Tococa raggiana (Wurdack) Michelang.

Authority

Michelangeli, Fabián A. 2005. (Melastomataceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 98: 1-114. (Published by NYBG Press)

Family

Melastomataceae

Scientific Name

Tococa raggiana Michelang.

Type

Type. Venezuela. Amazonas: Cerro Yutajé, Río Mana-piare, occasional on rocky slopes and cliffs below summit, alt. 2000-2100 m; 17-19 Feb 1953, Maguire, B. 35309 (holotype NY; isotypes F, K, U, US, VEN). Non Tococa occidentalis Naudin.

Synonyms

Tococa bolivarensis subsp. occidentalis Wurdack

Description

Species Description - Subprostrate to procumbent shrub, to 1.0-1.5 m tall, the branches up to 2.5 m long, with adventitious roots, 1-7 cm long, developing on the portions closer to the ground; stems and nodes glabrous. Leaves isophyllous, elliptic to ovate, 1.5-7 X 1.0-3.2 cm, apex broadly acute to obtuse, base acute to obtuse, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface sparsely hirsute, hirsute on the primary and secondary veins, light green, 3(-5)-nervate, the tertiary veins not evident, coriaceous, entire, addressed ciliate, sometimes revolute; petioles 0.3-1.0 cm long, glabrous; domatia absent. Inflorescence a terminal cyme of 2-4 flowers, 1-3 cm long, the axis dark red to magenta, terete. Flowers on pedicels 1-3 mm long, flared at the apex, subtended by persistent until anthesis bracts, elliptic, glandular-setulose, 0.7-1.3 X 0.3 mm; hypanthium globose, with the base as wide as the pedicel, 4.4-5.0 mm long, glabrous; outer calyx teeth reduced and inconspicuous, sometimes with a short apical glandular seta or a sessile gland, sparsely glandular pubescent, 0.2 mm long, inner calyx teeth deltoid, fused at the base, 1.0-1.5 mm long; the ring inside the torus glabrous; petals 5, obovate, 6.5-11 X 5.0-6.5 mm, base attenuate, apex emarginate, slightly pruinose, glabrous, red to dark pink; stamens all the same size; filaments 5-6 mm long, glabrous; anthers yellow; the connective with a dorsal-basal blunt tooth; thecae 5 mm long, opening by a slightly ventrally inclined pore; ovary 3-locular, 1/3 inferior, the superior portion terete, the apex truncate; style glabrous, 12-14 mm long; stigma truncate. Fruits globose, 4.5-6 mm long, black, glabrous, with the calyx persistent and slightly reflexed; seeds not evident through the pericarp, truncate-obovate, 0.4-0.5 mm long, without capitate trichomes in the raphal area, without sculpturing, anticlinal walls straight, periclinal walls flat, boundaries between periclinal walls flat.

Discussion

Tococa raggiana is segregated from T. bolivarensis because their distributions are allopatric and the character combinations on both taxa are unique, which allows for an easy differentiation between them. Tococa raggiana was originally described by Wurdack (1961) as T. bolivarensis subsp. occidentalis, because although vegetatively distinguishable from the typical form of T. bolivarensis, its flowers and fruits are very similar. Tococa raggiana can be differentiated from T. bolivarensis by its glabrous stems, adaxial leaf surfaces, and hypanthia. Additionally, T. raggiana leaf margins, although ciliate, have adpressed caducous trichomes; thus, the ciliate condition is not always evident. A recent morphological analysis of the entire genus Tococa (Michelangeli, 2000a) did not resolve them as sister taxa. All of the collections examined, as well as populations observed in the field, exhibit a great degree of variation in leaf size and shape, although species growing at higher elevations tend to have smaller leaves.

Distribution

W Bolívar state and Amazonas state in S Venezuela, endemic but common in montane forests and tepui scrub vegetation at summits from 1700-2200 m.

Amazonas Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America|