Conostegia vulcanicola Donn. Sm.

Kriebel, Ricardo, 2016, A Monograph of Conostegia (Melastomataceae, Miconieae), PhytoKeys 67, pp. 1-326 : 115-117

Conostegia vulcanicola Donn. Sm.

Conostegia vulcanicola Donn. Sm., Bot. Gaz. 42: 294. 1906. Type: Costa Rica. Forets de l’Achiote, volcán de Poás, 2200 m, November 1896, Tonduz 10840 (lectotype: NY!, designated here; isolectotypes: BR[2]!, US!). Other syntypes: Costa Rica. Forets de l’Achiote, volcán de Póas, 2100 m elevation, A. Tonduz 10836 (BR, M, US [ Schnell (1996) notes that "this number is mixed with Miconia tonduzii Cogn. at BR and US; at CR it includes no Conostegia material]), 10840 (BR [2], NY, US)".

Description.

Shrubs or small trees 3 to 5 m tall with flattened stems that become terete with age and are densely puberulent with sessile stellate trichomes; the nodal line present yet slight. Leaves of a pair equal to somewhat unequal in length. Petioles 1-3.8 cm. Leaf blades 5-15 × 2-7.1 cm, 5-plinerved, with the innermost pair of primary veins diverging from ca. 1 cm from the blade base the midvein in opposite to subopposite fashion, elliptic-ovate to elliptic, the base acute, the apex acute to acuminate,the margin entire or ciliate, the adaxial and abaxial foliar surfaces covered with small stellate hairs. Inflorescence a terminal panicle 3-10 cm, accessory branches apparently absent, the rachis with small stellate hairs, linear, the bracteoles to 3 mm, deciduous. Pedicel 5-20 mm. Flowers 5-6 merous, calyptrate. Floral buds 4-7 × 2-3.5 mm, oblong-pyriform, the base rounded, the apex acute to short apiculate, slightly constricted below the calyptra. Petals 5-7 mm long, white or pinkish, broadly obovate, spreading, glabrous. Stamens 10-12 (-13), 4-5 mm long, possibly slightly bilateral, the filaments ca. 2.5 mm, white, anthers ca. 2 mm long, linear oblong, yellow, the pore ca. 0.2 mm, terminal. Ovary 4-5-locular, inferior, apically glabrous and forming a low collar around the style. Style 3-5 mm, bending below the stigma, apparently no vertical or horizontal distance between the anthers and the stigma, truncate or subcapitate. Berries 5-7 × 5-7 mm, purple-black. Seeds ca. 0.7 mm long, obliquely pyramidal, the testa smooth.

Distribution

(Fig. 113 ). Costa Rica and reported from Panama by Schnell (1996), 1550-2400 m in elevation.

Considering the lengthy discussions provided by Schnell (1996) in problematic species, it is interesting he did not discuss anything under Conostegia vulcanicola , although he did mention that Conostegia micrantha and Conostegia vulcanicola were probably derived from Conostegia montana . I have gone to several volcanoes in Costa Rica looking for Conostegia vulcanicola and I found populations that resemble the type specimen except mostly for the reddish hairs on the newest vegetative growth. In general, these specimens also resemble and I have annotated as Conostegia montana . The isolectotype of Conostegia vulcanicola was previously identified as Conostegia montana apparently by A. Tonduz and another specimen identified by H. A. Gleason as Conostegia montana was annotated as Conostegia vulcanicola by Schnell. The main differences between the two taxa at this time are the indument mentioned above as well as leaf venation. Conostegia vulcanicola tends to have plinerved leaves whereas Conostegia montana lack the reddish indument and usually has nerved leaves. Further investigation into this species complex is needed.

Specimens examined.

COSTA RICA. Alajuela: Palmira, Alfaro Ruiz, Smith 1038 (NY).

Figures

Figure 113. Distribution of Conostegia vulcanicola.