Conostegia ortizae Kriebel, 2016

Kriebel, Ricardo, 2016, A Monograph of Conostegia (Melastomataceae, Miconieae), PhytoKeys 67, pp. 1-326 : 136

Conostegia ortizae Kriebel sp. nov. Fig. 127

Type.

Ecuador. Napo: Estación Biológica Jatun Sacha, Sendero Río Napo, 14 November 2005, D. Penneys 1857 (holotype NY!; isotype: FLAS, MO) .

Description.

Shrubs or small trees to 3-6 m tall with flattened and grooved stems that are covered with an orangish mixture of long and shorter-branching stellate trichomes, the long branching ones graceful and sessile, sometimes also becoming dendritic; the nodal line present yet slight. Leaves at a node equal to subequal in size. Petiole 0-1.5 cm, grooved above, usually entirely covered by the decurrent leaf base. Leaf blades 17-37 × 8-15 cm, 3-5 plinerved, with the innermost pair of veins diverging above the base in fashion, broadly elliptic to obovate, decurrent at the base, the apex long-caudate up to 3.5 cm long, margins entire to undulate-denticulate, glabrous adaxially, abaxially with indument like that of the stem. Inflorescence a terminal panicle 4-13 cm long with accessory branches; bracteoles 2-3 mm long, linear, tending to persist. Pedicels 1-2 mm. The hypanthium 3-4 × 4.5-5 mm, pubescent with long-and shorter-branching stellate trichomes. Flowers 6-8 merous, calyptrate; floral buds 7-11.5 mm, not constricted below the calyptra. Petals 10.5-12 × 8.25-8.75 mm, white, obtriangular, spreading, glabrous on both surfaces. Stamens (26-)34-52, slightly zygomorphic, the filament 4-4.5 mm, white, anthers 3.5-4 × 0.5-0.75 mm, linear subulate, pale yellow, the pore ca. 0.15 mm, slightly ventrally inclined. Ovary 12-13 locular, inferior; style ca. 11-12 mm long mm, straight but gently bending from the base, glabrous, distance from the anther to the stigma ca. 3.5-4 mm, stigma subcapitate, 1.4-1.7 mm wide. Mature berry ca. 8-9 × 8-9 mm when dry.

Distribution

(Fig. 128 ). Northeastern foothills of the Ecuatorian Andes with one more southern population in Ecuador, at 250-1250 m in elevation.

Conostegia ortizae can be easily recognized by its large sessile leaves with an evidently decurrent leaf base and strongly plinerved venation. Of the species for which the anatomy of the style has been studied, this is the only one in section Australis to have a stele within the style.

Etymology.

This species is dedicated to the Ecuadorian biologist Patricia Ortiz who tragically passed away in her second home of Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Pati was one of the best and most passionate naturalists I have had the fortune to meet.

Specimens examined.

ECUADOR. Napo: Cantón Archidona, North bank Río Suno, 15 km NW of Loreto, 8 km W of El Progreso, Neill et al. 9153 (MO, NY); Estación Biológica Jatun Sacha, Rio Napo 8 km al E de Misahualli , Palacios 2510 (MO, NY); Archidona, Parque Nacional Galeras, a 1.5 km de la comunidad Santa Rosa de Arapino , faldas cordillera de Galeras, Bloque 19 línea sísmica 28, Compania Triton, Vargas and Grefa 943 (MO, NY) . Santiago-Zamora: Taisha, Rio Guaguayme , Cazalet and Pennington 7545 (NY) .

Figures

Figure 127. Conostegia ortizae. A Fertile branch B Abaxial surface of leaf showing decurrent base C Close up of the frontal view of the flower D Close up of the lateral view of the flower. Note exserted style E Longitudinal section of a flower bud F Pickled flower at anthesis G Longitudinal section of a flower at anthesis with the style removed H Petal I Stamen J Style. Photographs taken by Darin Penneys and vouchered D. Penneys 1857.

Figure 128. Distribution of Conostegia ortizae.