Conostegia procera (Swartz) D. Don ex DC

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

Conostegia procera (Swartz) D. Don ex DC

Conostegia procera (Swartz) D. Don ex DC., Prodr. 3: 174. 1828. Melastoma procera Swartz, Prodr. Veg. Ind. Occ. 68. 1788. Type Jamaica. no date, O. Swartz s.n. (lectotype: S!, designated here; isolectotype: BM!).

Description.

Trees to about 7 m tall with subtetragonal, stems stellate pubescent apically, glabrous to glabrescent with age; the nodal line present. Leaves of a pair equal to somewhat unequal in length. Petiole 1-5 cm. Leaf blades 4-15.5 × 3.1-7 cm, 3-nerved, elliptic, the base obtuse, the apex obtuse, acute or acuminate, the margin entire or weakly crenulate-dentate near the apex, the adaxial surface glabrous, the abaxial surface glabrous except for tuft domatia of stipitate branching hairs present at the base of the leaf and minute puncticulate glands throughout the surface. Inflorescence a terminal panicle 5-17.7 cm long branched above the base, rachis flattened accessory branches absent or present, bracts and bracteoles linear, 2-3 mm long, deciduous or appearing absent. Pedicels 5-12 mm. Flowers 6 merous, calyptrate. Floral buds 11-18 × 5-7 mm, elliptic pyriform, the base rounded, apex acuminate and apiculate, slightly constricted in the middle, the hypanthium 4-5 × 4.5-5.25 mm, glabrous and ribbed. Petals 10-14 × 6-9 mm, white or pinkish white, obtriangular, spreading, emarginate, glabrous. Stamens (17-)18(-20), 6-7.5 mm long, the filaments 3.5-4 mm long, reportedly yellow, anthers 3.5-4 × 0.5-1 mm, linear, yellow, slightly laterally compressed, the pore ca. 0.2 mm wide, terminal. Ovary (5-)6(-7) locular, inferior, the apex glabrous and elevated into a conspicuous collar around the style. Style 7-8 mm long, bending below the stigma, vertical and horizontal distance from the anthers to the stigma absent; stigma, punctate, ca. 0.5 mm wide. Dry berry 7-9 × 7-9 mm. Seeds 0.5-0.75 mm, ovoid to pyramidal, the testa angulate and smooth to slightly roughened.

Distribution

(Fig. 99 ). Endemic to Jamaica, 500-1300 m in elevation.

Conostegia procera can be recognized by its leaves with mite domatia, usually white flowers, and ribbed hypanthium. Schnell (1996) found this species does not overlap in flowering time with the other Jamaican endemics. Schnell (1996) thought Conostegia procera highly resembled Conostegia jaliscana and placed it in a section together with the rest of Jamaican endemics. The molecular phylogeny places both Jamaican endemics sampled (including Conostegia procera ) forming a well supported clade and belonging to a clade that also includes Conostegia rufescens and Conostegia cuatrecasii . Conostegia jaliscana on the other hand falls with species of the giant stigma clade, which is centered in Central America.

Specimens examined.

JAMAICA. St. Andrew: Southwest slope of Mt. Horeb above Hardwar Gap, Proctor 10321 (NY). St. Thomas: Hillside, Mansfield, Britton 3607 (NY); Mountain trail between House Hill and Cuna Cuna Gap, Maxon 8949 (NY).

Figures

Figure 99. Distribution of Conostegia procera.