Miconia longidentata Michelang. & W. Meier, 2013

Michelangeli, Fabián A. & Meier, Winfried, 2013, A new anisophyllous species of Miconia (Melastomataceae: Miconieae) from the Coastal Cordillera in northern Venezuela, Phytotaxa 79 (1), pp. 37-44 : 38-40

Miconia longidentata Michelang. & W. Meier , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 )

A species of Miconia with anisophyllous and sessile leaves differing from Clidemia farinasii by its longer calyx teeth (3.3–4.2 vs. 2.6–2.8 mm) and shorter inflorescence peduncle (<3 mm vs. 20–30 mm), and from Clidemia flexuosa by its longer calyx teeth (3.3–4.2 vs. 0.5–0.6 mm), hypanthium shape (terete vs. 8-costate) and stem pubescence (glabrous vs. glandular setose).

Type:— VENEZUELA. Límite entre estados Vargas / Miranda: Cordillera de la Costa, vertiente norte, al sur del pueblo Chuspa, en bosque a lo largo del Rio Chuspa , 10˚ 33’ N 66 ˚ 19’ W, 330–360 m, 19–22 February 1993, fl, fr, W. Meier 3432 (holotype VEN!; isotypes B!, US!) .

Shrub, up to 2 m tall. Young stems terete to slightly flattened in the younger internodes, glabrous, internodes longitudinal ridges absent, nodal line absent. Leaves anisophyllous; large leaves petiole <4 mm long, glabrous; blade 8.5–12.5(–16) × 2.2–3.5(–5.5) cm, narrowly ovate to lanceolate, membranaceous to chartaceous, apex gradually acuminate to acute, base cordate with a sinus 2–2.5(–4.0) mm long, margin sparsely denticulate, teeth appressed and up to 0.8 mm long; glabrous on both surfaces; secondary veins 1 pair plus 1 pair of faint marginals, basally nerved, tertiary veins percurrent, quaternary veins reticulate, areoles 1.6–2.2 mm wide, veins flat on the adaxial surface and raised on the abaxial surface. Smaller leaves of each pair 20–50(–80)% the size of the larger leaf, varying even in the same branch, with the smaller leaf alternating sides on the branch, broadly ovate (in the more reduced leaves) to broadly lanceolate. Inflorescences axillary in younger internodes, mostly paired on both sides of the node, rarely only on one side, a 1–3 flowered cyme, on a peduncle 2–3 mm long; peduncles terete, glabrous; bracteoles ca 0.6 mm long, lanceolate, persistent. Flower pedicel 0.7 mm long. Hypanthium (from the base to the calyx tube base) 2.3–2.5 mm long, cylindrical, 1.2–1.3 mm wide at the torus, external indumentum with a mix of short pinoid hairs and glandular setae up to 0.6 mm long, internal surface smooth, androecial fringe absent. Calyx open in bud, the tube 1.1 mm long at anthesis, the lobes ca. 0.5 mm long, narrowly triangular; calyx teeth subulate, 3.5–4.2 × ca. 0.15 mm, glabrous, upright in bud and spreading at anthesis. Petals 4, 4.9–5.1 × 2.1–2.2 mm, obovate, white at anthesis, glabrous, apex round, base obtuse, margin entire. Stamens diplostemonous, isomorphic, around the style at anthesis; filament 3.4–3.5 mm long, glabrous, anthers with 2 locules, thecae 2.6–3 × 0.3 mm, straight, opening by 1 dorsally oriented minute pore, connective glabrous, 0.15 mm extended below the thecae, with a dorsal descending tooth, up to 0.15 mm long. Ovary 4-locular, 60% inferior, the free portion conical, the apex with 8 teeth <0.1 mm long around the union with the style, but otherwise lacking a collar; style 6–6.5 mm long, straight, glabrous; stigma punctiform, ca. 0.3 mm wide. Berries 4.5–4.8 × 2.4–2.8 mm, globose, narrowing towards the apex, black, glandular trichomes mostly persistent when mature, calyx and teeth persistent in fruit. Seeds 0.6–0.7 mm long, pyramidal, raphe covering 33% of the apex of the seed, without tertiary sculpturation, testa golden brown.

Habitat and Distribution:— Miconia longidentata is known from mid and low elevation forests in the central portion of the Coastal Cordillera in northern Venezuela, on both the northern and southern slopes above 350 m.

Conservation Status:— The four specimens known of Miconia longidentata are effectively clustered in two different areas. The area above 350 m bracketed by these two populations delimits a potential extent of occurrence (EEO) of approximately 120 km 2. Most of these EEO falls within the Waraira Repano National Park, but parts of the eastern population are outside the park limits. Given the distribution and population sizes, we provisionally assign Miconia longidentata a IUCN (2001) conservation status of Endangered, as defined by the IUCN guidelines ( IUCN 2011).

Etymology:—This new species is named after its long and persistent calyx teeth.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes): — VENEZUELA. Miranda: Parque Nacional El Avila, Cordillera de la Costa, vertiente sur, al nornoreste de Salmerón, entre Fila Las Perdices y Rio Brazo Grande , 10˚ 32’ N 66 ˚ 22’ W, 490 m, 16–19 April 1993, fr, W . Meier 3646 ( US, VEN) . Vargas [Distrito Federal on the label]: P. N . El Avila, vertiente norte, arriba de Naiguata, quebrada del rio Camuri Grande , 10˚ 34’ N 66 ˚ 42.5 W, 1135 m, 20–22 May 1992, fr, W . Meier 2325 ( US, VEN); P. N . El Avila, Cordillera de la Costa, vertiente norte, al sur del pueblo Chuspa, bajada de la fila Las Perdices al Rio Chuspa , 10˚ 32’ N 66 ˚ 20’ W, 900–1000 m, 19–22 February 1993, fl bud, W . Meier 3389 ( US, VEN) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Miconia longidentata. A. Flowering branch with detail of leaf margin. B. Detail of node and inflorescence. C. Flower bud. D. Flower immediately before anthesis. E. Stamen, ventral and lateral view. F. Fruit, lateral and apical view. Drawn by Bobbi Angel from Meier 3432 (US).