Conostegia pyxidata Proctor, 1967

Kriebel, Ricardo, 2016, A Monograph of Conostegia (Melastomataceae, Miconieae), PhytoKeys 67, pp. 1-326 : 92-94

Conostegia pyxidata Proctor

Conostegia pyxidata Proctor, Bull. Inst. Jam. Sci. Series 16: 38. Pl. 15, p. 39. 1967. Type: Jamaica. Portland Parish: East slope of John Crow Mts, 1.5-2.5 miles southwest of Ecclesdown, 1500-2500 ft, 11 August 1956, G. R. Proctor 10468 (lectotype: NY!, designated here; isolectotypes: IJ, LIL!).

Conostegia subprocera Proctor, Bull. Inst. Jam. Sci. ser. 16: 38. Pl. 16, p.40. 1967. Type: Jamaica. Portland Parish: east slope of John Crow Mts, c. 1-1.5 miles southwest of Ecclesdown, 1500 ft., 6 August 1954, G. R. Proctor 9229 (holotype: IJ).

Description.

Shrubs to small trees 1-5 m tall with subtetragonal stems that become terete and that are densely beset with simple roughened to dendritic trichomes near the tips, a small layer of inconspicuous underdeveloped dendritic trichomes also present, glabrescent to glabrous with age; the nodal line present, covered or not by indument on young branches. Leaves of a pair equal to somewhat unequal in length. Petiole 0.5-3.5 cm, adaxially pubescent like the stem apices. Leaf blade 4-13 × 2-5 cm, 3-nerved, oblong, linear to elliptic or ovate to obovate, the base acute to rounded, the apex rounded to acute or acuminate, the margin entire, the adaxial surface glabrous, the abaxial surface essentially glabrous, sometimes with short stipitate and sessile stellate trichomes on the mid vein and some secondary veins and inconspicuously glandular puncticulate throughout. Inflorescence a terminal panicle 3-8.5 cm long branched above the base, accessory branches apparently absent, bracts and bracteoles 0.5-2 mm, subulate, deciduous. Pedicel 7-13 mm. Flowers 5-7 merous, calyptrate. Floral buds 11-20 mm long, ovoid, the base obtuse to rounded, the apex acute and mucronate, not constricted, the hypanthium 6-7 × 6-7 mm, smooth and glabrous. Petals 6-17 mm long, white. Stamens 11-18, 6-8 mm long, the filaments 3.4-4.4 mm long, white, lacking a conspicuous geniculation, anthers 3-4 × 0.8-1 mm, subulate, recurved at the tip, yellow, somewhat laterally compressed, the pore ca. 0.1 mm wide, terminal. Ovary 5-7 locular, inferior, apically glabrous and forming a collar around the style base. Style ca. 8-9 mm, straight to slightly bent at the tip, vertical distance from the anther to the stigma -0-1 mm, horizontal distance absent, the stigma truncate, ca. 04-0.5 mm wide. Berry ca. 10 × 10 mm, red at first but turning purple black with maturity. Seeds ca 0.8 mm, pyramidal, smooth.

Distribution

(Fig. 100 ). Endemic to Jamaica, 200-1100 m in elevation.

Schnell (1996) discusses at length that Conostegia pyxidata is very similar to Conostegia balbisiana and Conostegia procera . He chose to maintain the species on a “borderline” decision and gave three reasons for keeping the three taxa as distinct: 1) some morphological differences in a small area; 2) the disjunct range of Conostegia balbisiana ; and 3) differences in flowering time between the more similar species Conostegia procera and Conostegia pyxidata , and Conostegia balbisiana overlapping somewhat in flowering time with the other two species, but having larger flowers with different stamen morphology. Schnell (1996) argued that these morphological and phenological differences suggested the presence of biological isolation and a diverging lineage. For the time being I have chosen to follow Schnell’s reasoning for recognizing three taxa. Schnell (1996) also suggested the possibility of introgression from Conostegia rufescens . The type of Conostegia subprocera was not studied but Schnell (1996) cited this name as a synonym of Conostegia pyxidata .

Specimens examined.

JAMAICA. Portland: east slope of the John Crow Mts 1.5-2 miles southwest of Ecclesdown, Proctor 9814 (NY); east foothills of John Crow Mts Along Ecclesdown road ca. 2 miles N of Ecclesdown, Skean and Slantis 1864 (MO, NY).

Figures

Figure 100. Distribution of Conostegia pyxidata.