Conostegia arborea (Schltdl.) Steud.

Kriebel, Ricardo, 2016, A Monograph of Conostegia (Melastomataceae, Miconieae), PhytoKeys 67, pp. 1-326 : 44-45

Conostegia arborea (Schltdl.) Steud.

Conostegia arborea (Schltdl.) Steud., Nomencl. ed. II. 1: 405. 1841. Melastoma arboreum Schltdl., Linnaea 13: 424. 1839. Type: Mexico. "Inter Tioselo et Jicochimalco", August 1829, Schiede s.n. (lectotype: GOET!, designated here; isolectotypes: BM!, K!, LE).

Conostegia galeottii Naudin, Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. ser. 3 16: 107. 1850. Type: Mexico. Veracruz: June-October 1940, H. Galeotti 2917 (holotype: P, isotypes: BR!, K!, NY!).

Description.

Trees 2-8 m tall with tetragonal, ridged and swollen stems which are covered with a mixture of sessile stellate and stalked-stellate hairs sometimes intermixed with simple hairs; the nodal line present but mostly obscured by indument. Leaves of a pair equal to somewhat unequal in length. Petiole 1-7 cm. Leaf blades 8-26.9 (-30) × 6.6-11.5 (-15) cm, 3-5 plinerved with the innermost pair of veins diverging from the mid vein in sub alternate to alternate fashion up to 1.5 cm above the base, elliptic, the base acute to obtuse, the apex acute to acuminate, the margins dentate with gentle curves between the well separated teeth, adaxially glabrous, abaxi ally with a a mixture of sessile stellate and stalked-stellate hairs sometimes intermixed with simple hairs. Inflorescence a terminal panicle 6-15 cm long branched above the base but sometimes appearing branched at the base because of multiple inflorescences arising at opposing meristems at the terminal node, accessory branches present, rachis flattened, bracts early deciduous or absent, bracteoles linear, ca. 2 mm long, early deciduous. Pedicel 3.5-6 mm long. Flowers 7-8(-12) merous, calyptrate. Flower buds 11-16 × 5-9 mm, not constricted in the middle, the base flat, the calyptra apiculate; the hypanthium 6-9 × 6-9 mm, smooth, glabrescent to evidently stellate pubescent. Petals 10-12.5 × 7-8 mm, white, obovate, glabrous, rounded-truncate to emarginate. Stamens 20-28, apparently slightly zygomorphic because the style is bent, the filament 4-5 mm, not evidently geniculate, white, anthers ca. 3 mm, oblong and somewhat recurved, sagittate at the base, the connective thickened, laterally compressed, yellow except for a hugh of rose at the base of thecae dorsally in one specimen, the pore ca 0.15 mm wide. Ovary 10-14 locular, inferior, glabrous, the apex elevated into a collar around the style. Style 5-6 mm, strongly bending downwards, vertical distance from the anther to the stigma ca. -1 mm, horizontal distance ca. 1-1.5 mm; stigma consisting of 10-15 laterally compressed lobes but not evidently crateriform, 2-3 mm wide. Berry 8-9 × 8-9 mm, purple. Seeds ca. 0.6 mm, pyramidal, smooth.

Distribution

(Fig. 63 ). Puebla and Veracruz, Mexico, 800-1600 m.

Conostegia arborea can be recognized by its leaves with dentate margins, abaxial indument of sessile and stipitate stellate hairs and especially by its apiculate calyptra apices. The amount of indument on floral buds is variable. The flowers of Conostegia arborea have been reported to have a good fragrance (Ventura 1141 - NY).

Specimens examined.

MEXICO. Puebla: Texcaco, Gold 7 (NY); El Reparo, municipio de Hueytamalco, Ventura 415 (IEB, NY) . Veracruz: 1 km al norte de Rancho Viejo sobre el río Pixquiac, Marquez et al. 849 (NY); along very winding road from Naolinco to Misantla 13 km by road S of turn off to Yecuatla and 6 km by road N of Paz de Enríquez, Mun. Yecuatla , Nee et al. 26343 (NY); near Jalapa, Pringle 8170 (NY); Tatzayanala, Municipio de Atzalan , Ventura 1141 (NY) .

Figures

Figure 63. Distribution of Conostegia arborea.