Meriania franciscana C.Ulloa & Homeier

Fernandez-Hilario, Robin, Goldenberg, Renato & Michelangeli, Fabián A., 2023, A synopsis of Meriania (Melastomataceae: Merianieae) in Peru, Phytotaxa 602 (1), pp. 1-101 : 33-35

10. Meriania franciscana C.Ulloa & Homeier , Anales Jard. Bot. Madrid 65(2): 383 (2008).

Meriania macrophylla subsp. franciscana (C.Ulloa &Homeier) Humberto Mend. ,Acta Bot. Mex.128(e1734): 72(2021).

Type:— ECUADOR. Zamora-Chinchipe: Reserva San Francisco , road Loja-Zamora , ca 35 km from Loja, 1890 m, 03°58’S, 79°04’W, 28 Jul 2007 (fl.), J. Homeier 2625 (holotype: QCNE! [barcode QCNE225593 ]; isotypes: GOET! [barcode GOET011446 ], LOJA! [barcode 213337 ], M! [barcode M-0274973 ], MO! [barcode MO-2161006 ], NY! [barcode 01287741 ], QCA! [barcode 144072 ]) . ( Figure 28 ).

Comments:— Meriania franciscana belongs to the M. macrophylla complex ( Wurdack 1978, Ulloa Ulloa & Homeier 2008, Bussmann & Paniagua 2012, Fernandez-Hilario et al. 2022), characterized by campanulate corollas, strongly dimorphic stamens and antepetalous stamens with inflated (bulbous) connectives. Meriania bicentenaria , M. franciscana , M. ninakurorum and M. peltata are the only species of this complex occurring in Peru. Within this group M. franciscana can be distinguished by its adaxial appendages (scutum) on the insertion of the petiole with the leaf blade ( Fig. 28D ), glabrous to densely puberulent abaxial leaf blades ( Fig. 28B–C ), lobed calyces, reddish-purple petals, antepetalous stamen connectives with blunt ascending dorsal appendages ( Fig. 28E ) and antesepalous stamen connectives with dorsal appendages as a mere hump ( Fig. 28F ).

The specimen Fernandez-Hilario et al. 2034 collected in Amazonas shares the same morphological characteristics of leaves and inflorescences as the population recorded in Cajamarca. However, it has truncate calyces and antepetalous stamen connectives without dorsal appendages. This difference suggests that the Amazonas population probably corresponds to a different species. Therefore, more material needs to be collected and reviewed before a conclusion can be drawn.

In his review of Meriania for Colombia, Mendoza-Cifuentes (2021) considered that all the species from the M. macrophylla complex (except M. ninakurorum , which was not treated by him) should be recognized as subspecies of a broadly defined M. macrophylla . However, M. franciscana differs from the Colombian taxa from that group, because it does not have bifid descending dorso-basal appendages. Although this feature may be variable within the same inflorescence in some species of the complex ( Mendoza-Cifuentes 2021), none of the Colombian species of the M. macrophylla complex have antepetalous stamen connectives with ascending dorsal appendages, or antesepalous stamen connectives with dorsal appendages as a mere hump, as is the case in M. franciscana . For this reason, we do not consider M. franciscana to be a subspecies of M. macrophylla and recognized it as a separate species.

Distribution and phenology:— Meriania franciscana occurs from southern Ecuador (Zamora-Chinchipe province) to northern Peru (Departments of Amazonas and Cajamarca in montane forests at 1750–2370 m) ( Fig. 9 ). It has been collected in flower in March, November and December, and in fruit in August and November.

Specimens examined:— PERU. Amazonas: Prov. Bongará, Dist. Yambrasbamba , inmediaciones de CP Miraflores, 1980 m, 05°42’13.19”S, 77°55’47.64”W, 10 Nov 2020 (fl., fr.), R. Fernandez-Hilario et al. 2034 ( HOXA!, MOLF!, UPCB!). Cajamarca: Prov. San Ignacio, Dist. Huarango , CP Selva Andina, camino hacia la captación de agua, 2378 m, 05°03’50”S, 78°43’19”W, 25 Aug 2007 (fr.), J. Perea et al. 2775 ( NY!), Dist. San José de Lourdes , CP Camana, 1750–1900 m, 05°01’S, 78°54’W, 04 Mar 1997 (fl.), J. Campos & S. Corrales 3393 ( MOLF!, NY!, USM!), bottom of cerro Picorana, 2100 m, 04°59’25”S, 78°54’05”W, 01 Dec 1998 (fl.), C. Díaz & S. Fernández 10150 ( HUT!, MOLF!, NY!, USM!) .

Figures

FIGURE 9. Distribution map of M. acida, M. callosa, M. dazae, M. drakei, M. franciscana, M. juanjil and M. peltata.

FIGURE 28. Meriania franciscana. A. Terminal fertile branch with inflorescence. B. Leaf blade, abaxial view. C. Detail of the abaxial leaf surface. D. Detail of the leaf base, adaxial surface. E. Antepetalous stamen, lateral view. F. Antesepalous stamen, lateral view. G. Petal. H. Flower bud with petals removed.A, B, D–F and H from C. Díaz & S. Fernández 10150; C and G from J. Campos & S. Corrales 3393.