Clidemia garciabarrigae Wurdack

  • Family

    Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Clidemia garciabarrigae Wurdack

  • 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 Garcia-Barriga 13116 (US!).

    Description: Terrestrial or epiphytic weakly branched shrub with pendent or arching branches 1-2 m long typically requiring the support of adjacent vegetation, the terete internodes covered with smooth, eglandular, spreading hairs (0.5-) 1-3 mm long like the inflorescence rachis and both foliar surfaces; the nodes ± swollen. Leaves of a pair dimorphic in size and shape; the larger blade at each node 6-10.2 x 2-5.4 cm, ovate-elliptic to ovate-oblong, apex abruptly acuminate, base broadly rounded to subcordate, margin entire, 5-nerved or -plinerved with the innermost pair of primaries diverging from the median vein 2-3 mm above the blade base; the smaller blade 1.7-4.4 x 1.5-3.6 cm, broadly ovate, apex short-apiculate, base cordate, margin entire, 3-5-nerved. Inflorescence a trifurcate raceme or occasionally a solitary raceme 3.5-5 cm long that is at first terminal but becomes pseudolateral with elongation of lateral branches; flowers 5-merous on pedicels 0.25-1 mm long; bracteoles elliptic to linear-oblong or somewhat obovate, tardily deciduous, 2-4 x 0.25-2.5 mm, glabrous adaxially, sparsely to moderately covered abaxially with smooth spreading hairs and a sparse ground layer of small glands. Hypanthia covered with smooth spreading hairs 0.5-1.5 mm long and a ground layer of scattered rusty-brown glandular hairs. Calyx lobes 0.5-0.8 x 0.75 mm, rounded triangular, somewhat hyaline and mostly obscured by the exterior teeth; calyx teeth, narrowly triangular, 1 x 0.75 mm. Petals glabrous, dark red but drying maroon-black, suborbicular, erect, connivent and concave adaxially at anthesis, 1.5 -2 x 1.5-2 mm. Filaments, 1-1.5 x 0.25 mm, anthers 0.5 x 0.5 mm, pale yellow apically but deep red toward the base, ± rounded apically with a ventrally inclined pore; connective crimson-maroon but drying purple-black, thickened and ± truncate ventrally at the base of the anther sac but not prolonged or appendaged. Ovary 3-locular, completely inferior, apex glabrous and 10-costate. Style straight, glabrous, 2-2.5 mm long; stigma truncate to ± rounded. Berry changing through green, red, blue, and ultimately black when ripe, 4-5 x 4-5 mm when dry. Seeds 1 mm long, tuberculate on the broader distal end.

    Habitat and Distribution: Local and uncommon in open areas in cloud forests and lake margins. 700-1300 m. Colombia and Ecuador. PANAMA (Almeda et al. 7504, CAS);

    Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]

  • Sorry, no descriptions available for this record.