Conostegia povedae (Kriebel & Oviedo) Kriebel, 2016

Kriebel, Ricardo, 2016, A Monograph of Conostegia (Melastomataceae, Miconieae), PhytoKeys 67, pp. 1-326 : 212-213

Conostegia povedae (Kriebel & Oviedo) Kriebel comb. nov. Fig. 186

Conostegia povedae (Kriebel & Oviedo) Kriebel. Basionym: Miconia povedae Kriebel & Oviedo, Phytotaxa 126 (1): 57. 2013. Type: Costa Rica. Puntarenas; Estación Biológica Las Cruces. En el Sendero Gamboa, 1157 m, 5 September 2008, 8.789333N, - 82.970250W, F. Oviedo-Brenes 231 (holotype HLDG!, isotype CR!).

Description.

Shrub to small tree to 2.5-4 m tall. Young branches tomentose with golden to orange indument consisting of dendritic to stellate trichomes. The interpetiolar line inconspicuous and covered by indument as in the stems. Leaves sessile or subsessile, somewhat anisophyllous. Leaf blades 9-24 × 5-9 cm, 3-5-plinerved, with the innermost pair of veins diverging from the midvein 1.5-7 cm above the base generally in asymmetric fashion, elliptic to obovate, the base attenuate, apex acuminate, the margin subentire to denticulate, adaxially glabrous, abaxially moderately stellate pubescent on tertiary and higher order veins. Inflorescence a terminal and deflexed panicle with dichasial branches, 5-10 cm long, with about 3-7 sessile flowers clustered at the end of the branches; bracts 2, 3-10 mm long, elliptic to ovate, persistent; bracteoles 2, ovate, ca. 1-2 × 0.5-1.25 mm, persistent. Flower buds 4-5 mm long, with the petals forming an acuminate cone when mature. Hypanthium narrowly campanulate, sparsely stellate. Flowers 5(-6) merous, calyx not calyptrate but with the calyx lobes fused and irregularly rupturing in their early stages, the calyx tube 0.3-0.5 mm, the teeth 0.25-0.4 mm long, linear-oblong. Petals 4.5-5.5 × 2-2.5 mm, white, spreading at anthesis, elliptic to elliptic-ovate, apically acute, glabrous. Stamens 10(12), 4-5 mm long, radially arranged around the style, the filament 2.25-2.75 mm long with a geniculation near the apex, white, anthers 1.5-2 × 0.6-0.8 mm, elliptic, somewhat laterally compressed, lacking an appendage or collar at the anther filament junction, yellow, pore ca. 0.15 mm wide, terminating the truncate apex. Ovary 5-locular, half superior, the apex beset with small brown glandular trichomes and elevated into a collar ca. 0.25 mm high around the style. Style ca. 6.4 mm long, straight to slightly curving, the stigma truncate, ca. 0.38 wide, the distance between the anther apex and the stigma ca. 1.5 mm, stigma truncate to capitellate, ca. 0.3 mm wide. Berry and seeds not seen.

Distribution

(Fig. 187 ). Endemic to the remaining primary forest in San Vito de Coto Brus, Puntarenas, Costa Rica at 1100-1200 m elevation.

Conostegia povedae is a very narrow endemic easy to recognize because of its rusty indument, sessile leaves with attenuate leaf bases and which are strongly plinerved, and sessile flowers in clusters that when in bud have a fused calyx that ruptures irregularly. In their evidently yellow anthers, exserted styles, and geniculate filaments, Conostegia povedae shows the typical floral morphology present in section Geniculatae .

Specimens examined.

COSTA RICA. Puntarenas: Estación Biológica Las Cruces, en el Sendero Gamboa, Oviedo-Brenes and Zahawi 1215 (HLDG); en el sendero Melissa, bosque maduro bastante denso, Oviedo-Brenes 1908 (HLDG).

Figures

Figure 186. Conostegia povedae. A Fertile branch and adaxial leaf surfaces B Abaxial leaf surfaces C Inflorescence showing clustered sessile flowers D Close up of the flower E Flower cluster terminating an inflorescence branch F Flower bud G View of the hypanthium from outside, note the acute calyx teeth on the rounded calyx lobes H Longitudinal cut of a flower with petals, stamens, and style removed I Ovary apex with minute glands J Petal K Lateral view of the stamen L Style. Photographs of the type by Federico Oviedo.

Figure 187. Distribution of Conostegia povedae.