Tococa bullifera Martius & Schrank ex De Candolle (1828: 165)

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 : 124-125

40. Tococa bullifera Martius & Schrank ex De Candolle (1828: 165) .

Shrubs 1.20–1.60 m tall. Brown and smooth rhytidome. Branches erect, cylindrical, not winged, reddish; branches, petioles, leaves both side, inflorescebces, bracts, bracteoles, hypanthium and fruits with simple and glandular caducous trichomes. Leaves opposite, isophyllous; petioles circular 0.5–2.5 cm long, leaf blades 24.6–31 × 7.6–11.3 cm, membranaceous, concolorous, symmetrical, elliptical or oblong, base acute, apex acuminate, margins entire or serrate, ciliate, leaf veins 5, basal; ant domatia present. Paniculate 7.6–13.8 × 2.1–3.8 cm, terminal, peduncle squared and winged; bracts 3.1–4.1 mm long, lanceolate, persistent, with simple glandular trichomes; bracteoles 0.6–1.1 mm long, with simple caducous trichomes. Flowers 5-merous; pedicel 3.1–6 mm long; hypanthium 4.1–4.4 mm long, conical, smooth; calyx double, caducous; lacinia ovate; petals 7.4–7.8 x 4.1–4.4 mm, pinkish, obovate, symmetrical, apex emarginate, base truncate, margins not ciliate, glabrous; stamens 10, isomorphic, anthers 5.4–5.8 mm long, oblong, curved, apex attenuate,1 apical pore, connective not prolonged, filament 5.9–6 mm long, glabrous; ovary 2.6–3.1 mm long, half-inferior, placentation axillary, 3-locular, with simple trichomes; style 12.1–12.9 mm long, straight, with glandular caducous trichomes. Berry 7.1–8.8 × 5.9–6.3 mm, unripe fruit green, ripe fruit red; seeds numerous, triangular.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Amazonas, Manaus, RDS-Tupé, 05 June 2012, fl., A.L. Corrêa 13 (EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!); 07 June 2012, fl., fr., A.L. Corrêa 17 (EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!); 27 July 2012, bot., A.L. Corrêa 29 (EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!); 27 July 2012, fl., A.L. Corrêa 30 (EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!); 15 August 2012, fl.,fr., A.L. Corrêa 44 (EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!); 07 September 2012, fl.,fr., A.L. Corrêa 68 (EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!); 25 October 2012, fl., A.L. Corrêa 84 (EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!); 02 November 2012, fr., A.L. Corrêa 89 (INPA!), 02 November 2012, fr., A.L. Corrêa 93 (INPA!); 05 December 2012, fr., A.L. Corrêa 109 (EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!); 06 December 2012, fr., A.L. Corrêa 112 (EAFM!, HUAM!, INPA!).

Distribution and habitat:— Guyana, Venezuela, Peru ( Michelangeli, 2005). In Brazil it occurs in Amazonian Forests, Cerrado and Pantanal (Michelangeli, 2015). In the reserve, it occurs on “terra firme” plateaus on well drained, clay soil with a lot of organic matter.

Comments:— This species is frequent in the reserve. It can be recognized by the leaves with ant domatia and the quadrangular, winged peduncle.