Conostegia chiriquensis A Monograph of Conostegia (Melastomataceae, Miconieae) Kriebel, Ricardo PhytoKeys 2016 2016-07-20 67 1 326 CDCCFF29-FDDF-D76B-1D5E-29484C61DEB9 Gleason Gleason 1941 Magnoliopsida Melastomataceae Conostegia CoL Plantae Conostegia chiriquensis Myrtales 57 58 Tracheophyta species chiriquensis   Conostegia chiriquensisGleason in R. E. Woodson, Jr. and R. W. Schery, (Eds), Flora of Panama. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45: 203-304. 1941. Type: Panama. Chiriqui: Vicinity of Finca Lerida, 1750 m. elev., 7-11 July 1940, R. Woodson & R. Schery 376 (holotype: NY!, isotype: GH!).  Description. Trees 4-20 m tall and with tetragonal and ridged stems that are glabrous or sometimes with scattered sessile stellate trichomes; the nodal line present. Leaves of a pair equal to somewhat unequal in length. Petioles 1-4.8 cm long. Leaf blades 6.2-16.5 x3.2-7.7 cm, 3-5 nerved or slightly plinerved, elliptic, base obtuse to rounded, apex obtuse to acute and short acuminate, the margin entire to denticulate, essentially gla brouson both surfaces. Inflorescence terminal, 5.7-13.5 cm long branched above the base but sometimes appearing branched at the base because of multiple inflorescences arising at opposing meristems at the terminal node, accessory branches present, bracts absent or very early deciduous, the bracteoles 1-5 mm, deciduous. Pedicels 3-6 mm. Flowers 7-11 merous, calyptrate. Floral buds 7.2-13 x3.2-7.6 mm, mostly ellipsoid pyriform, constricted below the middle, the base flat to rounded, apiculate at the apex. Petals 10-12 x5-6 mm, white to pale lavender, obtriangular, spreading, the apex rounded-truncate to emarginate, glabrous. Stamens 14-24, 8.5-10 mm long, androecium zygomorphic, the filament 4.25-5.25 mm, white but apparently turning red on some specimens perhaps when old, anthers 3.25-4.5 x0.1-0.2 mm, subulate and slightly recurved, sagittate at the base, yellow except for a hugh of rose at the base of thecae dorsally in one specimen, the pore ventral-terminal, ca. 0.3 mm wide. Ovary 6-12 locular, inferior, glabrous and lacking a distinct apical collar. Style 9-12 mm, bent away from the stamens, vertical and horizontal distance not assessed, stigma barely expanded, made of lobes that are almost non discernible, ca. 1-2 mm wide. Berry 6-7 x6-7 mm, blue-black or purple. Seeds 0.5-0.65 mm, pyramidal and smooth.  Distribution (Fig. 75). Endemic to cloud forests in Costa Rica and Panama from 1000-2100 m. In Panama restricted to peaks near the Canal Area as well as Volcan Chiriqui. In Costa Rica common in Las Tablas Protected Zone on the Costa Rica-Panama border.   Figure 75.Distribution of  Conostegia chiriquensis.   Conostegia chiriquensisis similar and possibly closely related to  Conostegia pittieri, especially in their glabrescence, apiculate calpytras and style lacking a conspicuous crater in the middle.  Conostegia chiriquensisdiffers most notably in the more slender style that is not capitate like in  Conostegia pittieri. Schnell (1996)noted that the petals and particularly the style are persistent in  Conostegia chiriquensisand this differs from  Conostegia pittieriwhere only the petals tend to persist. In the protologue Gleason compared this species to  Conostegia rhodopetalaand  Conostegia pittieri(Gleason, 1941).  Conostegia rhodopetalacan have an apiculate calyptra but has a noticeably short style lacking lobes. In  Schnell's(1996)key  Conostegia chiriquensisis included in the group of species with large stigmas mostly because of the presence of lobes since it is barely expanded. Almeda noted "Gardenia like fragrance on flowers of this species ( Almeda et al. 6599- CAS, NY). Schnell (1996)reports the infestation of anthers in unopened flower buds by gall wasps on the specimen Woodson and Schery 479(NY).  Specimens examined.   COSTA RICA. Puntarenas: Lumber road along Fila Tigre S and E of Las Alturas between Rio Cotonand RioQuebrada Nochebuena, Almeda et al. 6597, 6599 (CAS, NY); Cantonde Coto Brus, Z. P. Las Tablas, Est. BiologicaLas Alturas, Alfaro 2365 (INB, NY); Cantonde Coto Brus, Z. P. Las Tablas, Hacienda La Amistad, Zona La Neblina, Solano et al. 752 (INB, NY).   PANAMA.  Chiriqui: Along the rock road to Lago del Volcan Baruand due SW of El Hato del Volcan, Almeda et al. 6205 (NY); Trail from Paso Ancho to Monte Liro upper valley of Rio ChririquiViejo, Allen 1480 (NY); R. ChiriquiViejo valley, in Bambita Woods, White 47 (NY); Valley of the upper Rio ChiriquiViejo, White 324 (NY); west of Aserradero Cerro de Punta, Stern and Chambers 64 (NY); Vicinity of CallejonSeco, Volcande Chiriqui, Woodson and Schery 479 (NY).