Conostegia pittieri Cogn. Ex T. Durand

Kriebel, Ricardo, 2016, A Monograph of Conostegia (Melastomataceae, Miconieae), PhytoKeys 67, pp. 1-326 : 90-91

Conostegia pittieri Cogn. Ex T. Durand Fig. 97

Conostegia pittieri Cogn. Ex T. Durand, Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belg. 27: 176. 1888. Type: Costa Rica. Alto del Roble, Massif du Barba, 1800-2000 m, 6 July 1888, H. Pittier 212 (holotype: BR; isotypes: F!, US!).

Conostegia donnell-smithii Cogn., DC. Monog. Phan. 7: 700. 1891. Type: Costa Rica. Cartago, 4000 ft., 1888, J. Cooper 327 (holotype BR; isotypes BR, F, GH!, NY!, US!). Schnell (1996) notes: Some sheets of this number have been distributed by John Donnell Smith under his number 5471, but since the latter was also used for Cooper 334 (US) care must be exercised in determining isotypes. The Donnell Smith number at least on the GH specimen is 5741 and not 5471.

Conostegia pittieri Cogn. ex Durand var. brevifolia Cogn., DC. Monog. Phan. 7: 704. 1891. Type: Costa Rica. Rio Segundo, Massif du Barba, 2000 m, Tonduz 1732 (lectotype BM!, designated here; isolectotypes BR, M!, US!). Other syntypes: Costa Rica. Rancho Flores, versant S du Massif du Barba, 2050 m, Costa Rica, Pittier 290 (BR, US!). The latter collection is labeled Pittier and Tonduz 290 in US, a discrepancy common with the exsiccatae of these men and apparently due to erroneous use of the printed labels bearing both their names. Handwritten label with both names were never seen, nor evidence that the two collected in the same place at the same time ( Schnell 1996).

Description.

Trees 2-18 m tall with tetragonal stems when young which become terete with age and glabrous; the nodal line present. Leaves of a pair equal to somewhat unequal in length. Petioles 0.5-4.3 cm. Leaf blades 3.5-18.5 × 1.6-6.1 cm, 3-5 nerved or generally 3-5 plinerved, with the innermost diverging from the mid vein just above the blade base in opposite or alternate fashion, elliptic to ovate, the base acute to decurrent on the petiole, the apex abruptly acute to acuminate, the margin entire to undulate-denticulate. Inflorescence a terminal panicle 4-12.1 cm long branching above the base, bracts and bracteoles to 3 mm, linear, deciduous. Pedicels 4-11 mm long. Flowers (5-) 6-8 (-10) merous, calyptrate, floral buds 7-14 × 2.75-6.75 mm, pyriform or ellipsoid, the base rounded, the apex apiculate, slightly constricted in the middle; the hypanthium 3.25-3.75 × 3.75-4.25 mm, glabrous and smooth. Petals 8-14 × 5-9 mm, white, obovate, rotate, rounded-truncate to emarginate, glabrous on both surfaces, rotate, entire, persistent after the stamens and style have fallen. Stamens 14-23, 7-9 mm, opposing the style resulting in zygomorphy, the filament 5.5-6.5 mm, white, anthers 2.5-3.5 × 0.75-1.25 mm, linear and slightly recurved, the base sagittate, yellow, not conspicuously compressed, the pore 0.2-0.26 mm, terminal. Ovary 7-12 locular, inferior. Style 6-6.5 mm, bending to one side of the flower, opposite the stamens, lacking a basal collar, vertical distance between the anthers and the stigma absent, horizontal distance 0.5-3 mm; stigma peltate, consisting of 7-11(-12) laterally compressed lobes, 3-3.5 mm wide. Berry ca. 1 × 1 cm, purple black. Seeds 0.5-0.7 mm, ovoid, the testa smooth.

Distribution

(Fig. 98 ). In cloud forests from southern Nicaragua through central and northern Costa Rica to northwestern Panama, (500-)1000-2400 m.

Conostegia pittieri is one of the few species of Conostegia that retains its petals once the stamens and style have fallen. The functional significance of petal retention, if any, might have to do with continuing to make inflorescences attractive ( Bertin 1982).The similar species Conostegia chiriquensis also retains the petals and the style after the stamens have fallen. See the discussion under the latter species for differences between Conostegia chiriquensis and Conostegia pittieri . Flowers of Conostegia pittieri have been observed to be buzzed by female Bombus volluceloides (pers. obs.). As Schnell (1996) mentioned, this species can be quite abundant in pastures and second growth but is rare inside the forest where it occurs mainly in riparian habitats. Individuals within the forest produce much less flowers (pers. obs.).

Specimens examined.

NICARAGUA (fide Schnell). Rivas: Volcán Maderas, Isla Ometepe, Moreno 19760 (MO).

COSTA RICA. Alajuela: Upala, Bijagua, P. N. Tenorio, Aguilar 6452 (NY); Palmira de Naranjo, Brenes 3519 (CR, NY); Cerros de San Antonio de San Ramón, Brenes 5664 (NY); La Palma de San Ramón, Brenes 5528, 6787, 6807 (NY); Posada Volcán Póas, Viento Fresco, Vara Blanca, Kriebel and Solano 3266 (INB, NY); Alto Palomo 9 km W of top of Poás Volcano, Lent 1655 (CR, NY); Remnant cloud forest on mountains of Cordillera Central about 2 kms east of Zarcero, Molina et al. 17060 (NY); Cordillera Central near Palmira about 5 kms east of Zarcero, Molina et al. 17769 (NY); Fraijanes Volcán Poás, on road from San Pedro de Poás to Vara Blanca, Schnell 1084 (CR, NY); Palmira (Canton de Alfaro Ruiz), Smith 40 (NY). Heredia: Wet secondary forest about 15 m high with many epiphytes with frequent wind and rain from the Caribbean, Rio Vueltas (Upper Río Patria), eastern slope of Volcan Barba near Continental Divide, near Finca Montecristo, Barringer and Christenson 3412 (F, NY); Sacramento, Finca Ingrid Steinvorth, Kriebel 5400 (INB, NY); 5 km down a jackknife turn to the east off of Highway 9, 3.3 km north of Vara Blanca, Luteyn 685 (MO, NY); Vara Blanca de Sarapiquí north slope of Central Cordillera between Póas and Barba volcanoes, Skutch 3415, 3563 (MO, NY); entre Porosatí y Sacramento, Solano et al. 2696 (INB, NY); Collected along the slopes of Cerro Zurquí above Río Para Blanco, Taylor 17481 (NY); Monte de la Cruz, above Finca Monte Cristo, Todzia and Moran 2045 (CR, NY); Forets du Barba, Tonduz 1947 (NY); woods on steep bank of stream about 7 miles northeast of Barba on Route 114, on flank of Volcán Barba, Wilbur and Teeri 13681 (MO, NY). Puntarenas: near the Continental Divide about 2 to 5 km east and southeast of Monteverde, Burger and Gentry 8728 (F, NY). San José: Vázquez de Coronado, P. N. Braulio Carrillo, Cuenca del Sarapiquí, Santa Elena, Acosta and Ramírez 442 (INB, MO, NY). PANAMA. Chiriquí: Gualaca-Chiriqui Grande road, 4.5 mi N of middle of bridge over Fortuna Lake, just S of Bocas del Toro border, Croat 66710 (MO); Fortuna Dam, trail from highway near forestry nursery down to Rio Hornito, McPherson 12498 (MO); Cerro Colorado 50 km N of San Felix on continental divide, Mori and Dressler 7803 (MO).

Figures

Figure 97. Conostegia pittieri. A Leaf abaxial B Flower buds C Flower at anthesis D Immature fruit E Longitudinal section of a floral bud F Pickled flower at anthesis G Longitudinal section of a flower at anthesis H Petal I Stamen J Style. Photos of specimen vouchered R. Kriebel 5400.

Figure 98. Distribution of Conostegia pittieri.