Clidemia lanuginosa Almeda

  • Family

    Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Clidemia lanuginosa Almeda

  • 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: Panama, Almeda et al. 6070 (CAS!)

    Description: Little-branched subshrub 0.5-2 m tall, the terete upper internodes, petioles, and inflorescence rachis moderately covered with smooth spreading hairs 3-5 mm long with a dense understory of deciduous appressed somewhat woolly (often gland-tipped and crisped) hairs. Leaves of a pair equal to unequal in size, otherwise identical in all details and consistently bearing paired elongate inflated formicaria 2-5.5 cm long on the adaxial base of the blade; blades membranaceous and brittle when dry, 8.5-22 cm long and 5-12.5 cm wide, ovate to ovate-elliptic, apex acuminate, base broadly rounded, margin subentire to denticulate, 7-9-plinerved, the paired primary veins arising at successive points above the blade base with the inner-uppermost primaries diverging form the median vein 2-4.5 cm above the blade base, the adaxial surface moderately and uniformly covered with smooth spreading hairs 3-6 mm long, the primary and higher order veins on the abaxial surface beset with smooth spreading hairs 2-5 mm long and an understory of minute deciduous glandular hairs. Inflorescence a paniculiform dichasium 2-8 cm long that is at first terminal but then becomes pseudolateral with growth and elongation of lateral branches; bracteoles subulate to oblong-subulate 1-2 mm long (including terminal hair) and 0.25 mm wide, sparingly beset with minute glandular hairs on the abaxial surface. Flowers 4-5-merous on pedicels 0.5-1 mm long. Hypanthia (at anthesis) cylindric to cylindric-campanulate, sparsely covered with smooth spreading hairs 1-3 mm long and an understory of appressed glandular hairs. Calyx lobes semicircular to rounded-triangular, tardily deciduous, 0.25 x 0.5-0.75 mm, hyaline, deciduously glandular-puberulent abaxially and glandular-ciliolate at the margins; calyx teeth subulate, 0.5-4 mm (excluding apical hair), sparingly beset with smooth spreading hairs 2 mm long and an understory of minute glandular hairs. Petals glabrous, white or pink, oblong to oblong-obovate, 2-4 x 1 mm. Filaments glabrous, 1.75-2 mm long; anthers 1.75-2 mm long, 0.2 mm wide, yellow, subulate with a dorsally inclined pore; connective thickened dorsally but not prolonged below the thecae and unappendaged. Ovary (3-) 4 (-5)-locular, completely inferior; apex elevated into a short cone (0.25 mm) and vaguely lobulate collar at anthesis that disappears on mature fruits. Berry blue at maturity, 2.5-3 x 2.5-4 mm. Seeds 0.5 mm long, the convex face somewhat angular with a densely tuberculate testa.

    Habitat and Distribution: Local and uncommon, often in deep shade in cloud forests and rain forests. 300-1450 m. COSTA RICA (Gallardo 88, INB); PANAMA (Correa et al. 9854, PMA) (Endemic).

    Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]

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