Miconia prasina ( Swartz 1788: 69 ) Candolle (1828: 188)

Silva-Gonçalves, Kelly Cristina Da, Baumgratz, José Fernando A. & Nunes-Freitas, André Felippe, 2014, Melastomataceae in a continental Atlantic Forest island from southeastern Brazil, Phytotaxa 183 (2), pp. 61-92 : 79

5.9. Miconia prasina ( Swartz 1788: 69) Candolle (1828: 188) . [ Figs. 3n , 8n–q ]

Treelets or trees, 2–7 m; indumentum of the branches, leaves, inflorescences, hypanthium and calyx furfuraceousstellulate, the trichomes caducous. Petioles 0.5–1.3 cm long; blade 10.9–26 × 4–8.7 cm, green, concolour to subconcolour, membranaceous to papiraceous, elliptic, base acute-decurrent or obtuse-cuneate, apex acuminate to acute, margin crenulate, abaxial surface early-glabrescent; acrodromous veins 5, the inner pair 15–44 mm suprabasal. Thyrsoids 9.9–19.9 cm long, no branchlets of glomerules; bracts ca. 1 × 0.5–0.8 mm, bracteoles 0.7–0.9 × 0.2–0.4 mm, both concave, oblong-triangular, apex acute, persistent. Flowers 5-merous, pedicelate; hypanthium 1.5–2.1 × 1.2–1.9 mm, campanulate; inner torus glabrous; calyx persistent, lobes 0.6–0.9 × 0.8–1 mm, triangular; petals 2–2.5 × 1–1.6 mm, white, asymmetric, ovate, apex obtuse to rounded, sometimes emarginate; stamens isomorphic, subequal in size; filaments 3–4 mm long; anthers 2.8–3 mm long, white, pore terminal, connective slightly prolonged, appendage bilobed, with lateral and ventral lobes, or 3-lobed, with an additional dorsal calcar; ovary 0.8–1.3 × 1–1.5 mm, inferior, 3-celled, puberulous; style 5.8–6.5 mm, glabrous. Bacidium 3–4 × 3.2–4.2 mm, subglobose, puberulous, polyspermous (50–80 seeds); seeds 0.7–1 × 0.4–0.9 mm, narrowly obtriangular.

Specimens examined:— 17.XII.1997, fr., R. Facre 5 (RBR) ; 13.V.1998, fl., R. Couto s.n. (RB 378276, RBR 10258) ; 28.XII.1998, fr., L.F.T. Menezes & M.C. Souza s.n. (RBR 10260) ; 29.V.1999, fr., L.F.T. Menezes et al. 291 (RBR) ; 16.II.2000, fl., fr., R.H.P. Lima 348 (RBR) ; 15.IV.2000, fl., M. Conde 481 (RB, RBR) ; 3.VIII.2002, fr., Adriano & G.M. Siqueira 69 (RBR) ; 7.IV.2007, fl., K.C. Silva 2, 5 (RB, RBR) ; 7.VII.2007, fr., K.C. Silva 17 (RB, RBR) ; 12–13.X.2007, fr., K.C. Silva 20 (RB, RBR) ; 9.I.2010, fl., K.C. Silva 63 (RBR) .

Distribution:—This species has a wide distribution, occurring from southern Mexico, Central America and the West Indies to Paraguay. In Brazil, it is found in almost all states, usually in open areas (Goldenberg 2009, 2012).

Comments:—In Marambaia, M. prasina occurs in Restinga Forest and Dense Submontane Ombrophilous Forest, and it is a great source of food for the local fauna. This species can also be identified by the adult green concolored to subconcolored leaves, the distinctly suprabasal acrodromous venation, and the bilobed connective with latero-ventral lobes, or 3-lobate, due to the presence of a dorsal appendage. Aditional illustrations in Baumgratz et al. (2006).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Clidemia hirta (L.) D.Don: a. flower and fruit. Clidemia urceolata: b. flower. Huberia ovalifolia: c. flower; d. fruits. Leandra reversa: e. inflorescence. Marcetia taxifolia: f. flowers. Miconia albicans: g. fruits and floral buds. Miconia calvescens: h. flowers. Miconia chartacea: i. leaves. Miconia cinnamomifolia: j. branches with interpetiolar pseudo-stipules; k. fruits. Miconia cubatanensis: l. inflorescence. Miconia dodecandra: m. fruits. Miconia prasina: n. inflorescence. Miconia pusilliflora: o. inflorescence. Ossaea marginata: p. flowers; q. fruit. Tibouchina corymbosa: r. fruits. Tibouchina estrellensis: s. flower. Tibouchina gaudichaudiana: t. flower; u. fruit. Tibouchina granulosa: v. flower. Tibouchina heteromalla: x. flower. Tibouchina trichopoda: z. flower.

FIGURE 8. Miconia dodecandra: a. flower; b. petal; c–d. stamens; e. bracteole; f. calyx (a–d., f. Silva 7; e. Silva 14). Miconia lepidota: g. floriferous branch; h. leaf: abaxial surface; i. flower (g–h. Luchiari et al. 722; i. Farias et al. 197). Miconia pusilliflora: j. leaf: abaxial surface; k. hypanthium; l. calyx; m. stamen (Silva & Gonçalves 101). Miconia prasina: n–o. leaf: abaxial and adaxial surfaces, respectively; p. flower; q. fruit (Kurtz 167).