Leandra melastomoides Raddi (1820: 386)

Silva-Gonçalves, Kelly Cristina Da, Baumgratz, José Fernando A. & Nunes-Freitas, André Felippe, 2014, Melastomataceae in a continental Atlantic Forest island from southeastern Brazil, Phytotaxa 183 (2), pp. 61-92 : 71

3.2. Leandra melastomoides Raddi (1820: 386) . [ Figs. 5i–l ]

Shrubs to treelets 2–4.5 m; indumentum of the branches, petioles and inflorescences hispid-estrigulose, the trichomes appressed-ascendant. Petioles 1–2.3 cm long; blade 8–17 × 2.8–5.5 cm, chartaceous, elliptic, base obtuse to acute, apex acute to acuminate, margin entire; adaxial surface bullate, veins with hispid trichomes, blade estrigose-estrigulose, abaxial surface with veins hispid, blade setose-villous; acrodromous veins 3–5, 4– 11 mm suprabasal. Thyrsoids of glomerules, 6.5–8.1 cm long; bracts 4.8–5 × 3.8–4 mm, bracteoles 4–5 × 2.3–3.2 mm, both involucral, rose to vinaceous and persistent in fruiting, broadly ovate, apex rounded, the outer bracts with the abaxial surface completely appressedhispidulous. Flowers 5–6-merous, subsessile; hypanthium 2.1–3 × 1.4–2.2 mm, tubulose, densely appressed-hispid; inner torus glabrous; calyx with external lobes 2–2.1 × 0.9–1 mm, triangular, appressed-hispid, internal lobes 1.1–2 × 0.2–0.3 mm, glabrous, margin sometimes sparse-ciliolate; petals 4–4.5 × 0.9– 0.8 mm, white, narrowly triangular, apex acuminate-apiculate; stamens isomorphic, subequal in size, filaments 3.8–5 mm long; anthers 2.1–3 mm long, whiterosy, extrorsely sigmoid, connective 0.7–0.8 mm prolonged, appendage inconspicuous, truncate; ovary 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 mm, 1/2-inferior, 4-celled, setulose; style 8.7–9 mm long. Bacidium 7–8 x 3.8–4 mm, purple darkness, subgloboseurceolate, sparsely hispid; seeds 1–1.2 × 0.4–0.8 mm, obtriangular, testa smooth.

Specimen examined:— 15.V.2010, ster., K.C. Silva & F.S. Gonçalves 99 (RBR) .

Additional specimen examined:— BRASIL. Rio de Janeiro: Macaé , 5.VI.2000, fl., fr., M.G. Bovini et al. 1850 (RB); Parati, 19.XII.2007, fl., J.F.A. Baumgratz et al. 1073 (RB) .

Distribution:—A widely distributed species in South America. In Brazil, L. melastomoides occurs in the states of Paraíba, Goiás, Bahia, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná and Santa Catarina, in the Distrito Federal, and in Cerrado and Atlantic Forest Biomes ( Souza & Baumgratz 2012a). According to Wurdack (1962), the occurrence of this species in the state of Pará, Brazil, and in Suriname is doubtful, and based on Souza & Baumgratz (2009), it can be found up to 850 m elevation in the rain forests. This species is categorized as Vulnerable in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro ( Baumgratz 2000).

Comments:— This is the first record for Marambaia, where L. melastomoides occurs in Dense Submontane Ombrophilous Forest, in very humid areas at 640 m. It can also be distinguished from the other species by very rough leaves covered by hispid, strigose and strigulose trichomes, rose to vinaceous outer bracts and bracteoles, persistent in fruiting, and all the abaxial surface with hispidulous-appressed trichomes. Additional illustrations in Souza & Baumgratz (2009) .

Figures

FIGURE 5. Leandra acutiflora: a. leaf:abaxial surface; b.calyx; c. petal (Lima & Silva s.n. RB 44251).Leandra variabilis: d.leaf:abaxial surface; e–f. leaf: adaxial and abaxial surfaces, respectively; g. hypanthium and calyx; h. petal (Neto 1506). Leandra melastomoides: i. leaves; j. floral involucre and flower; k. petal; l. bract: adaxial surface (Baumgratz 1073). Leandra reversa: m. floriferous branch; n. petal; o. calyx lobe; p. young fruit; q. seed (m–o. Pessoa & Abbas 1054; n. Bacellar et al. 17; p. Luchiari 715; q. Brade 1433).