Miconia argyrophylla De Candolle (1828: 181)

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 : 115

18. Miconia argyrophylla De Candolle (1828: 181) .

Treelet or tree 3.1–6.8 m tall. Light gray rhytidome. Branches erect, quadrangular, not winged, rufous; branches, leaves abaxial surface, inflorescences, bracts, bracteoles, hypanthium and fruits with arachnoid persistent trichomes. Leaves opposite, isophyllous; petioles striate 2.1–3.5 cm long; leaf blades 24–28.2 × 8.2–11.6 cm, chartaceous, discolored, elliptical, base cuneate or rounded, apex acuminate, margins entire or serrate, not ciliate, adaxial side glabrous, leaf veins 5, basal, ant domatia absent. Paniculate Scorpioid ca. 15.1 × 6.2 cm, terminal; bracts ca. 1.4 mm long, lanceolate, caducous; bracteoles ca. 0.3 mm long. Flowers 5-merous, sessile; hypanthium ca. 1.7 mm long, oblong, striate; calyx simple, persistent; petals ca. 2.3 × 1.2 mm, white, obovate, symmetrical, apex rounded, base attenuate, margins ciliate; stamens 10, heteromorphic, smaller anthers ca. 2.3 mm, larger anthers ca. 3.1 mm long, yellow, oblong, straight, apex truncate,1 apical pore, connective not prolonged, smaller filaments ca. 1.7 mm, larger filaments ca. 2.3 mm long, glabrous; ovary ca. 0.8 mm long, half-inferior, placentation axillary, 3-locular, with simple trichomes; style ca. 5.2 mm long, straight, glabrous. Berry ca. 4.3 × 6.5 mm, unripe fruit green and orange, ripe fruit blackish; seeds numerous, triangular.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Amazonas , Manaus, RDS-Tupé, 15 August 2012, fl., A. L. Corrêa 35 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) ; 15 August 2012, fl., A. L. Corrêa 36 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) ; 15 August 2012, bot., A. L. Corrêa 38 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) ; 15 August 2012, fr., A. L. Corrêa 43 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) ; 02 November 2012, fr., A. L. Corrêa 94 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) .

Distribution and habitat:— Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Peru and Bolivia ( Goldenberg et al. 2013). In Brazil it occurs in Amazonian forests ( Goldenberg & Caddah 2015). In the reserve, it occurs on second growth plateaus of “terra firme” forest.

Comments:— This s pecies is frequent in the reserve. It can be distinguished by the striate, light gray rhytidome, quadrangular branches, and leaves with ciliate margins and abaxial leaf surface with arachnoid trichomes.