Conostegia setifera Standl.

Kriebel, Ricardo, 2016, A Monograph of Conostegia (Melastomataceae, Miconieae), PhytoKeys 67, pp. 1-326 : 100-104

Conostegia setifera Standl. Fig. 105

Conostegia setifera Standl., Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Bot. ser. 18: 805. 1938. Type: Costa Rica. Alajuela: Camino de la Finca Johanson, Los Angeles de San Ramón, 15 March 1928, A. Brenes 6041 (holotype: F!, isotypes: CR!, NY!).

Description.

Trees 4-12 m tall with tetragonal and ridged stems that are sparsely to densely setose with stramineous hairs 2-5 mm long, with or sometimes replaced by a dense but inconspicuous puberulent understory; the nodal line present and bearing coarse setae. Leaves of a pair equal to somewhat unequal in length. Petiole 1.8-7.8 cm. Leaf blades 8-27 × 4-13.5 cm, 3-5 plinerved, with the innermost pair of veins arising 0.5-2 cm above the base in opposite to mostly alternate fashion, elliptic to obovate, the base acute or obtuse, the apex acute to obtuse or rounded, the margin denticulate and often ciliate, the adaxial surface glabrous, the abaxial surface glabrous except for some pubescence on the nerves. Inflorescence a terminal panicle 4-17.3 cm long with flowers frequently congested at the end of small branches, branching above the base, accessory branches present, the rachis covered mostly with stellate trichomes, bracts to 3 cm long, linear or setulose, deciduous or if setulose persistent, bracteoles replaced by clusters of setae subtending the buds, the setae persistent. Pedicels to 3 mm. Flowers 7-9 merous, calyptrate. Floral buds 6-10 × 6-10.5 mm, globose, the base rounded to truncate, the apex rounded and short-mucronate, not constricted, hypanthium 4.5-5 × 6-8 mm, stellate pubescent and tuberculate. Petals 8-11 × 8-11 mm, white, obovoid, spreading, apically emarginate, glabrous. Stamens 26-31, 6-8 mm long, radial to slightly bilateral resulting from stamens getting stuck below the stigma, the filaments 3.5-4.5 mm long, white, anthers 2.5-3.5 × ca. 1 mm, elliptic, the base sagittate, laterally compressed, yellow, the pore ca. 0.15 mm wide, terminal. Ovary 13-18 locular, inferior, apically glabrous and forming a collar around the style. Style ca. 5 mm long, bending downwards during anthesis and protruding below the anthers, vertical distance frome the anthers to the stigma ca. -2 - 0 mm, horizontal distance ca. 0.5-2 mm; stigma capitate, consisting of 13-18 laterally compressed lobes, ca. 4 mm wide. Berry 10-12 × 10-12 mm, purple black. Seeds ellipsoid, the testa smooth.

Distribution

(Fig. 106 ). Ranging from Nicaragua to Costa Rica, 0-1350 m elevation.

Conostegia setifera is distinguished by its setose petiole adaxial surface, setose bracteoles and sessile to subsessile, spherical flower buds. Specimens of Conostegia setifera have been confused with Conostegia lasiopoda based on the setose indument on the petioles. One way to differentiate them with infertile material is that Conostegia lasiopoda is consistently basinerved whereas Conostegia setifera is plinerved. With fertile material they are unmistakable since Conostegia lasiopoda has a long exserted style with a capitate stigma whereas Conostegia setifera has a large crateriform lobed stigma, and its style is not exserted. This species was reported from Panama from the specimen Mori et al. 3850 (at MO and reportedly at WIS) in both Schnell (1996) and Almeda (2009) but this specimen was also cited as Conostegia dentata in both of the latter publications. I have not been able to locate the specimen Mori et al. 3850 to confirm its identification. This species is usually encountered in the forest understory and Schnell (1996) noted that within this habitat, only well lit branches produce flowers.

Specimens examined.

NICARAGUA (fide Schnell). Río San Juan: near Caño Chontaleño, 20 km NE of El Castillo, Neil and Vincelli 3519 (MO); 1 km E de Río Sábalos, Moreno 23190 (MO); boca del Sábalo, camino a Buena Vista, Moreno 25625 (MO).

COSTA RICA. Alajuela: Los Angeles de San Ramón, Brenes 13582 (CR, NY); Cataratas de San Ramón, Brenes 13652 (CR, NY); Eastern slopes of Volcán Miravalles west of Bijagua near the Río Zapote, Burger et al. 11709 (CR, NY); Guatuso, P. N. Volcán Tenorio, Cuenca del Río Frío, El Pilón, Chaves and Muñoz 436 (CR, INB, NY); San Ramón, Villa Blanca, González 680 (INB, NY); N side of Volcan Arenal, Lent et al. 3311 (NY); along trail from macadamia village SE around base of Cerro Chato to Catarata de Fortuna, Smith 10900 (CR, NY). Heredia: Finca La Selva, the OTS Field Station on the Río Puerto Viejo just E of its junction with the Río Sarapiquí, Holdridge trail 1800 m line, Folsom 9139 (MO, NY); along Río Peje about. 5 km SW of back end of Vargas property, aprox. in the area where an imaginary line drawn between Magsasay (colonia penal) and Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí would cross the Río Peje, Hammel 11216 (MO, NY). Limón: Reserva Biológica Hitoy Cerere, rainforest along the sloping banks of Río Cerere from the Reserve Station to the big waterfall, Almeda et al. 6841 (CR, MO, NY); Hacienda Tapezco-Hda. La Suerte 29 air km W of Tortuguero, Davidson 6968 (NY). San José: Sendero La Montura, entre Estación Quebrada González y Estación Zurquí, Rodríguez et al., 5799 (INB, NY).

Figures

Figure 105. Conostegia setifera. A Inflorescence B Lenticellate node C Flower at anthesis. Photos by E. Salicetti.

Figure 106. Distribution of Conostegia setifera.