Miconia veraguensis Gamba & Almeda, 2014

Gamba, Diana & Almeda, Frank, 2014, Systematics of the Octopleura Clade of Miconia (Melastomataceae: Miconieae) in Tropical America, Phytotaxa 179 (1), pp. 1-174 : 139-150

33. Miconia veraguensis Gamba & Almeda , spec. nov. ( Fig. 26 )

Related to M. approximata by virtue of the densely fasciculate glomerules. Distinguished by the elliptic ovate berries which are larger than in its closest relatives; 6.59–7.34 × 4.31–5.3 mm.

Type: PANAMA. Prov. Veraguas: Trail to Reserva Biológica Serranía de Tute and the summit of Cerro Tute about 0.7 km beyond the Escuela Agrícola Río Piedra just outside Santa Fe , 860–1300 m, 18 February 1996, Almeda et al. 7620 (holotype: CAS!; isotype MO!, NY!, PMA!) .

Little-branched shrub 1–1.5 m tall, bark green-brown. Upper internodes rounded-quadrate 1.09–1.91 cm long, cauline nodes slightly compressed becoming terete with age, nodal line present. Indumentum on branchlets, petioles, adaxial leaf surface, primary, secondary and tertiary veins adaxially and abaxially, bracts, bracteoles, pedicels, hypanthia, calyx lobes and calyx teeth densely covered with caducous white-translucent elongate slightly roughened trichomes 1–1.5 mm long, each trichome deflexed and somewhat flattened, intermixed with a dense understory of dendritic trichomes 0.2–0.5 mm long with moderately long thin-walled arms. Leaves of each pair slightly anisophyllous in size; subsessile to short-petiolate, the free rounded-quadrate petioles 0.42–0.95 cm long (on larger leaves) or 0.21–0.4 cm long (on smaller leaves), widely canaliculate adaxially, convexly 3-grooved abaxially, succulent, brownish; larger blades 12.5–20.5 × 6–9 cm, elliptic-obovate, the base acute or roundedcordate, shortly decurrent on the petiole, the margin crenulate to subentire, the apex bluntly apiculate; smaller blades 6.5–14 × 4.75–8.7 cm, elliptic-obovate to obovate, the base slightly rounded to attenuate, shortly decurrent on the petiole, the margin crenulate to subentire, the apex bluntly apiculate; chartaceous; adaxial surface of mature leaves, primary, secondary and tertiary veins glabrescent, the elongate roughened trichomes denser toward the base, the higher order veins glabrous; abaxial surface superficially glabrous, microscopically papillose with resinous unfurrowed or slightly furrowed glands to 0.1 mm in diameter, the indumentum on the secondary veins intermixed with a resinous understory of minute sessile to short-stalked glands 0.1 mm long with thin-walled short heads, these glands also present on the tertiary and higher order veins, sparsely intermixed with white furrowed sessile glands ca. 0.1 mm long; 5–(7-) plinerved, including the tenuous marginals, innermost pair of secondary veins diverging symmetrically from the primary vein 0.5–3 cm above the base, areolae 0.3–0.4 mm, adaxially the primary, secondary and tertiary veins deeply impressed, the higher order veins slightly so, abaxially the primary and secondary veins elevated and terete, somewhat succulent, the tertiary and higher order veins slightly raised to flat. Inflorescences a congested, axillary and fasciculate many-bracted glomerule 1.22–2.18 cm long, sessile,

SYSTEMATICS OF THE OCTOPLEURA CLADE OF MICONIA

Phytotaxa 179 (1) © 2014 Magnolia Press 139 unbranched, paired or appearing verticillate in the upper leaf axils and at defoliated nodes; bracts 5.43–7.04 × 2.75–3.95 mm, elliptic to elliptic-ovate, concave, the apex acute, greenish, glabrescent, persistent in fruit. Flowers not seen, probably 4-merous based on persistent calyx lobes in fruit, sessile. Hypanthia in fruit 6.4–6.85 × 1.5–2 mm, free portion of hypanthium 1.6–1.8 mm long, subcylindric to urceolate, bluntly 8-ribbed, green, the indumentum mostly consisting of dendritic trichomes to 0.3 mm long, intermixed with minute sessile glands and with white furrowed sessile glands, both ca. 0.1 mm long, ridged on the inner surface, glabrous, the torus adaxially glabrous, somewhat glossy. Calyx persistent in fruit, green to brown; tube 0.3–0.5 mm long, glabrous adaxially, with the same vestiture as the hypanthium abaxially; lobes 2–2.5 × 1.5–1.8 mm, triangular, slightly concave, the margin entire, the apex bluntly acute, the indumentum intermixed with the same two types of glands present on the hypanthium, spreading to reflexed in fruit; exterior calyx teeth to 1.8 mm long, linear-deltoid, thick, inserted half way up the lobes and projecting beyond them. Ovary (in fruit) 4-locular, completely inferior, 4.8–5 mm long, the apical collar 1 × 0.8–1 mm, conic, glandular-puberulent. Berries 6.59–7.34 × 4.31–5.3 mm when dry, globoseelliptic to globose-obovate, light green, ripening orange, the hypanthial indumentum persistent at maturity. Seeds 0.57–0.75 × 0.39–0.44 mm, pyramidal, yellow-brown; lateral symmetrical plane triangular, the highest point near the central part of the seed, with a foot-like projection at the micropylar end; antiraphal symmetrical plane suboblong; raphal zone suboblong, ca. 80% the length of the seed; multicellular sculpture rugose throughout the seed. Individual cells elongate and isodiametric, the latter found at the highest point of the seed, anticlinal boundaries channeled, undulate, with Ω- and U-type patterns; periclinal walls convex, low- to high-domed, microrelief striate.

Additional specimens studied:— PANAMA. Veraguas: Along trail to summit of Cerro Tute about 1/ 2 mile above the Escuela Agrícola Alto Piedra near Santa Fe , 8.48222°N, - 1.09805°W, 900–1100 m, 29 January 1989, Almedaet al. 6480 ( CAS, MO, NY, PMA) .

Illustration:— Fig. 26 .

Common names and documented uses:— None recorded.

Habitat, distribution and ecology:— A local and uncommon species known only from cloud forests of Cerro Tute in the province of Veraguas, Panama ( Fig. 16 ), at 860–1300 m .

Phenology:— Collected in fruit in January and February.

Etymology:— The specific epithet refers to the province of Veraguas in Panama, where this species appears to be endemic.

Discussion:— This species has a distinctive white-translucent lanate vegetative indumentum, flowers that are congested in fasciculate glomerules with conspicuous bracts, and large bright orange mature berries. In its poorly developed inflorescences and rugose seeds, M. veraguensis is most similar, and also most closely related, to those species in the Approximata subclade that have sessile fasciculate glomerules. Miconia approximata which occurs nearly throughout Central America south to Ecuador has a thicker and darker vestiture, shorter, globose-oblate fruits at maturity (2–2.5 × 5–6 mm vs. 6.59–7.34 × 4.31–5.3 mm that is globose-elliptic to globose-obovate). In Veraguas province, M. approximata is only known from Isla de Coiba. Miconia veraguensis is also similar to M. chocoensis and M. quadridomius , two South American species that have a longer lanate indumentum (1.5–3 mm vs. 1–1.5 mm) and smaller berries. Although flowers of this species remain unknown, it is clearly distinct from its close relatives in the characters mentioned above.

Conservation status:— This species would be considered Critically endangered CR Dbased on IUCN criteria. Because this species is rare and local in a protected area of the Cerro Tute in Veraguas, Panama, a status of Vulnerable VU is warranted.

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Excluded species

Clidemia radicans Pilger (1905: 179) . Type: PERÚ. Amazonia: close to Leticia, Ule 6869 (holotype: MG; isotype: B-internet image!, photograph: F!). = Clidemia epiphytica var. trichocalyx (Blake) Wurdack (1964: 215–216) .

Ossaea ciliata (Triana) Cogniaux (1891a: 1067) . Davya ciliata Grisebach (1860b: 265) . Octopleura ciliata Triana (1871: 146) . Type: In insula TRINITATIS, Crueger s.n. (holotype: BR-internet image!). = Miconia lateriflora Cogniaux (1909: 255) .

Ossaea involucrata (Grisebach) Triana (1871: 147) . Type: CUBA. Prope Monte Verde, 1856–1857, Wright 194 (holotype: BR- 2 sheets-internet images!). = Calycogonium involucratum Grisebach (1860c: 184) .

Figures

FIGURE 16. Distributions of Miconia quadridomius and M. veraguensis, M. quinquenervia, M. radicans, and M. reitziana.

FIGURE 26. Miconia veraguensis. A. Habit, showing detail of cauline internodes (top), abaxial foliar indumentum (bottom left), and abaxial foliar venation (bottom right). B. Berry, lateral view. C. Berry, top view. D. Seed. Based on Almeda et al. 6480, CAS. Drawn by Sean V. Edgerton.