Bellucia spruceana (Bentham ex Triana 1871: 143 ) J.F.Macbride (1941: 499)

Corrêa, André Luis, Scudeller, Veridiana Vizoni & Goldenberg, Renato, 2017, Melastomataceae in the Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável do Tupé, Amazonas, Brazil, Phytotaxa 323 (2), pp. 101-127 : 108

7. Bellucia spruceana (Bentham ex Triana 1871: 143) J.F.Macbride (1941: 499) . ( Figure 2 G .)

Trees 4–12 m tall. Gray and scaly rhytidome. Branches erect, cylindrical, not winged, whitish, glabrous. Leaves opposite isophyllous; petiole channelled 1.3–1.8 cm long, with simple persistent trichomes; leaf blades 16.5–25.6 × 9.4–18.1 cm, membranous, concolorous, symmetrical, ovate, base obtuse, apex acute, margins entire, not ciliate, adaxial and abaxial, leaf veins 5, suprabasal; ant domatia absent. Flowers solitary, ramiflorous; bracts and bracteoles absent. Flowers 5-merous; pedicel 12.6–13.7 mm long; hypanthium 7.6 mm long, campanulate, wrinkled, glabrous; calyx simple and persistent; petals 19.8–20.7 × 13.6–14.1 mm, white, obovate, symmetrical, apex acute, base attenuate, margins not ciliate, glabrous; stamens 10, isomorphic, anthers 7.3–7.8 mm long, ovoid, straight, 1 apical pore, connective not prolonged, appendaged, filament 9.2–10 mm long, glabrous; ovary ca. 6.9 mm long, inferior, placentation axillary intrusive, 10-locular, glabrous; style 22.3–22.9 mm long, straight, glabrous. Berry 19.8 × 22.8 cm, unripe fruit green, ripe fruit yellow, with simple caducous trichomes; seeds numerous, obovate.

Specimens examined: — BRAZIL. Amazonas , Manaus, RDS-Tupé, 07 December 2012, fr., A. L. Corrêa 119 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) ; 30 January 2013, fl., A. L. Corrêa 130 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) ; 01 February 2013, fl., A. L. Corrêa 141 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) ; 02 March 2013, fl., A. L. Corrêa 187 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) ; 28 August 2013, fr., A. L. Corrêa 247 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) .

Distribution and habitat: — Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana, Ecuador, Peru ( Berry et al. 2001). In Brazil it occurs in Amazonian florests ( Lima & Baumgratz, 2015). In the reserve, it occurs in “terra firme”, on a plateau with clay soil.

Comments: —This species is rare in the reserve. It can be distinguished by the light gray and scaly rhytidome, and flowers with five petals. It can be confounded with Bellucia grossulariodes , which has six petals and dark and gray rhytidome.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Flower, fruit and bark in species of Melastomataceae in the RDS-Tupé: Flower (A–B).A: Henriettea martiusii; B: Tibouchina fothergillae. Fruit (C–F); C. H. maroniensis; D. Clidemia epibaterium; E. Miconia comptifolia; F. C. capitellata; G. Bellucia spruceana; H. M. longispicata, detail of inflorescence; I. M. rhytidophylla. Patterns and colors of the rhytidome and inner bark; J. M. chrysophylla; K. M. comptifolia; L. M. crassinervia; M. M. dispar; N. M. egensis; O. M. gratissima; P. M. longispicata; Q. M. lourteigiana; R. M. phanerostila; S. M. radulifolia; T. M. regelii; U. M. tomentosa; V. M. umbrosa; W. Tococa coronata; X. Tococa subciliata.