Meriania peltata L.Uribe, Caldasia

Fernandez-Hilario, Robin, Goldenberg, Renato & Michelangeli, Fabián A., 2023, A synopsis of Meriania (Melastomataceae: Merianieae) in Peru, Phytotaxa 602 (1), pp. 1-101 : 48-50

17. Meriania peltata L.Uribe, Caldasia 8(40): 532 (1962). Meriania macrophylla subsp. peltata (L.Uribe) Humberto Mend., Acta Bot. Mex. 128(e1734): 73 (2021). Type:— COLOMBIA, Cundinamarca: bosques abajo del Salto de Tequendama , cerca a El Ermiteño, 2200 m, 18 May 1959 (fl., fr.), L. Uribe Uribe 3285 (holotype: COL! [barcode COL000003288 ]; isotypes: AAU!, COL! [barcodes COL000016055 , COL000003289 , COL000003290 ], ENCB! [ ENCB008627 ], F! [accession no. 1810513]. GH! [barcode 00072676], MO! [barcode MO-313849], NY! [barcodes 00228973, 02500165], US! [barcodes 00120384, 00120385], VEN! [barcode 111520]). ( Figures 40–41).

Comments:— We place two nearby populations collected in northern Peru and identified by H. Mendoza in 2009 (see identification label of Llatas & Suarez 2762) with reservations under M. peltata , which differs from the typical form ( Colombia) by its truncate to repand calyces ( Fig. 40G) (vs. evident and irregular lobed) and stamen connective with acuminate to falcate descending dorso-basal appendages ( Fig. 40E–F) (vs. bifid). Meriania peltata was previously known only from Andean forests from Ecuador and Colombia ( Fernández-Fernández 2010, Almeda et al. 2021), and now two new localities are recorded in the Department of Cajamarca in northern Peru.

Meriania peltata is one of the four Peruvian species (along with M. bicentenaria , M. franciscana and M. ninakurorum ) that form part of the M. macrophylla complex (see comments under M. franciscana for diagnostic characteristics). It can be differentiated from the other ones by the combination of peltate leaves (vs. subpeltate in M. ninakurorum , and not peltate in M. bicentenaria and M. franciscana ), large ovate leaf blades (22.8–28.7 × 13.3–16.7 cm) and pubescent to setulose abaxial leaf surfaces ( Fig. 40C).

Distribution and phenology:— Meriania peltata occurs from Colombia to northern Peru (Department of Cajamarca in montane forests at 2200–2400 m) ( Fig. 9). It has been collected in flower in July.

Specimens examined:— PERU. Cajamarca: Prov. Cutervo, Dist. San Andrés, Grutas de San Andrés , 2200 m, 15 Jul 1990 (fl.), S . Llatas & Suarez 2762 ( F!, US!) ; Dist. Santo Tomás, PN Cutervo, cerca de la catarata Santa Rosa , 2400 m, 06°10’52.39”S, 78°45’31.97”W, 26 Nov 2020 (ster.), R . Fernandez-Hilario et al. 2093 ( HOXA!, MOLF!, UPCB!) .