Clidemia pittieri Gleason
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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, Pittier 3177 (US!).
Description: Shrub to 2.5 m tall or small tree reportedly 8 m tall, with terete upper internodes, essentially glabrous throughout. Leaves of a pair markedly dimorphic in size, sessile, apex acuminate, base cordate-clasping, margin entire; the larger blade ovate-lanceolate to oblong-ovate, 5-nerved, 7.3-15.5 x 2.6-6.6 cm; smaller blade ovate to cordate, 3-5-nerved, 1-6.6 x 0.7-3.8 cm. Inflorescence a laxly branched few-flowered pseudolateral dichasium 2-6 cm long that is short pedunculate or branched at or near the base; flowers 5-6-merous on pedicels 1-2 mm long, the persistent elliptic to oblong or narrowly oblong-obovate bracts and bracteoles 0.75-2 x 0.1-0.75 mm. Hypanthia sparingly beset with minute glands when young but commonly glabrous or nearly so in fruit. Calyx lobes 0.6-0.75 x 1.5 mm, broadly depressed triangular to rounded-undulate; exterior calyx teeth broadly triangular, 0.5 x 0.75 mm and barely exceeding the calyx lobes. Petals glabrous, pink, broadly obovate to subrotund, 3-4 x 3-4 mm. Filaments 1.25-2 mm long; anthers 1 mm long, yellow with two truncate to somewhat dorsally inclined pores; connective somewhat irregularly thickened into a dorsal ridge but neither prolonged nor appendaged dorso-basally. Ovary 5-6-locular, completely inferior, apex glabrous, ± flat or commonly with five or six low callose thickenings surrounding the stylar scar; berry 2.5-3 x 2.5-3 mm when dry. Seeds 0.5 mm long, the testa ± angulate and smooth.
Habitat and Distribution: Rare in cloud forests. 1500-2000 m. PANAMA (Hammel 7513, CAS). (Endemic).
Taxonomy and Systematics: This local little-collected species has sometimes been confused with C. gracilis which also has dimorphic leaves at each node and a laxly branched pseudolateral dichasial inflorescence. This latter species, however, has compressed two-edged uppermost internodes, 4-merous flowers, caducously stellulate puberulent hypanthia, and white, minutely farinose petals.
Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]
- Sorry, no descriptions available for this record.
