Merianieae

Fernandez-Hilario, Robin, Goldenberg, Renato & Michelangeli, Fabián A., 2023, A synopsis of Meriania (Melastomataceae: Merianieae) in Peru, Phytotaxa 602 (1), pp. 1-101 : 9

Key to the genera of Merianieae in Peru

1. Tiny herbs generally less than 50 cm tall, or occasionally subshrubs up to 1.5 m tall; fruits with mature hypanthia costate with 8–10 evident ribs .........................................................................................................................................................................................2

- Shrubs, vines, or trees more than 1 m tall; fruits with mature hypanthia terete, sometimes slightly angled in Adelobotrys or slightly costate in Meriania (with 10 evident ribs in Meriania sumatika , but in this case trees 5–20 m tall) ................................................3

2. Inflorescences solitary or in pairs; stamen connectives with one dorso-basal appendage................... Macrocentrum ( Fig. 1G–1H )

- Inflorescences in unilateral scorpioid cymes with more than 10 flowers (with 1–4 flowers in S. peruviana ); stamen connectives with two appendages, one dorso-basal and the other dorsal ............................................................ Salpinga (in Peru) ( Fig. 1K–1L )

3. Stamen connectives with two appendages, one dorso-basal and the other dorsal..............................................................................4

- Stamen connectives with only one dorso-basal appendage................................................................................................................5

4. Vines or occasionally shrubs with malpighiaceous trichomes; stamen connectives with bifid ascending dorsal appendages or at least apically bilobed .................................................................................................................................. Adelobotrys ( Fig. 1A–1B )

- Shrubs, trees or rarely climbers, glabrous or with various indument types but never with malpighiaceous trichomes; stamen connectives with dentiform dorsal appendages or as mere humps, if it is ascending then blunt, apically sagittate or trilobed .......... ........................................................................................................................................................................ Meriania p.p. ( Fig. 1J )

5. Inflorescences erect, pseudo-pendulous or pendulous; stamen from both cycles with evident inflated (bulbous) connectives, except some species with 4-merous flowers but in these cases always with pendulous inflorescences (see comments below Meriania rubriflora )........................................................................................................................................................ Axinaea ( Fig. 1C–1D )

- Inflorescences erect (except pendulous in M. rubriflora ); stamens from both cycles with connectives not inflated (bulbous) (but antepetalous stamens of Meriania macrophylla complex with connectives inflated)........................................................................6

6. Hypanthia and calyces with various indument types; petals less than 4 mm long, if more than 4 mm long then hypanthia and calyces setose; stamen connectives with dorso-basal appendages always descending; anthers with pores ventrally inclined. .......... ....................................................................................................................... Graffenrieda (including Centronia . s.s.) ( Fig. 1E–1F )

- Hypanthia and calyces with various indument types but never setose; petals more than 9.5 mm long; stamen connectives with dorso-basal appendages descending or almost perpendicular to the thecae; anthers with pores dorsally inclined.............................. ......................................................................................................................................................................... Meriania p.p. ( Fig. 1I )

Figures

FIGURE 1. Genera of Merianieae in Peru. A. Adelobotrys (R. Fernandez-Hilario & A. Vásquez 1591). B. Adelobotrys (R. Fernandez- Hilario et al. 1658). C. Axinaea (R. Fernandez-Hilario et al. 1426). D. Axinaea (R. Fernandez-Hilario et al. 195). E. Graffenrieda (R. Fernandez-Hilario et al. 1737). F. Graffenrieda (R. Fernandez-Hilario et al. 1662). G–H. Macrocentrum (R. Vásquez et al. 39321). I. Meriania (R. Fernandez-Hilario et al. 2092). J. Meriania (R. Fernandez-Hilario et al. 1931). K–L. Salpinga (J. P. Janovec 3248). Photos by Robin Fernandez-Hilario (A–F and I–J); Rodolfo Vásquez (G–H) and Jhon P. Janovec (K–L).