Clidemia hirta

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 : 112

11. Clidemia hirta (Linnaeus: 1753: 35) Don (1823: 309).

Subshrubs and shrubs 0.60–1.1 m tall. Green and smooth rhytidome. Branches erect, cylindrical, not winged, greenish, hollow; branches, petioles, leaves both sides, inflorescences, bracts, bracteoles, hypanthium and fruits with simple and glandular trichomes. Leaves opposite isophyllous; petioles circular 7.1–26.6 mm long; leaf blades 7.1–12.8 × 3.4–6.9 cm, chartaceous, concolorous, symmetrical, ovate, base cordate or subcordate, apex acuminate or acute, margins serrate and ciliate, leaf veins 7, basal or suprabasal; ant domatia absent. Inflorescences terminal or pseudoaxillary, a paniculate or a cyme 3.6 × 3.3 cm,; bracts 0.4–0.9 mm long, linear, persistent; bracteoles 0.2–0.3 mm long. Flowers 5-merous; pedicel 5.3–6.4 mm long; hypanthium ca. 3.6 mm long, urceolate, smooth; calyx simple, persistent, external lacinia linear; internal lacinia a membranous ring, glabrous; petals 8.2–8.7 × 4.6–4.9 mm, white, ovate, symmetrical, apex acute, base truncate, margins not ciliate, glabrous; stamens 10, isomorphic, anthers 4–4.8 mm long, white, oblong, curved, apex attenuate, 1 apical pore, connective not prolonged, filament 1.8–2.9 mm long, glabrous; ovary ca. 2.4 mm long, superior, placentation axillary intrusive, 5-locular, glabrous; style 8.1–9.4 mm long, straight, glabrous. Berry 8.2–10.1 × 7.6–8.5 mm, unripe fruit green, ripe fruit blackish; seeds numerous, ovoid.

Specimens examined: — BRAZIL. Amazonas , Manaus, RDS-Tupé, 08 June 2012, fl. fr., A. L. Corrêa 20 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) ; 16 July 2012, bot., A. L. Corrêa 52 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) ; 02 November 2012, fl., A. L. Corrêa 100 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) ; 05 December 2012, fr., A. L. Corrêa 105 ( INPA!) .

Distribution and habitat: —All over the Neotropics ( Berry et al. 2001). In Brazil it occurs in Amazonian forests, Caatinga, Cerrado and Atlantic forest ( Michelangeli & Reginato 2015). In the reserve, it occurs in “terra firme”, in secondary forests and trail edges; it is not found inside the forests.

Comments: —This s pecies is frequent in the reserve. It differs from the other Clidemia by the hirtellous adaxial surface of the leaves and white petals.