Miconia galdamesiae Kriebel & Almeda, 2013

Kriebel, Ricardo & Almeda, Frank, 2013, Two new species of Miconia (Melastomataceae: Miconieae) from the cloud forests of Panama, Phytotaxa 134 (1), pp. 27-41 : 28-31

Miconia galdamesiae Kriebel & Almeda sp. nov.

TYPE:— PANAMA. Chiriquí: Reserva Forestal de Fortuna. Sendero atrás de la estación del Smithsonian ( STRI) , 1162 m, 8.734583 N, - 82.240083 W, 19 September 2011, R. Kriebel 5736 & J. Burke (holotype NY!, isotypes INB!, PMA!) . Figs. 1–2 .

Small trees 2.5–7 m tall with young stems orange–brown from the copious indument of asperous–headed hairs, nodal line barely evident. Petioles 0.8–4 cm. Leaf blades 4.5–20 × 2–10.5 cm, 3–5–plinerved, diverging from the midvein 0.5–6 cm above the base usually asymmetrically, elliptic–ovate to ovate, base obtuse to acute and usually oblique, apex acuminate, the margin denticulate, adaxially glabrous except for asperous–headed hairs on the main veins towards the base, somewhat thin and dark green when alive, abaxially densely pubescent on tertiary and higher order veins with asperous–headed orange–brown hairs and glabrous to glabrescent on the actual surface. Inflorescences terminal, lax dichasia branched at or near the base of the inflorescence, 3.7–7 cm long, copiously covered with orange–brown asperous–headed hairs, bracts to 8 mm long, linear oblong, bracteoles 0.5–1 mm long, linear, less pubescent than rest of inflorescence rachis, drying pinkish, flowers clustered at the end of the inflorescence branches. Pedicels essentially absent. Hypanthia campanulate 1.25–1.75 × 1–1.5 mm, densely covered with asperous–headed hairs. Flowers 5– merous. Calyx fused in bud, shortly apiculate and less pubescent than the hypanthium, rupturing at anthesis into irregular, broadly rounded hyaline lobes 0.25–0.75 mm long and 0.5–0.75 mm wide at the base, the exterior calyx teeth 0.25–0.5 mm long, linear oblong, the calyx tube 0.25–0.5 mm long. Petals 1.5–2 x 1–1.5 mm, ovate, white, smooth, reflexed at anthesis, emarginate. Stamens 10, 3– 3.5 mm long, radially arranged around the style; filaments 1.5–2 mm long, geniculate near the apex, translucent white; anthers 1–1.5 × 0.35– 0.65 mm, linear–oblong, somewhat laterally compressed, cream yellow, pores 0.1–0.15 mm wide, truncate to somewhat ventrally inclined. Ovaries 5–locular, half inferior, apex elevated into a low papillose collar. Styles 4.5–4.75 mm long, straight to very slightly curved, distance between the anther apex and the stigma ca. 1 mm; stigmas truncate to capitellate, ca. 0.5 mm wide. Berries described as green–red on one label (McPherson 8410, CAS) but drying purple, 1.7–1.9 × 2.0– 2.2 mm when dry; seeds ovoid and angled, 0.4–0.5 × 0.3–0.4 mm, orange–brown, lateral symmetrical plane ovate to triangular, the highest point toward the chalazal side, antiraphal symmetrical plane ovate–triangular and inconspicuously verruculose on the angles, raphal zone narrowly triangular and extending the length of the seed, expanded into an appendage that covers about 30% of the seed length. Chromosome number: n = 17 (reported as M. aff. friedmaniorum in Almeda 2013).

Distribution— Miconia galdamesiae is known from two cloud forest localities in Panama, one in Chiriquí / Bocas del Toro Provinces and one in Veraguas Province in an elevation range from 860–1350 m.

Phenology— Specimens of Miconia galdamesiae have been collected in flower in January through March, August and September, and with fruit in February and September.

Etymology— It is with great pleasure that we name this species for our colleague, Carmen Galdames, botanist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute who has made many important collections of Melastomataceae and the Panamanian flora in general.

Discussion— Miconia galdamesiae belongs to a group of small tree species that appear to be restricted to the cloud forests of Costa Rica and Panama. Based on molecular phylogenetic data (Kriebel & Michelangeli in prep.) M. galdamesiae groups in a well supported clade that includes M. friedmaniorum , M. papillopetala , and M. pendula Umaña & Almeda (1993: 5) . These species share a similar indument of roughened trichomes, leaves that are typically asymmetrically plinerved with the main veins diverging from the mid vein in alternate fashion, small flowers with a fused calyx that ruptures prior to anthesis, filaments that are geniculate just below the anther thecae, five-locular ovaries, very exserted styles and seeds that are more or less ovoidtriangular in outline and angulate on the antiraphal surface with or without verruculose ornamentation that is restricted to the angle ridges. Miconia galdamesiae can be distinguished from both Miconia pendula and M. friedmaniorum by its ovate petals (vs. linear-oblong petals). Also, M. galdamesiae has sessile flowers in glomerules and exhibits a ‘big bang’ flowering strategy ( Fig. 1 ), whereas the other two species have inflorescences in which few flowers appear to open at a time, and the flowers are pedicellate and not arranged in glomerules. The stamens of M. galdamesiae are declined away from the style at anthesis unlike M. pendula (see Almeda & Umaña 1993, for a drawing of M. pendula ) and M. friedmaniorum ( Figs. 5–6 ) where the stamens are held tightly around the style at anthesis ( Figs. 1–4 ). Miconia pendula also differs in its lanate indument and both M. pendula and M. friedmaniorum differ from M. galdamesiae in their deflexed inflorescences. Continuing botanical exploration in southern Central America suggests that M. friedmaniorum and M. pendula are restricted to Costa Rica as suspected when they were described whereas M. galdamesiae and M. papillopetala are endemic to Panama. Miconia galdamesiae is also similar to and grows sympatrically with M. papillopetala on Cerro Tute (= Cerro Mariposa) in Veraguas Province. The two Panamanian species can be distinguished by petal color and indument details on upper cauline internodes, the inflorescence axes and the leaves (see Table 1 and Figs. 3 & 4 ). See discussion under M. papillopetala below for further comments.

Another close relative of the above discussed taxa is Miconia brenesii which has a broader distribution that may ultimately extend to Panama. This species can be distinguished from M. galdamesiae by its young branches that appear glabrous or with very short roughened hairs, pedicellate, unclustered flowers, a calyx that is not fused prior to anthesis and very broad anther pores that are typically bent backwards toward the dorsal side of the anther ( Figs. 7 & 8 ).

Representative Specimens Examined— PANAMÁ. Bocas del Toro: Fortuna Dam Area , along continental divide trail bordering Chiriquí Province, 1200–1300 m, 08º45’04”N, 82º15’04”W, 10 March 1988, F . Almeda et al. 6059 ( BM, BR, CAS, GH, MEXU, MO, NY, PMA, P, US); Fortuna Dam region , near trail along continental divide, 11 February 1986, 1250– 1300 m, ca. 8º45’N, 82º15’W, G . McPherson 8410 ( CAS, MO, PMA); Vicinity of Fortuna Dam, along continental divide trail west of highway, 1250 m, 08°45’N, 82°15’W, 5 September 1987, McPherson 11636 ( CAS, MO, PMA). Coclé: Cerro Tigrero , 1000– 1350 m, 8°37’33”N, 80°41’18”W, 26–28 September 2001, J . Mendieta 17-466 ( CAS, PMA). Veraguas: Trail to Reserva Biológica Serrania de Tute and the summit of Cerro Tute about 0.7 km beyond the Escuela Agricola Rio Piedra just outside Santa Fe , 18 February 1996, 860– 1300 m, F . Almeda et al. 7618 ( CAS, INB, MO, NY, PMA, US); Vicinity of Escuela Agricola, Alto de Piedra near Santa Fe. 3 mi beyond the fork in the road near the school, toward Atlantic slope along trail to top of Cerro Tute , 26 January 1980, 3400–3800 ft., T . Antonio 3501 ( CAS, MO, PMA); puente sobre río Los Valles, cerca de la hidrolectrica Estrella Los Valles , 28 August 1982, M . D. Correa et al. 4341 ( CAS, PMA); Cerro Tute ridge up from former Escuela Agricola, Santa Fe , 1000–1300 m, 8°05’W, 8°35’N, 20 February 1983, C . Hamilton & R . Dressler 3073 ( CAS, EAP, INB, MEXU, MO, PMA) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Miconia galdamesiae Kriebel & Almeda. A. Habit. B. Leaf abaxial surface showing asymmetric leaf veins. C. Flowering branch. D. Ultimate inflorescence branch with clustered flowers. E. Floral bud with fused sepals that terminate in an apiculum. F. Flower at anthesis. G. Longitudinal section of the hypanthium at anthesis. H. Petal. I–J. Longitudinal section and detail of the ovary apex and the inner hypanthial wall. K. Stamen (profile view). From the holotype.

FIGURE 2. Miconia galdamesiae Kriebel & Almeda. A. Detail of the indument of a secondary vein on the abaxial foliar surface. B. Detail of the indument of a tertiary vein on the abaxial foliar surface. C. Floral bud. D. Flower at anthesis. E. Petal adaxial surface. From the holotype. Scale bar = 500 µm (A, C–E), and 100 µm (B).

FIGURE 3. Miconia papillopetala Kriebel & Almeda. A. Branch showing stem indument and asymmetric leaf bases. B. Leaf abaxial surface showing symmetric and asymmetric leaf veins. C. Flowering branch. D. Fruiting branch. E. Floral bud with fused sepals terminating in an apiculum. F. Flower at anthesis (petal color lost in ethanol preserved material). G. Longitudinal section of the hypanthium of a flower at anthesis. H. Petal. I. Stamen (profile view). J. Style and stigma. From the holotype.

FIGURE 4. Miconia papillopetala Kriebel & Almeda. A. Flower bud with its fused sepals rupturing apically. B. Flower an anthesis. C. Indument on a secondary vein on the abaxial foliar surface. D. Close up of stamens showing geniculate filaments. E. Detail of petal adaxial surface showing papillae. F. Seed. From the holotype. Scale bar = 500 µm (A–D), and 100 µm (E–F).

FIGURE 5. Miconia friedmaniorum Almeda & Umaña. A. Branch showing asymmetric leaf bases of most leaves. B. Flowering branch showing deflexed posture of inflorescence. C. Flower. D. Infructescence. E. Floral bud with fused sepals that have ruptured. F. Longitudinal section of flower bud. G. Profile view of flower at anthesis. H. Flower at anthesis viewed from above. I. Petal. J. Stamen. All from R. Kriebel et al. 5461 (INB).

FIGURE 6. Miconia friedmaniorum Almeda & Umaña. A. Indument of a secondary vein on the abaxial foliar surface. B. Detail of the indument on abaxial foliar surface. C. Flower at anthesis. D. Anther pore viewed from above. E. Petal adaxial surface. F. Stamen in profile view. G. Profile view of a seed. From R. Kriebel et al. 5461 (INB). Scale bar = 100 µm (A–B, D–E, and G), and 500 µm (C and F).

FIGURE 7. Miconia brenesii Standl. A. Branch showing mostly glabrous internodes and symmetric and slightly asymmetric leaf bases. B. Leaf abaxial surface showing asymmetric leaf veins. C. Inflorescence. D. Flower. E. Floral bud lacking fused sepals. F. Longitudinal section of flower bud. G. Flower at anthesis. H. Longitudinal section of a flower at anthesis. I. Longitudinal section of a flower at anthesis showing detail of the hypanthium and ovary. J. Petal. K. Stamen lateral view. L. Stamen dorsal view. M. Style and stigma. A–D by Kenji Nishida. E–M. From R. Kriebel 3665 (INB).

FIGURE 8. Miconia brenesii Standley. A. Indument of a secondary vein on the abaxial foliar surface. B. Detail of the indument on abaxial foliar surface. C. Flower bud with sepals not fused into an apiculum. D. Flower an anthesis. E. Detail of the dorsal and ventral view of the anther thecae. F. Detail of petal adaxial surface showing. G. Profile view of a seed. H. Close up of an angle of a seed. From R. Kriebel 3665 (INB). Scale bar = 100 µm (A–B, F–H), and 500 µm (C–E).