Miconia farfanii Jan.M.Burke & Michelang., 2018

Burke, Janelle M. & Michelangeli, Fabian A., 2018, Six new species of Miconia (Miconieae, Melastomataceae) from the Andes, Phytotaxa 361 (2), pp. 131-150 : 145-147

Miconia farfanii Jan.M.Burke & Michelang. , sp. nov. ( Fig. 7 , 8 )

Diagnosis: Similar to Miconia crassistigma and Miconia rufiramea with flowers with 2-broad pores and indumentum of dense, simple, rufous hairs with, but can be distinguished by leaves that are ovate and 4.8–13.8 cm long × 2.1–6.7 cm wide.

Type:— PERU. Cusco: Challabamba, P. N. Manu , Trocha Union , 3400 m, 13.11188˚ S, 71.60689˚ W, 14 June 2011 (fl), F. A. Michelangeli 1638 & C. Arenas (holotype: CUZ!; isotypes: NY!, WFU!) .

Shrub to treelet, up to 10 m. Young stems bluntly quadrangular, the indumentum dense, mixed trichome types of 1 mm (up to 2mm) simple brown (rufous) hairs, some branched at apex with sessile dendritic hairs with short stout arms, internodes with 2 longitudinal furrows, nodes swollen, nodal line absent. Leaves symmetical; the petioles 0.8–3.9 cm long, the indumentum as stem; the blade 4.8–13.8 × 2.1–6.7 cm, broadly elliptic to ovate, subcoriaceous to coriaceous, the apex acute, the base obtuse, the margin minutely serrate, teeth ca. 0.4 mm, thick; secondary veins 2 pairs, basally nerved, with 1 pair of faint marginals, tertiary veins percurrent, raised on abaxial surface, perpendicular to tertiaries, areoles ca. 1 mm wide, veins impressed on the adaxial surface and raised and pubescent, except quaternary, on the abaxial surface; adaxial surface subnitid, slightly corrugated, the surface glabrous, and glabrous on the primary and secondary veins; abaxial surface green, the indumentum on the surface sessile pigmented glands, stout, rufous, simple hairs flanking primary and secondary veins, 0.5 mm long, many branched at apex with sparse dendritic hairs at base, tertary veins with dendritic hairs with short, dense arms. Inflorescences terminal panicles of cymose units, 6.1–8.3 cm long; peduncles terete, brown, the indumentum as on the stem, but with a larger mix of dendritic hairs 0.25 mm; bracts 0.5 mm; bracteoles 1–2 × 0.3 mm, with dendritic hairs. Flowers 5(6)-merous, functionally unisexual; the pedicel 0.7–1 mm long with dendritic hairs. Hypanthium 1.5–2 mm long, 2–2.5 mm wide at the torus, external indumentum puberulent (especially at base) with sparse dendritic hairs and translucent glands, internal surface glabrous, androecial fringe absent. Calyx open in bud, the tube 0.2–0.3 mm long at anthesis, the lobes 0.3 × 0.6–0.7 mm, bluntly deltoid, pale yellow to translucent, hyaline; calyx teeth, same size as lobes, 0.3 × 0.6–0.7 mm, glabrous, green to yellow. Petals 1.3 × 1.2 mm, obovate, spreading, white at anthesis (drying pale yellow), glabrous, the apex retuse, the base attenuate, the margin erose, almost minutely dentate. Male flowers diplostemenous, isomorphic, actinomorphic at anthesis; the filaments 1.4 mm long, dilated, glabrous, white, anthers with 2 locules, thecae 1.3 × 0.7 mm, oblong, short and wide, opening by 2 broad, truncate, pores, 0.3–0.4 mm wide, white at anthesis, connective 0.3 mm, bilobed ventrally, white, glabrous. Ovary 3-locular, 1/2 inferior, the free portion projecting 0.5 × 1.3 mm, elongated into a cone with 5 deltoid projections, glands sessile ovules absent; style 2 mm long, erect, inserted, white (drying brown), puberulant; stigma truncate, vestigal. Female flowers diplostemenous, isomorphic, actinomorphic at anthesis; stamens filament 1.3 mm long, glabrous, white, the anthers with 2 locules, the thecae 1–1.2 × 0.6–0.7 mm, oblong, short and wide, with 2 broad, collapsed, pores, white at anthesis, connective 0.2 mm, bilobed ventrally, white, glabrous. Ovary 3-locular, 1/2 inferior, the free portion projecting 0.8 × 1.3 mm, elongated into a cone with 5 deltoid projections, glabrous, the apex with corona; style 2.6 mm long, erect, white (drying brown), puberulent; stigma capitate to peltate, 0.7 mm wide. Berries 3 × 3.2–3.3 mm, globose, purple, the indumentum absent when mature. Seeds 0.5 mm long, narrowly ovoid. Chromosome number not known.

Distribution.— Humid montane forests, 2600–3700 m in Prov. Paucartambo, Cusco, Peru ( Fig. 9 ).

Phenology.— Flowering in June–October. Fruiting April–October.

Etymology.— This species is named in honor of William Farfán, a Peruvian botanist and collector.

Conservation Assessment- Miconia farfanii is found on the upper slopes of Manu National Park and the road between Paucartambo and Pillcopata. Despite the fact that most of the individuals have been collected inside a protected area, the extent of occurrence (EOO) of M. farfanii is only 174 km 2, and within this area it is restricted to certain slope exposures and forested areas. We recommend that this species is categorized as endangered, EN ab(i) ( IUCN 2001).

Additional specimens examined: PERU: Cusco: Prov. Paucartambo, Kosnipata, Trocha Union, km 2, 3450 m, UTM 8548834, 2–7 June 2007 (fl), Farfan R. 2952 et al. ( WFU); Cordillera de Tres Cruces, 3600 m, 10–11 October 1943 (male fl), Vargas 3642 ( US), cerca a Acjanacu, 3400 m, 6 October 1963 (fem. fl), Vargas 14916, 7–12 km from Acyanaco Pass on road to Tres Cruces, 3700 m, 13°07’ S, 71°40’ W, 4 April 1985 (fr), Stein 2479 ( F, MO, US), Subida a Tres Cruces, Parque Nacional Manu, 3500–3550 m, 5 May 1990 (fr), Cano 3409 ( US, USM), Alturas de Lucuybamba, Parque Nacional Manu, 3400–3500 m, 19 July 1990 (fr), Cano 3901 ( US, USM), km 130 hacia Kosñipata, inside Acjanacu, 2600 m, 13°05’ S, 71°30’ W, 30 October 1987 (fr), Nuñez 8527 et al. ( MO, US), Altura de Solan, Parque Nacional Manu, 3400–3500 m, 17 July 1990 (bud), Cano 3852 ( US, USM); Dto. Challabamba, Carr. Paucartambo-Pillcopata, 1 km N de la entrada del Parque Nacional Manu, 3493 m, 13°12’15.8” S, 71°36’56.5” W, 14 June 2012 (fl), Michelangeli 1893 et al. ( CUZ, NY, USM); P. N. Manu, Trocha Union, 3400 m, 13.11188˚ S, 71.60689˚ W, 14 June 2011 (fl), Michelangeli 1639 & Arenas ( CUZ, NY, WFU).

Miconia farfanii is similar to M. crassistigma Cogniaux (1908:143) and M. rufiramea Wurdack (1972:496–497) , two other species native to Peru that appear to be functionally dioecious, based on floral dimorphism. In particular, Miconia rufiramea has the same indumentum, but is found in Prov. La Convención in the Cordillera Vilcabamba, and the leaves are substantially smaller, often less than 3 cm and coriaceous. Miconia crassistigma was described from Huánuco, in central Peru, and the leaves are more oblong than ovate. Locally, it is abundant, though it has a very limited distribution.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Miconia farfanii A. Habit. B. Bracts and bracteole morphology (upper) and leaf margin (lower). C. Inflorescence cyme. D. Protogynous flower (upper) and flower at anthesis (lower). E. Outer (upper) and inner (lower) calyx teeth and lobes. F. Longitudinal section of pistillate flower, with detail of ovary cross section. G. Petal. H. Stamens from left to right: ventral, dorsal and side view. Drawn from Michelangeli 1638, NY and Farfán 2952, WFU.

FIGURE 8. Miconia farfanii. A. Flowering branch and inflorescence. B. Leaf abaxial surface. C. Leaf adaxial surface. D. Detail of inflorescence at and before anthesis. E. Detail of inflorescence at anthesis. F. Infrutescence. (all photos by F. A. Michelangeli; A–B, D–E from Michelangeli 1638, C, F from Michelangeli 1893)

FIGURE 9. Distribution map of Miconia farfanii □ and Miconia paucartambensis▲, in Manu National Park, Cusco, Peru.