Conostegia pendula ( Umana & Almeda) Kriebel, 2016

Kriebel, Ricardo, 2016, A Monograph of Conostegia (Melastomataceae, Miconieae), PhytoKeys 67, pp. 1-326 : 208-209

Conostegia pendula ( Umana & Almeda) Kriebel comb. nov.

Conostegia pendula ( Umaña & Almeda) Kriebel. Basionym: Miconia pendula Umaña & Almeda, Novon 3(1): 8, f. 2. 1993. Type: Costa Rica. Cartago: Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Tapantí, orilla de Sendero Los Palmitos, 1300-1400 m, 0944'00" N, 8347'00"W, 2 August 1990, G. Umaña, Kennedy, H., Nilson, V., & R. Chacón 391 (holotype: CR!, isotypes: BM, BR, CAS!, COL, F!, MEXU!, MO!, NY!, PMA, US!, USJ).

Description.

Shrub to small tree 1.5-5 m tall with somewhat tetragonal stems in newer branches densely covered with a lanate indument of variable dendritic trichomes; the nodal line present. Petioles 1-7 cm. Leaves at a node equal or somewhat unequal at a node. Leaf blades 6.5-28 × 3.5-13.5 cm, 7-plinerved, with the inner pairs of innermost veins arising 1-5 cm above the base mostly in alternate fashion, elliptic to elliptic-ovate, the base obtuse to asymmetrical, the apex acuminate, the margin entire to inconspicuously denticulate, the adaxial surface strigose or lightly lanate to glabrous, lanate on the primary veins abaxially, and with furfuraceous hairs on higher order veins. Inflorescence a pendant modified cyme branching well above the base, 4-12 cm long, the flowers clustered at the end of the branches, accessory branches absent, rachis lanate, bracteoles 0.2-0.3 mm, persistent. Pedicel 0.5-2.5 mm. Flower buds 3-4 × 2-3 mm. Flowers 5-merous, calyx not calyptrate but closed in bud and crowned by an apiculum, rupturing irregularly at anthesis into 5 hyaline irregular lobes 0.25-0.5 mm long, exterior calyx teeth narrowly triangular, 0.9-1.3 mm long, torus glabrous; the hypanthium 2-3 × 1-2 mm, campanulate. Petals 2.9-3.5 × 1 mm, pale pink, linear-oblong, not observed at anthesis, glabrous, the apex obtuse to rounded. Stamens 10, ca. 3-4 mm, radially arranged around the style, the filaments ca. 2 mm long, geniculate near the apex, white, anthers 1-1.5 × 0.35-0.5 mm, linear-oblong, somewhat recurved, yellow, the connective thickened dorsally, the pore 0.1 mm wide, slightly dorsally inclined. Ovary 5 locular, 2/3 inferior, slightly fluted and with glandular hairs on the apex. Style reportedly 2.5-5 mm long, not observed at anthesis but notes on the type suggest it is exserted, stigma truncate and somewhat dilated. Berry 4-5 × 4-5 mm, pink turning purple black when mature. Seeds 0.4-0.6 mm long, angular pyramidate to somewhat cescent shaped in profile, the testa smooth.

Distribution

(Fig. 184 ). Endemic to cloud forests of the Caribbean slope of the Central and Talamanca Cordilleras of Costa Rica, 1200-1800 m in elevation.

The description of this species is for the most part based on the original one by Almeda and Umaña Dodero (1993). Few recent collections have been made since its description but as Almeda and Umaña Dodero (1993) predicted, the species has been collected in the Cordillera de Talamanca in Fila Matama, Limón. The notes on the type specimen describe the anthers around the style which suggests the style is exserted as in its close relative like Conostegia friedmaniorum . Almeda and Umaña Dodero (1993) also noted the filament geniculation in this species, something not commonly done. They mention strong herbivory on these plants as is frequently noted in species of section Geniculatae . The label on Almeda et al. 7245 (CAS) records a pleasant acidic flavor of the berries of this species.

Specimens examined.

COSTA RICA. Cartago: Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Tapantí, sendero Palmito about 6 km from main gate to refuge, Almeda et al. 7245 (CAS, CR); Tapantí Reserve ca 1 km S of jct of Quebrada Salto and Rio Grande de Orosi , Croat and Grayum 68255 (CAS); in forest along creek debouching into Rio Grande de Orosi , from the east, ca. 1 km upstream from confluence of Quebrada Salta, Tapantí, Grayum and Sleeper 3486 (CAS, CR); P. N. Tapantí, sendero Palmito, Umaña, Valerio and Chacón 378 (CAS, CR) . Heredia: Cantón de Barva, La Legua, Finca Montreal, ridge between headwaters of Río Volcán and Rio San Fernando , Boyle et al. 1168 (CAS, CR, INB) . Limón: P. N. La Amistad, Fila Matama, cerca de 11 km SW del pueblo de Aguas Zarcas, Santamaría et al. 6672 (INB, NY) .

Figures

Figure 184. Distribution of Conostegia pendula.