Conostegia chiriquensis Gleason, 1941

Kriebel, Ricardo, 2016, A Monograph of Conostegia (Melastomataceae, Miconieae), PhytoKeys 67, pp. 1-326 : 58-59

Conostegia chiriquensis Gleason

Conostegia chiriquensis Gleason in R. E. Woodson, Jr. and R. W. Schery, (Eds), Flora of Panama. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45: 203-304. 1941. Type: Panama. Chiriquí: Vicinity of Finca Lérida, 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 × 3.2-7.7 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 brous on 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 × 3.2-7.6 mm, mostly ellipsoid pyriform, constricted below the middle, the base flat to rounded, apiculate at the apex. Petals 10-12 × 5-6 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 × 0.1-0.2 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 × 6-7 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 Chiriquí. In Costa Rica common in Las Tablas Protected Zone on the Costa Rica-Panama border.

Conostegia chiriquensis is similar and possibly closely related to Conostegia pittieri , especially in their glabrescence, apiculate calpytras and style lacking a conspicuous crater in the middle. Conostegia chiriquensis differs 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 chiriquensis and this differs from Conostegia pittieri where only the petals tend to persist. In the protologue Gleason compared this species to Conostegia rhodopetala and Conostegia pittieri (Gleason, 1941). Conostegia rhodopetala can have an apiculate calyptra but has a noticeably short style lacking lobes. In Schnell’s (1996) key Conostegia chiriquensis is 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 Río Cotón and Río Quebrada Nochebuena, Almeda et al. 6597, 6599 (CAS, NY); Cantón de Coto Brus, Z. P. Las Tablas, Est. Biológica Las Alturas, Alfaro 2365 (INB, NY); Cantón de Coto Brus, Z. P. Las Tablas, Hacienda La Amistad, Zona La Neblina, Solano et al. 752 (INB, NY).

PANAMA. Chiriquí: Along the rock road to Lago del Volcán Barú and due SW of El Hato del Volcán, Almeda et al. 6205 (NY); Trail from Paso Ancho to Monte Liro upper valley of Río Chririquí Viejo, Allen 1480 (NY); R. Chiriquí Viejo valley, in Bambita Woods, White 47 (NY); Valley of the upper Río Chiriquí Viejo, White 324 (NY); west of Aserradero Cerro de Punta, Stern and Chambers 64 (NY); Vicinity of Callejón Seco, Volcán de Chiriquí, Woodson and Schery 479 (NY).

Figures

Figure 75. Distribution of Conostegia chiriquensis.