Miconia alainii Judd & Skean

Description

Description Author and Date: Walter S. Judd, 2010, based on Judd, W. S. (2007). Revision of Miconia sect. Chaenopleura (Melastomataceae) in the Greater Antilles. Systematic Botany Monographs 81:1-235.

Type: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Prov. Barahona: Sierra de Baoruco, Caña Brava, Monteada Nueva, 1300 m, young fr, 24 Apr 1976, A. H. Liogier 25179 (holotype: JBSD!).

Description: Shrub to 3 m tall. Indumentum of darkly ferrugineous, stellate- or irregularly branched to globular-stellate or elongate short-branched hairs, and minute globular hairs. Young twigs not ridged, ± rectangular in cross-section, becoming terete with age, the indumentum dense, darkly ferrugineous, elongate short-branched to globular-stellate hairs, these ± persistent; internodes 2-10 (-15) cm long. Leaves with petiole 2.9-7.5 cm long, the indumentum same as that of twigs; blade ovate, 8.5-16 cm long, 5.2-10.5 cm wide, ovate, flat, coriaceous, the apex acuminate, the base cordate, the margin plane, entire to sparsely and very shallowly dentate distally, 0-70% of margin entire, the largest teeth 0.1-1.4 mm long; venation acrodromous, slightly suprabasal, with prominent midvein and 6 secondary veins, with 4 conspicuous secondary veins, the inner pair placed ca 10-23 mm in from margin and the outer pair placed 2-5 mm in from margin, and 2 inconspicuous secondary veins closer to margin, and numerous percurrent tertiary veins, oriented subperpendicular to midvein, joined by percurrent-orthogonal quaternary veins; adaxial surface green, the indumentum initially dense globular-stellate, but quickly glabrescent, the midvein and major secondary veins slightly impressed, other veins ± flat, the surface appearing only very slightly wrinkled after drying, with sparse druse crystals; abaxial surface light green, sparsely to moderately ferrugineous, globular-stellate to elongate short-branched hairs to 0.1-0.25 mm across, along with minute globular hairs, on midvein and major secondary veins, such hairs very sparse to sparse on minor secondary, tertiary, and higher order veins, the hairs ± persistent and epidermis clearly visible, the midvein the major secondary veins prominently raised, minor secondary, tertiary, and quaternary veins raised, higher order veins slightly raised to flat. Inflorescences many-flowered, open-paniculate cymes of 4 or 5 major branch pairs, ca 6.5 cm long, 4 cm across; proximal segment of lowermost inflorescence branches 1-1.2 cm long, distal internodes of inflorescence branches increasingly shorter, ultimate branches 1-9 mm long, moderate ferrugineous, globular-stellate hairs, and minute globular hairs; peduncle ca 1.7 cm long, with similar indumentum; each inflorescence branch associated with early caducous, ovate bract, ca 1.5-4 mm long, 0.5-1 mm wide, the apices acute; flowers in dichasia, each subtended by 2 caducous bracteoles [not seen]. Flowers sessile or nearly so, the pedicel 0-1 mm long. Hypanthium cylindrical, free portion ca 0.6-0.8 mm long, the outer surface with sparse to moderate, ferrugineous, globular-stellate hairs and a few minute globular hairs, the inner surface glabrous and obscurely 10-ridged, the apices of the ridges slightly projecting. External calyx lobes 5, 0.7-0.9 mm long, 1.5-1.7 mm wide, triangular, with acute apex, indumentum of moderate stellate-globular hairs; internal calyx lobes 5, 0.5-0.7 mm long, 1.5-1.7 mm wide, broadly triangular, with very sparse stellate-globular hairs, with acute to rounded apex, the margin entire; calyx tube 0.3-0.4 mm. Petals 5, not seen; stamens 10, not seen. Ovary 3-loculate, 2/3-inferior (immature), ca 2.8 mm long, ca 2.4 mm in diameter, globose to ovoid, glabrous and ridged, with fluted apical projection to 0.5 mm encircling the base of style; style not seen. Berries [immature] ca 3.5 mm in diameter, globose, green with red tinge [probably blue and slightly larger at maturity], with sparse to moderate stellate-globular and minute globular hairs. Seeds 0.7-1 mm long, angular-obovoid; testa smooth. Fig. 89.

Habitat and Distribution: Hispaniola (Dominican Republic), the easternmost peak of the Sierra de Baoruco, a location usually referred to as “Monteada Nueva” in reference to a nearby coffee finca, but the region actually occupies the summit of Loma Trocha de Pey, at ca 18° 7.5’N, 71° 13.5’W (see Judd & Skean 1994b; Judd et al. 1995); cloud forest; 1300-1400 m (near the summit). Associated melastomes include Calycogonium sp., Clidemia umbellata, Henriettea barkeri, Leandra lima, L. limoides, Mecranium ovatum, M. howardiana, M. mirabilis, M. subcompressa, M. tetrastoma, and Sagraea gracilis (see also Judd & Skean 1994b; García et al. 2001).

Phenology: Unknown.

Taxonomy and Systematics: The phylogenetic relationships of Miconia alainii are unknown, and even its placement within Miconia sect. Chaenopleura is uncertain, because the species is known only from the type (a collection with immature berries) and an additional sterile gathering. Therefore, most floral characters, including the taxonomically important features relating to the stamens, are unknown. Vegetatively, M. alainii is most similar to M. adenocalyx, M. favosa, M. xenotricha, and M. howardiana (see Judd & Skean 1994b for detailed comparisons). Miconia alainii is readily distinguished from these, all other members of Miconia sect. Chaenopleura occurring in the Greater Antilles (Judd & Skean 1994b; see also key). It is distinctive in having the spongy mesophyll of its leaf blades strongly lignified, a condition elsewhere seen only in M. rigida, a species that is quite different morphologically.

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Miconia alainii: Botanical line drawing. (image/jpeg)