Miconia appendiculata Triana

  • Family

    Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Miconia appendiculata Triana

  • Primary Citation

    Trans. Linn. Soc. London 28: 131. 1871

  • 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.

    Type: Holotype: Colombia, Triana 4059 (BM!).

    Description: Shrubs or trees (1-)4-10 m tall, the young branchlets, elevated leaf veins abaxially, inflorescences, and hypanthia sparsely to moderately covered with an early-deciduous amorpho-squamate or appressed furfuraceous indument. Leaves essentially sessile, 5-plinerved, elliptic to elliptic-obovate, (13.5-)19-35 X 5.5-15 cm, adaxially glabrous, abaxially glabrous on the actual surface, apex acuminate, base auriculate to cordulate, the margin entire to remotely undulate; petioles lacking or up to 2 cm long. Panicle 15-30(-35) cm long, the 5-merous flowers sessile and secund on the scorpioid ultimate branchlets, the persistent bracteoles subulate to narrowly triangular, 0.5-1(-1.5) mm long. Calyx tube 0.25 mm long, the broadly deltoid lobes 0.7-1 mm long, the inconspicuous exterior teeth 0.25 mm long and not projecting. Petals oblong-obovate, conspicuously papillose abaxially, 2.5-3.5 X 1-1.5 mm. Stamens somewhat unequal; anthers linear-oblong, alternately 2-2.5 and 2.5-3 mm long, white, the larger with a ventrally inclined pore, the smaller with a truncate or dorsally inclined pore; connective not prolonged but ventro-basally adnate to the thecae to form a bilobulate appendage. Style glabrous, 4 mm long, stigma unexpanded; ovary 3-locular, ca. 1/3 inferior, apex deciduously beset with stellulate and glandular hairs; berry 5-6 X 5-6 mm, purple-black at maturity. Seeds arcuate-ovoid to pyramidate, angulate and essentially smooth, 2.5-3 mm long.

    Habitat and Distribution: Local and uncommon, rain forest, river margins, savanna margins. 15-1300 m. Venezuela and Colombia south to Peru. COSTA RICA (Folsom 9215, CAS); NICARAGUA ( Neill & Vincelli 3548, CAS); PANAMA (Antonio 3819, CAS)

    Taxonomy and Systematics: The leaf blades of most Mesoamerican populations are sessile and auriculate to subcordate at the base but some Costa Rican populations (including those on Cocos Island) have petiolate leaves that are narrowly decurrent.

    Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]

  • Sorry, no descriptions available for this record.