Meriania prunifolia D.Don, Mem. Wern. Nat. Hist. Soc.

Fernandez-Hilario, Robin, Goldenberg, Renato & Michelangeli, Fabián A., 2023, A synopsis of Meriania (Melastomataceae: Merianieae) in Peru, Phytotaxa 602 (1), pp. 1-101 : 50-53

19. Meriania prunifolia D.Don, Mem. Wern. Nat. Hist. Soc. 4: 323 (1823).

Type:— PERU: without locality, no date (fr.), H. Ruiz & J. Pavón s.n. (lectotype, designated here: MA! [barcode MA813829 ]; isolectotypes: BR! [barcode 00000562904 ], F!-fragment [accession nos. 843473 , 1026676 ], FI! [barcode FI004715 ], G-probably destroyed [negative at F], G!-fragment [barcode G00219817 ], K! [barcode K000329450 ]). ( Figure 45 ).

Comments:— This species is easily recognisable by the combination of the smallest leaf blades recorded within the genus (2.3–8.2 × 1.4–3.2 cm) ( Fig. 45B ), pseudo-lateral (initially terminal but overtopped by developing axillary buds) or terminal solitary flowers, and calyces with long acicular dorsal projections ( Fig. 45D ). To date, the flowers of M. prunifolia are unknown, because the few known specimens have been collected in fruit. However, the fruits have calyces with acicular dorsal projections and ribbed hypanthia, which are also present in other Meriania species. Acicular dorsal projections are remarkably present in Meriania species from the Greater Antilles (see Michelangeli et al. 2015). Because the complete morphology of the flowers is not known, it is not possible to establish affinities of M. prunifolia with other species of the genus.

Nomenclatural notes:— Don (1823) cited in the protologue “ Pavón h. (v. s. in Herb. Lamb.) ”. However, none of the sheets seen by us have any label or annotation indicating that it corresponds to the Ruiz & Pavón specimen purchased by A. B. Lambert (see Miller 1970). Therefore, Ruiz & Pavón s.n. must be considered as a syntype conforming with Art. 9.6 of the ICN ( Turland et al. 2018). According to Art. 9.3 and 9.12 of the ICN ( Turland et al. 2018), we chose as lectotype the only sheet housed in MA.

Distribution and phenology:— Meriania prunifolia is endemic to northern Peru (Department of San Martín) and occurs in premontane forests at 350–750 m ( Fig. 16 ). It has been collected in fruit in March, May, July and December.

Specimens examined:— PERU. San Martín: Prov. Mariscal Cáceres [Tocache], Dist. Pólvora, desembocadura del río Mishollo (margen derecha del Río Huallaga ), 350–380 m, 25 Jul 1973 (fr.), J. Schunke V. 6426 ( US!); Dist. Shunté, Camino a Shunté , cerca de Yacu Sisa , al borde de la quebrada, 550–600, 07 Mar 1981 (fr.), J. Schunke-Vigo 12567 ( MO!); Dist. Tocache, Palo Blanco, al oeste del Puente, a orilla de la quebrada en bosque alto, 600–700 m, 04 Dec 1972 (fr.), J. Schunke V. 5667 ( F!, NY!, U!, US!), Cerro de Palo Blanco , al borde de la quebrada con mucha sombra, 700–750 m, 26 May 1980 (fr.), J. Schunke-Vigo 11712 ( AMAZ!, NY!, US!, USM!). Without locality: no date (fr), A. Raimondi 1987 ( USM!) .

Figures

FIGURE 16. Distribution map of M. bongarana, M. escalerensis, M. megaphylla, M. ninakurorum, M. prunifolia, M. speciosa and M. urceolata.

FIGURE 45. Meriania prunifolia. A. Terminal fertile branch with fruits. B. Leaf blade, abaxial view. C. Detail of the abaxial leaf surface. D. Fruit with detail of the surface (right). A and C from J. Schunke V. 5667; B from A. Raimondi 1987; D from J. Schunke-Vigo 11712.