Systematics of the Octopleura Clade of Miconia (Melastomataceae: Miconieae) in Tropical America Gamba, Diana Almeda, Frank Phytotaxa 2014 2014-09-24 179 1 1 174 73GCQ (Wurdack 1978 a: 302 - 303) Gamba & Almeda Gamba & Almeda 2014 Wurdack 302 - 303 1978 [197,966,151,176] Magnoliopsida Melastomataceae Miconia Plantae Myrtales 81 82 Tracheophyta species incerta comb. nov.  Small shrub 1–1.5 mtall, laxly and weakly branched. Upper internodesquadrisulcate, 2.9–7.4 cmlong, cauline nodes terete, nodal line absent. Indumentum on branchlets, primary and secondary leaf veins abaxially, inflorescence axes, and pedicels densely to moderately composed of translucent-yellowish dendritic trichomes 0.05–0.1 mmlong with short axes and few-moderate number of terete arms. Leavesof a pair isophyllous; sessile; blades (2.7–)5.5–15 × (1.1–) 1.9–9.8 cm, ovate to lanceolate, the base cordate and amplexicaul, the margin crenateserrate, the apex bluntly acuminate, chartaceous; mature leaves adaxially soon glabrous, at first sparsely covered with the general dendritic trichomes, the primary, secondary, tertiary and higher order veins glabrous; the abaxial surface glabrescent with a sparse resinous indumentum of slightly furrowed more or less stalked glands 0.04–0.05 mmlong, the same typeof glands sparsely present on the secondary, tertiary and higher order veins abaxially; 5-7- nerved, including the tenuous marginals, areolae 0.4–0.5 mm, adaxially the primary and secondary veins slightly impressed, the tertiary and higher order veins flat, abaxially the primary and secondary veins elevated and terete, the primary vein canaliculate, the tertiary and higher order veins slightly elevated. Inflorescencesan axillary fewflowered thyrsoid 8–11 cmlong, including a thin reddish peduncle 3–4 cmlong, pendant and laxly divaricate from the peduncle apex, paired on the upper and lateral leaves; bracts 0.25–0.35 × 0.15–0.2 mm, subulate-linear, erect, glabrous, persistent in fruit; bracteoles 0.2–0.3 × 0.1–0.2 mm, linear, somewhat spreading, glabrous, persistent in fruit. Flowers(4-)5-merous on thin pedicels 1–1.5 mmlong. Hypanthiaat anthesis 2.7–2.9 × 2 mm, free portion of hypanthium 0.8–1.2(–1.5) mm long, campanulate to subcylindric, bluntly (8-)10-ribbed, copiously resinousglandular with slightly furrowed more or less stalked glands 0.05–0.1 mmlong, occasionally intermixed with caducous dendritic trichomes, ridged on the inner surface, glabrous like the torus adaxially. Calyxopen in bud and persistent in fruit; tube 0.2 mmlong, glabrous inside, resinous-glandular like the hypanthium; lobes (0.5–)0.6–0.8 × 0.3–0.5 mm, broadly and bluntly triangular, the margin vaguely undulate, the apex rounded, adaxially glabrous, abaxially moderately resinous-glandular; exterior calyx teeth 1.3–1.5 mmlong, linear-subulate, inserted on the apical half of the calyx lobes and projecting beyond them, copiously resinous-glandular. Petals6–6.3 × 0.75 mm, lanceolate, the margin entire, the apex bluntly acute to acuminate, greenish to white, glabrous on both surfaces, reflexed at anthesis. Stamens10; filaments 1.5–2.5 × 0.25 mm, white, glabrous; anther thecae 1.9–2.5 × 0.3–0.35 mm, linear-oblong and subulate, truncate-acuminate at the apex, opening by one dorsally inclined pore 0.1 mmin diameter; connective slightly darker than the thecae, its prolongation and appendage 0.6–0.75 mmlong, the appendage lanceolate, acute at the apex, minutely and copiously glandular, the glands rounded and sessile. Ovary(4-)5-locular, 9/10 inferior, 2.2–2.4 mmlong at anthesis, the apical collar 0.2–0.3 × 0.2–0.25 mm, conic-depressed, with a corona of ca. 10 resinous-glandular setulae; style not seen at anthesis, parallel sided (i.e. terete), white, glabrous; stigma truncate when dry. Berries3.5–4 × 2 mmwhen dry, globose, red when ripe, the hypanthial indumentum somewhat persistent at maturity. Seeds0.33–0.37 × 0.27–0.3 mm, ovoid, not angled, dark-brown; lateral and antiraphal symmetrical planes ovate, the highest point near the central part of the seed; raphal zone ovate to suboblong, ca. 80% the length of the seed, ventrally expanded toward the micropyle; multicellular sculpture rugose throughout the seed; individual cells elongate, anticlinal boundaries channeled, somewhat undulate to irregularly curved; periclinal walls convex, low to high-domed, microrelief striate.   Additional specimens studied:—   COLOMBIA. Antioquia:( Frontino), Nutibara, Cuencaalta del Río Cuevas, carretera a la Blanquita,  1350 m,  18 July 1987,  Sánchezet al. 1485( HUA, US).   Chocó: CarreteraTutunendo-El Carmen, Entrekms 135 y 120, Alto Río Atrato, Orillade la carretera,  800–1200 m,  29 April 1979,  Foreroet al. 6148( COL, MO); ( San José del Palmar), escuela antigua de Galapagos, cascadas al final de la trocha de la escuela,  1300 m,  20 February 2011,  Mendoza17636( FMB).   Valle: Río El Chanco, márgen izquierda, camino que conduce a Aguabonita, subiendo hacia la cabecera del Río El Chanco,  400 m,  3 April 1985,  Ruizet al. 111( COL, CUVC).   ECUADOR. Esmeraldas:( Quininde), Bilsa Biological Station, Montañas de Mache,  35 kmWof Quininde,  5 kmWof Sta Isabela, 0°21'N, 79°44'W,  400–600 m,  30 December 1994,  Pitman& Marsh1130( MO).  Illustration:—None found.   Common names and documented uses:—None recorded.  Habitat, distribution and ecology:—Rare in primary wet forests, also in disturbed sites, on the Pacific Andean slope of Colombiaand Ecuador( Fig. 14), at 400–1350 m.  Phenology:—Collected in bud in July. In flower and fruit in April and December.  82 Phytotaxa179 (1) © 2014 Magnolia Press GAMBA & ALMEDA   Etymology:—The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word incert(= uncertain), probably referring to the rarity of this species or its uncertain affinities.   Discussion:—The style description is based on the protologue and Flora of Ecuadortreatment ( Wurdack 1980), because this floral part was missing on the few specimens available for study.   Miconia incertahas distinctive sessile, amplexicaul ovate-lanceolate leaves, and a copiously resinousglandular hypanthium. Morphologically it is very similar to  M. bensparreiand  M. palenquensisespecially with respect to the asperous vegetative indumentum, which in  M. incertais somewhat yellowish-translucent (vs. brownish), and in the sessile-amplexicaul leaves, which are very distinct in shape (ovate-lanceolate vs. elliptic or elliptic-obovate); the inflorescence architecture is also somewhat comparable, although less elaborated in  M. incerta(thyrsoid vs. dithyrsoid). On the other hand, the hypanthial indumentum and anther morphology is clearly distinct, as well as the seed shape and micromorphology of the testa. The latter characters make it difficult to assess the systematic position of this species among described species in the Octopleuraclade. In  M. incerta, the multicellular seed sculpture (rugose) and its microrelief (striate) are similar to those found in the species of the Approximata subclade. However, other vegetative characters (complete lack of anisophylly, inflorescence architecture) and floral features (anther morphology) seem to negate any likely affinities to species of the Approximata subclade. Wurdack described the petals as ovate based on rehydrated buds, but they are actually lanceolate and similar to those in  M. variabilis, which he considered close to  M. incerta. Phylogenetically  M. variabilishas a basal position among species of the Variabilis subclade, so they would be definitely be closely related if  M. incertais ultimately shown to belong to this subclade as well. Wurdack (1978a)also compared  M. incertawith  M. albertobrenesiibut these two species are unquestionably distinct and not readily confused.  Conservation status:—Endangered EN B2ab(iii). Habitat destruction is the only known threat. This species was thought to be endemic to western Ecuador(but here it is reported from Colombiaas well), where it is known from two collections (in Esmeraldas and Imbabura provinces). Discovered in 1949 near Lita and rediscovered in 1994 inthe Bilsa private reserve, in the Reserva Ecológica Mache-Chindul (Esmeraldas). It may also occur in the Reserva Ecológica Cotacachi-Cayapas ( Cotton & Pitman 2004). [743,966,151,176] 1949-04-25 Ecuador Basionym 501 Lita Type 81 82 1 Imbabura holotype 1987-07-18 HUA, US la Blanquita & Sanchez Colombia Frontino 1350 Cuenca Nutibara 81 82 1 Antioquia 1979-04-29 COL, MO Forero Colombia Choco 1000 Carmen Carretera 81 82 1 Antioquia 2011-02-20 FMB Mendoza Colombia 1300 Galapagos 81 82 1 Galapagos 1985-04-03 COL, CUVC Ruiz Colombia Valle 400 Aguabonita Rio El Chanco 81 82 1 Antioquia 1994-12-30 MO Pitman & Marsh Ecuador Quininde 500 0.35 Montanas de Mache 1308 -79.73333 Bilsa Biological Station 81 82 1 Esmeraldas