Miconia punctata (Desrousseaux 1797: 50) 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 : 121

31. Miconia punctata (Desrousseaux 1797: 50) De Candolle (1828: 184) .

Trees 9-12 m tall. Grayish and smooth rhytidome. Branches erect, quadrangular, not winged, rufous; branches, petioles, leaves abaxial surface, inflorescence, hypanthium and fruits with lepidote persistent trichomes. Leaves opposite, isophyllous; petioles striate 0.8–1.8cm long; leaf blades 17.1–24.6 × 8.1–8.8 cm, chartaceous, discolored, symmetrical, oblong-elliptic, base acute, apex acuminate, margins entire, not ciliate, adaxial sides glabrous, leaf veins 5, basal; ant domatia absent. Paniculate 13.1–28.7 × 12–19.3 cm, terminal; bratcs not seen, bracteoles not seen. Flowers 5-merous, sessile; hypanthium ca. 1.5 mm long, oblong, wrinkled; calyx simple, persistent; lacinia ovate; petals 3 × 2–2.3 mm, white, obovate, symmetrical, apex rounded, base attenuate, margins not ciliate, with trichomes; stamens 10, heteromorphic, smaller anthers 1.5–1.9 mm, larger anthers 2.2–2.5 mm long, white, oblong, straight, apex attenuate, base prolonged, 1 apical pore, connective not prolonged, filament 1.9–2.8 mm long, glabrous; ovary 0.9–1.2 mm long, half-inferior, placentation axillary, 3-locular; style 5.1–6.2 mm long, straight, glabrous. Berry ca. 4.3– 4.2 mm, unripe fruit green; fruits with up to six seeds, triangular.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Amazonas , Manaus, RDS-Tupé, 15 August 2012, fl., A. L. Corrêa 34 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) ; 15 August 2012, fl., A. L. Corrêa 37 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) ; 16 August 2012, fl., A. L. Corrêa 50 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) ; 06 October 2012, fl., A. L. Corrêa 58 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) ; 06 October 2012, fl., A. L. Corrêa 59 ( EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!) .

Additional specimen examined:— BRAZIL. Amazonas, Manaus, 07 November 1989, fr., M.T. Campos 08 (INPA!).

Distribution and habitat:— Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia ( Goldenberg et al. 2013). In Brazil it occurs in Amazonian forests ( Goldenberg & Caddah 2015). In the reserve, it occurs in shaded areas in “terra firme” slopes on well drained, clay soil with low organic matter.

Comments:— This species is frequent in the reserve. It can be distinguished by the grayish and smooth rhytidome, quadrangular branches, opposite leaves with lepidote trichomes, and petals with trichomes on their surfaces.