Miconia emendata Wurdack

  • Family

    Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Miconia emendata Wurdack

  • Primary Citation

    Phytologia

  • 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: Peru, Tessmann 5238 (S).

    Description: Tree 3-4.5 m tall, the uppermost cauline internodes rounded-quadrate to rounded-quadrisulcate, moderately furfuraceous like the petioles, primary leaf veins on the abaxial surface, and inflorescence rachis. Leaves of a pair ± equal to somewhat unequal in size; blades 3-plinerved with the innermost pair of primary veins diverging from the midvein 0.6-1.5 mm above the blade base, elliptic, 6-20 x 2-7 cm, apex caudate-acuminate, base acute, the margin obscurely undulate to undulate-serrulate; petioles 0.4-2 cm long. Inflorescence a few-flowered paniculiform dichasium 4-6 cm long; flowers 5-merous on pedicels 0.25 mm long at anthesis becoming ± sessile in fruit, the lateral flowers of each simple dichasium borne on peduncles (pseudopedicels) 2-3.5 mm long; the deciduous bracteoles linear to linear-subulate, 0.4-0.75 x 0.1 mm. Hypanthia moderately to sparsely covered with a deciduous minute branlike indument. Calyx and calyx tube forming an erect undulate-truncate flange, the tube ca. 0.3 mm long and the ill-defined lobes ca. 0.2 mm long, the exterior calyx teeth not evident in Panamanian population. Petals white, papillose-granulose abaxially as well as distally on the adaxial surface, obovate-oblong, 2 x 1 mm. Anthers alternately somewhat unequal in length, 2 mm or 1.5 mm long, white but often drying yellow, linear-oblong to linear-subulate with a somewhat dorsally inclined pore; connective thickened dorsally and prolonged dorso-basally into a deflexed rounded appendage 0.25 mm or 0.1 mm long. Style glabrous, 4.5-5.5 mm long; stigma ± truncate; ovary 3-locular, 2/3 inferior, the apex elevated into a low collar (0.3 mm long) at anthesis that flattens out into a shallow deciduously furfuraceous crateriform depression in fruit; berry bluntly 10-costate and 3 x 4-5 mm when dry. Seeds triangular-angulate, the testa smooth, 0.75-1 mm long.

    Habitat and Distribution: Local in primary rain forest and cloud forest. 1100-1600 m. Colombia, Peru, and northern Brazil. PANAMA (Almeda & McPherson 5996, CAS).

    Taxonomy and Systematics: In the flora area, M. emendata is known only from the southern Serranía de Pirre in Darién, Panama. South American populations of this species appear to have calyx teeth that are well-defined and filaments, anther thecae, and styles that are typically about 1 mm longer than those from Panama. Study of a much larger assemblage of collections is needed to determine the significance (if any) of these differences. South American populations of M. emendata also appear to occur at lower elevations (100-1100 m).

    Notes: [Description based only on Mesoamerican specimens.]

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