Miconia alata (Aublet 1829: 410) De Candolle (1828: 184)

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 : 114-115

17. Miconia alata (Aublet 1829: 410) De Candolle (1828: 184) .

Shrubs ca. 1.2 m tall. Light gray and smooth rhytidome. Branches erect, quadrangular, winged, rufous; branches, leaves both side, inflorescences, bracts, bracteoles, hypanthium and fruits with stellate-stipitate persistent trichomes. Leaves opposite isophyllous, sessile; leaf blades 10.5–15.2 × 4.2–6.9 cm, coriaceous, discolored, abaxial surface rufous, symmetrical, oval, base attenuate, apex acute, margins slightly denticulate and ciliate, adaxial side with stellate-stipitate caducous trichomes only at the central veins, leaf veins 7, suprabasal; ant domatia absent. Paniculate 8.4–15.3 × 6.9–7.2 cm, terminal; bracts 1.1 mm long, elliptical, caducous; bracteoles ca. 0.3 mm long. Flowers 5- merous; pedicel ca. 0.3 mm long; hypanthium ca. 2.3 mm long, campanulate, smooth; calyx simple, persistent; lacinia triangular; petals ca. 2.5 × 1.5 mm, white, oval, symmetrical, apex rounded, base truncate, margins not ciliate, glabrous; stamens 10, heteromorphic, smaller anthers ca. 2.2 mm long, larger anthers ca. 3 mm long, white, lanceolate, curved, apex attenuate,1 apical pore, connective not prolonged, smaller filaments ca. 2.5 mm, larger filaments 3.7 mm long, glabrous; ovary ca. 1.4 mm long, half-inferior, placentation axillary, 4-locular, with glandular trichomes; style ca. 6.2 mm long, curved, glabrous. Berry 3.8 × 3.2 mm, unripe fruit green, ripe fruit orange; seeds numerous, triangular.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Amazonas , Manaus, RDS-Tupé, 15 August 2012, fr., A. L. Corrêa 40 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) ; 15 August 2012, fr., A. L. Corrêa 41 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) ; 10 August 2013, fl., A. L. Corrêa 239 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) .

Distribution and habitat:— Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname ( Goldenberg et al. 2013). In Brazil it occurs in Amazonian forests and Caatinga ( Goldenberg & Caddah 2015). In the reserve, it occurs in second growth plateaus of “terra firme” forest, over well drained clay soil.

Comments:— This species is not frequent in the reserve. It can be distinguished from the other species by the isophyllous, sessile leaves.