Miconia multispicata

• Interesting Facts
• Description
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Interesting Facts

Description

Family Melastomataceae

Herbs, shrubs , or trees (to 20 m tall), erect , climbing , or rarely epiphytic. Stipules lacking. Leaves simple , commonly opposite and decussate with one of a pair slightly smaller than other, rarely verticillate or alternate by abortion of one of a pair, usually 1-4(or 5) secondary veins on each side of midvein , originating at or near base and anastomosing apically, tertiary veins numerous, parallel, and connecting secondary veins and midvein but in Memecylon secondary veins pinnate and tertiary veins reticulate . Inflorescences cymose , umbellate , corymbose , in paniculate clusters , or a cincinnus, rarely flowers single, fascicled, or born on a spike; bracts sometimes conspicuous and persistent . Flowers bisexual , actinomorphic but androecium often slightly zygomorphic, usually (3 or) 4- or 5(or 6) -merous, perianth biseriate , perigynous; bracteoles opposite, usually caducous . Hypanthium funnel-shaped, campanulate , cyathiform , or urceolate . Calyx lobes (3-) 5(or 6), valvate (rarely connate , but not in Chinese species) . Petals (3-) 5(or 6), equal to number of sepals, distinct , imbricate. Stamens usually twice as many as petals and in 2 whorls, rarely as many as petals by loss of 1 whorl, isomorphic or dimorphic ; filaments distinct, often geniculate , inflexed in bud; anthers typically 2-celled, introrse , basifixed , dehiscent by 1 or 2 apical pores or by short longitudinal slits (Astronia, Memecylon) ; connective often variously appendaged. Pistil and style 1; stigma minute, capitate or truncate . Ovary commonly inferior or semi-inferior, locules usually (3 or) 4 or 5(or 6) with numerous anatropous ovules , rarely 1-loculed and ovules ca. 9 (Memecylon) ; placentation axillary , parietal (Astronia and, outside China, Pternandra Jack ), or free central (Memecylon) . Fruit a dry or fleshy capsule or a berry, loculicidally dehiscent or indehiscent. Seeds (when 3-6-loculed) usually small, curved through half a circle (cochleate) or wedge-shaped (cuneate), in Memecylon seeds large and ovoid ; endosperm absent.

Between 156 and 166 genera (150-160 in Melastomataceae sensu stricto and six in Memecylaceae here considered part of Melastomataceae) and ca. 4500 species (ca. 4050 in Melastomataceae sensu stricto and 450 in Memecylaceae [Olisbeoideae if considered a subfamily of Melastomataceae]) : primarily in tropical and subtropical regions; 21 genera (five endemic) and 114 species (72 endemic) in China.

Chinese genera of economic value include Osbeckia (medicine) and Melastoma (wild fruit and ornamental flowers) .[1]

Habitat

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 3,051 meters (0 to 10,010 feet).[2]

Taxonomy

Similar Species

Members of the genus Miconia

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 21 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus:

M. affinis (Saquiyac) · M. calvescens (Miconia) · M. foveolata (Puerto Rico Johnnyberry) · M. impetiolaris (Camasey De Costilla) · M. laevigata (Smooth Johnnyberry) · M. lanata (Hairy Johnnyberry) · M. mirabilis (Camasey Cuatrocanales) · M. pachyphylla (Camasey Racimoso) · M. prasina (Granadillo Bobo) · M. pseudonervosa (Lattice Monocle Bream) · M. punctata (Auquey) · M. pycnoneura (Ridge Johnny Berry) · M. racemosa (Camasey Felpa) · M. rubiginosa (Peraleio) · M. serrulata (Jau Jau) · M. sintenisii (Mountain Johnnyberry) · M. splendensc (Giant Bully) · M. subcorymbosa (Forest Johnny Berry) · M. tetrandra (Rajador) · M. tetrastoma (Graceful Johnny Berry) · M. thomasiana (Camasey Tomaso)

More Info

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Further Reading

• Flora of Jamaica, containing descriptions of the flowering plants known from the island, by William Fawcett and Alfred Barton Rendle. London.Printed by order of the Trustees of the British Museum, 1910- url p. 368.
• Grisebach, A. H. R. Flora of the British West Indian islands /by A.H.R. Grisebach. [1859]-18 London, L. Reeve, 1864. url p. 257.
• Phytologia. Bronx Park, New York, H.A. Gleason and H.N. Moldenke, url p. 176, p. 177.
• Chen Cheih. 1984. Melastomataceae. In: Chen Cheih, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 53(1): 135-293.

Notes

Contributors

• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 10, 2012.

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 25, 2007:

• Biologiezentrum der Oberoesterreichischen Landesmuseen, Biologiezentrum Linz
• Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Andes to Amazon Biodiversity Program
• Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden
• University of Vienna, Institute for Botany - Herbarium WU, Herbarium WU

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 9011918
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 15616795
• Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:572813-1
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 2014590

Footnotes

1. Jie Chen & Susanne S. Renner "Melastomataceae". in Flora of China Vol. 13 Page 360. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
2. Mean = 977.760 meters (3,207.874 feet), Standard Deviation = 1,002.300 based on 75 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]

©2004-2012 David Stang. All rights reserved.