Conostegia galdamesiae (Kriebel & Almeda) Kriebel, 2016

Kriebel, Ricardo, 2016, A Monograph of Conostegia (Melastomataceae, Miconieae), PhytoKeys 67, pp. 1-326 : 180

Conostegia galdamesiae (Kriebel & Almeda) Kriebel comb. nov. Fig. 161

Conostegia galdamesiae (Kriebel & Almeda) Kriebel. Basionym: Miconia galdamesiae , Phytotaxa 134 (1): 28. 2013. Type: Panama. Chiriquí: Reserva Forestal de Fortuna, sendero atras de la estación del Smithsonian (STRI), 1162 m, 8.734583 N, - 82.240083 W, 19 September 2011, R. Kriebel & J. Burke 5736 (holotype: NY!, isotypes: INB!, PMA!).

Description.

Small trees 2.5-7 m tall with young stems orange-brown from the copious indument of asperous-headed hairs, nodal line barely evident. Petioles 0.8-4 cm. Leaf blades 4.5-20 × 2-10.5 cm, 3-5-plinerved, diverging from the midvein 0.5-6 cm above the base usually asymmetrically, elliptic-ovate to ovate, base obtuse to acute and usually oblique, apex acuminate, the margin denticulate, adaxially glabrous except for asperous-headed hairs on the main veins towards the base, somewhat thin and dark green when alive, abaxially densely pubescent on tertiary and higher order veins with asperous-headed orange-brown hairs and glabrous to glabrescent on the actual surface. Inflorescences terminal, lax dichasia branched at or near the base of the inflorescence, 3.7-7 cm long, copiously covered with orange-brown asperous-headed hairs, bracts to 8 mm long, linear oblong, bracteoles 0.5-1 mm long, linear, less pubescent than rest of inflorescence rachis, drying pinkish, flowers clustered at the end of the inflorescence branches. Pedicels essentially absent. Hypanthia campanulate 1.25-1.75 × 1-1.5 mm, densely covered with asperous-headed hairs. Flowers 5-merous. Calyx fused in bud, shortly apiculate and less pubescent than the hypanthium, rupturing at anthesis into irregular, broadly rounded hyaline lobes 0.25-0.75 mm long and 0.5-0.75 mm wide at the base, the exterior calyx teeth 0.25-0.5 mm long, linear oblong, the calyx tube 0.25-0.5 mm long. Petals 1.5-2 × 1-1.5 mm, ovate, white, smooth, reflexed at anthesis, emarginate. Stamens 10, 3-3.5 mm long, radially arranged around the style; filaments 1.5-2 mm long, geniculate near the apex, translucent white; anthers 1-1.5 × 0.35-0.65 mm, linear-oblong, somewhat laterally compressed, cream yellow, pores 0.1-0.15 mm wide, truncate to somewhat ventrally inclined. Ovaries 5-locular, half inferior, apex elevated into a low papillose collar. Styles 4.5-4.75 mm long, straight to very slightly curved, distance between the anther apex and the stigma ca. 1 mm; stigmas truncate to capitellate, ca. 0.5 mm wide. Berries described as green-red on one label (McPherson 8410, CAS) but drying purple, 1.7-1.9 × 2.0-2.2 mm when dry; seeds ovoid and angled, 0.4-0.5 × 0.3-0.4 mm, orange-brown, lateral symmetrical plane ovate to triangular, the highest point toward the chalazal side, antiraphal symmetrical plane ovate-triangular and inconspicuously verruculose on the angles, raphal zone narrowly triangular and extending the length of the seed, expanded into an appendage that covers about 30% of the seed length. Chromosome number: n = 17 (reported as Miconia aff. friedmaniorum in Almeda (2013)).

Distribution

(Fig. 162 ). Endemic to cloud forests in the Panamanian provinces of Bocas del Toro, Coclé and Veraguas, 860-1350 m.

Conostegia galdamesiae is a Panamanian cloud forest endemic that can be recognized on the basis of its reddish indument, broad leaves with extremely plinerved leaf veins which are frequently asymmetric, and inflorescences with clustered, sessile flowers that have a fused calyx in bud. It is similar to Conostegia brenesiana , Conostegia friedmaniroum , and Conostegia papillopetala . From all of these species Conostegia galdamesiae can be recognized by its inflorescences with the flowers clustered at the end of the branches. From Conostegia brenesiana it can be further distinguished by its evident indument on branch apices and veins on the abaxial leaf surface. Conostegia brenesiana also has a unique broad anther pore. From Conostegia friedmaniroum it can be distinguished because the latter has deflexed inflorescences and linear-oblong petals. Lastly from Conostegia papillopetala it can be distinguished because the latter has narrower, somewhat bullate leaves, and papillose pink petals.

Specimens examined.

PANAMA. Bocas del Toro: Fortuna Dam Area, along continental divide trail bordering Chiriquí Province, Almeda et al. 6059 (BM, BR, CAS, GH, MEXU, MO, NY, PMA, P, US); Fortuna Dam region, near trail along continental divide, McPherson 8410 (CAS, MO, PMA); Vicinity of Fortuna Dam , along continental divide trail west of highway, McPherson 11636 (CAS, MO, PMA) . Coclé: Cerro Tigrero, Mendieta 17-466 (CAS, PMA). Veraguas: Trail to Reserva Biológica Serrania de Tute and the summit of Cerro Tute about 0.7 km beyond the Escuela Agricola Rio Piedra just outside Santa Fe, Almeda et al. 7618 (CAS, INB, MO, NY, PMA, US); Vicinity of Escuela Agricola , Alto de Piedra near Santa Fe. 3 mi beyond the fork in the road near the school, toward Atlantic slope along trail to top of Cerro Tute, Antonio 3501 (CAS, MO, PMA); puente sobre rio Los Valles , cerca de la hidrolectrica Estrella Los Valles, Correa et al. 4341 (CAS, PMA); Cerro Tute ridge up from former Escuela Agricola, Santa Fe, Hamilton and Dressler 3073 (CAS, EAP, INB, MEXU, MO, PMA) .

Figures

Figure 161. Conostegia galdamesiae. A Habit B Leaf abaxial surface. Note asymmetric leaf venation C Inflorescence D Close up of the flowers E Flower bud. Note closed sepals with apiculum F Pickled flower G Longitudinal section of a pickled flower H Petal I Close up of the longitudinal section of the flower showing the ovary apex J Close up of the longitudinal section of the flower showing the inner hypanthium wall K Stamen. Photos of specimen vouchered R. Kriebel 5736.

Figure 162. Distribution of Conostegia galdamesiae.