Conostegia centronioides Markgraf, 1938

Kriebel, Ricardo, 2016, A Monograph of Conostegia (Melastomataceae, Miconieae), PhytoKeys 67, pp. 1-326 : 123

Conostegia centronioides Markgraf Fig. 117

Conostegia centronioides Markgraf, Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin-Dahlem 14: 25-44. 1938. Type: Ecuador. San Carlos de los Colorados, West-Ecuador, 120 m, 7 September 1935, H. Schultze-Rhonhof 1898 (B, destroyed). Neotype (designated here): 20 km W. of Santo Domingo de los Colorados, 300 m, Pichincha, Ecuador, Cazalet and Pennington 5017 (holoneotype: NY!, isoneotypes: K, US!).

Description.

Shrubs to small trees 2-11 m tall with flattened or tetragonal that are finely and densely pubescent with tiny sessile stellate trichomes; the nodal line present yet slight. Leaves equal to unequal at each node. Petiole 1-5 cm long. Leaves 5-21 × 1.9-10 cm, 3-5 nerved or if 3-5 plinerved, with the innermost pair of primary veins diverging from the mid vein up to about to about 2 cm above the base, elliptic, the base acute to obtuse, the apex abruptly acuminate, usually conspicuously undulate denticulate, adaxially glabrous except for inconspicuous stellate trichomes when young, abaxially stellate pubescent with small trichomes on the veins to almost glabrous. Inflorescence terminal a panicle 3.7-22 cm long branching 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, rachis pubescent with small stellate trichomes; bracts and bracteoles 0.5-2 mm, linear to lanceolate, usually deciduous. Flowers 5-6(-7) merous, calyptrate, the calyptra apparently consistently breaking in pieces. Flower buds 4.7-11 × 2.5-6.5, pyriform, the base flat to rounded, the apex rounded to short apiculate, the calycine and hypanthium portions weekly differentiated, constricted below the calyptra; the hypanthium 3-6 × 3-6 mm, pubescent with rusty stellate hairs. Petals 6-9 × 6-9 mm, white to translucent white, obtriangular, glabrous, emarginate to three lobed apically. Stamens 15-24, 4.8-7 mm long, slightly zygomorphic, the filament 3-4 mm, white, not geniculate, anthers 1.8-3, linear-oblong, pale yellow, laterally compressed, dorsally thickened, basally sagittate, the pore ca. 0.1 mm wide, terminal. Ovary 5-6(-7), inferior, glabrous, the apex forming a conspicuous collar around the style base; style ca. 6-8 mm, straight to gently curving near the apex, vertical distance from the anther to the stigma 1.5-3 mm, horizontal distance absent, the stigma capitate, ca. 1 mm wide. Berry 6-7 × 6-7 mm, purple. Seeds 0.4-0.5 mm long, ovoid and smooth.

Distribution

(Fig. 118 ). Mostly in northwestern Ecuador and probably overlooked in south-western Colombia, 20-900 m in elevation.

Schnell (1996) reported that the holotype of this species (as well as the isotypes which had not been distributed) were lost at Berlin. As mentioned by Schnell (1996), the neotype chosen here (the same chosen by Schnell’s unpublished work) fits the original description. Conostegia centronioiodes is quite variable in the sizes of leaves, inflorescences and flower buds as well as in the flower bud apex which can be more or less rounded to short apiculate. Perhaps because of its small flower buds, this species has been confused with Conostegia montana . An easy way to tell these species apart in bloom is that Conostegia montana has a short style whereas Conostegia centronioides has a long style. The same character can be used to separate Conostegia centronioides from Conostegia rufescens , another species with which it gets confused. Lastly, Conostegia centronioides is similar to Conostegia lasiopoda , particularly when in the latter the large bracts that cover the flower buds have fallen off. Conostegia lasiopoda tends to have conspicuously setose adaxial petiole surfaces which aid in its distinction from Conostegia centronioides .

Specimens examined.

ECUADOR. Carchi: above San Marcos de los Coaiqueres on trail towards Gualpí Bajo, Ollgaard et al. 57324 (MO, NY); Tulcan Cantón, Parroquia Tobar Donoso, Sector Sabalera, Reserva Indígena Awá, Bosque primario Noreste Casa Comunal, Tipaz, Zuleta and Guanga 1333 (NY) . Esmeraldas: 2-4 km SE of San Lorenzo along railroad track, Boom 2529 (MO, NY); Quininde Cantón, Bilsa Biological Station, Montanias de Mache 35 km W of Quinindé, 5 km W of Santa Isabel, Clark and Watt 755 (NY); Quininde , Bilsa Biological Station , Reserva Ecológica Mache-Chindul, 35 km W of Quinindé, Clark and Pallis 4871 (NY); near San Jose Mission, Cayapa River , Játiva and Epling 1038 (NY); near Playa Grande, Cayapa River , Játiva and Epling 2090 (NY); Across Rio Quininde w about 2 km, Little 6215 (NY); Borbón, Little 21045 (NY); Parroquia de Concepcion , Playa Rica, Mexia 8435 (NY); Eloy Alfaro, San Miguel, Rio Cayapas , Propiedad del Sr. Miguel Chapiro , Parcela Permanente 07 y alrededores, Palacios and Tirado 11101 (NY) . Pichincha: Carretera Quito-Puerto Quito Km 113, 10 Km al Norte de la carretera principal, Betancourt 129, 154, 173, 223 (NY); 20 km W of Santo Domingo de los Colorados, Cazalet and Pennington 5017 (NY) .

Figures

Figure 117. Conostegia centronioides. A Fertile branch B Close up of the flower. Photographs taken by Xavier Cornejo and vouchered X. Cornejo 8160.

Figure 118. Distribution of Conostegia centronioides.