McPherson 11382, CAS).

    Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]

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