Conostegia muriculata Almeda

Kriebel, Ricardo, 2016, A Monograph of Conostegia (Melastomataceae, Miconieae), PhytoKeys 67, pp. 1-326 : 85-86

Conostegia muriculata Almeda Fig. 93

Conostegia muriculata Almeda, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 46: 330. 1990. Type: Panama. Bocas del Toro: above Chiriqui Grande 10 road-miles from continental divide and 2 mi along road to E (0855'N 8210'W, 300 m), 6 August 1988, G. McPherson 12836 (holotype: CAS!, isotypes: CR!, DUKE, MO!, PMA, US!).

Description.

Shrubs to small trees to 3.5 m tall with slightly to evidently tetragonal stems towards the apex, essentially glabrous or with inconspicuous scales; the nodal line present. Leaves of a pair somewhat unequal in size. Petioles 1.7-7.5 cm long. Leaf blade 18-27 × 6-13.5 cm, 3-5 nerved, elliptic to elliptic-ovate, the base acute or obtuse, the apex acute to abruptly acuminate, the margin entire, both surfaces glabrous but inconspicuously glandular puncticulate. Inflorescence a terminal, elongated and deflexed or arching panicle 8-30 cm long branching well above the base, accessory branches absent or present, rachis glabrous, bracts and bracteoles to 1 mm long, linear, early deciduous. Pedicels 1.5-2.5 mm. Flowers 5 merous, pyriform, calyptrate. Flower buds 5-9 × 3-4.5 mm, the base rounded to obtuse, the apex acute to acuminate, constricted below the calyptra, the calyptra and hypanthium differentiated; the hypanthium 2-2.5 × 2.75-3.15 mm, campanulate, glabrous and inconspicuously glandular puncticulate. Petals 5-7 × 4.5-6 mm, white to lavender, obovate, glabrous, emarginate. Stamens (9-)10, 4.5-5.5 mm long, slightly zygomorphic, the filament ca. 3 mm, white, anthers 2.25-2.75 × 0.6-0.9 mm, linear-oblong, yellow or pale yellow, the pore ca. 0.1 mm, subterminal and ventrally inclined. Ovary 5-6(-7), inferior, apically glabrous and lacking a collar around the style base. Style 3-3.5 mm, straight and bending below the tip, vertical and horizontal distance from the anther to the stigma ca. -1.25 - -0.5 mm, stigma capitate, 1-1.5 mm wide. Berry 5-6 × 5-6 mm, dark purple. Seeds 0.4-0.6 mm, ovoid to pyramidal, the testa muriculate.

Distribution

(Fig. 94 ). Endemic to the Caribbean slope of south eastern Costa Rica and northern Panama, 40-1200 m in elevation.

Conostegia muriculata is a distinctive species recognized by being overall glabrous, pendant inflorescence, purple petals and muriculate seeds. Unfortunately the phylogenetic placement of this species remains unknown. Because of its small flower buds and being almost totally glabrous, it likely belongs in the Conostegia montana complex in section Conostegia . As in all species in section Conostegia , the style is short (Fig. 93 ). Schnell (1996) mentions the fact that several specimen labels point to an understory habitat and suggests it is probably a shade tolerant species.

Specimens examined.

COSTA RICA. Limón: Sixaola, San Miguel, Finca Albergue ASACODE, Quesada 356 (CR, NY).

PANAMA. Bocas del Toro: above Chiriquí Grande on a side road about 10 road miles below the Continental Divide about 2.5 miles east on that road, Almeda et al. 6328 (CAS, CR, MO, NY) . Veraguas: Distrito de Santa Fé, Serrania de Tute , Galdames et al. 3122 (MO, NY) .

Figures

Figure 93. Conostegia muriculata. A Inflorescence B Lateral view of flower C Frontal view of flower. Photographs by Laurencio Martinez.

Figure 94. Distribution of Conostegia muriculata.