<documentid="44ECF65CE704218DBDE3AA429B866F82"ID-CLB-Dataset="306636"ID-DOI="10.11646/phytotaxa.662.3.3"ID-GBIF-Dataset="5ed938f7-f2cb-498a-b3a9-6c801699a932"ID-ISSN="1179-3163"ID-Zenodo-Dep="14516216"IM.bibliography_approvedBy="felipe"IM.illustrations_approvedBy="felipe"IM.materialsCitations_approvedBy="felipe"IM.metadata_approvedBy="felipe"IM.tables_requiresApprovalFor="GgImagineBatch"IM.taxonomicNames_approvedBy="felipe"IM.treatments_approvedBy="felipe"checkinTime="1734537013249"checkinUser="felipe"docAuthor="Jiménez, Marco M., Iturralde, Gabriel A., Mendoza, Johny, Ocupa-Horna, Luis & Garzón-Suárez, Henry X."docDate="2024"docId="03E0F10DF24A00235C94FAB69A973992"docLanguage="en"docName="phytotaxa.662.3.239-250.pdf"docOrigin="Phytotaxa 662 (3)"docSource="https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.662.3.3"docStyle="DocumentStyle:96748F8F1B6C902996E134952A3A36B9.13:Phytotaxa.2014-.journal_article"docStyleId="96748F8F1B6C902996E134952A3A36B9"docStyleName="Phytotaxa.2014-.journal_article"docStyleVersion="13"docTitle="Meriania judithiae M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon 2024, sp. nov."docType="treatment"docVersion="3"lastPageNumber="249"masterDocId="FFD98975F24B00295C1CFFFA9F00386F"masterDocTitle="A new species of Meriania (Melastomataceae: Merianieae) from southeastern Ecuador"masterLastPageNumber="250"masterPageNumber="239"pageNumber="240"updateTime="1734537990785"updateUser="ExternalLinkService"zenodo-license-figures="UNSPECIFIED"zenodo-license-treatments="UNSPECIFIED">
<mods:affiliationid="8BF6FA0406C3D680DBED699DB7F8D70F">Grupo de Investigación en Medio Ambiente y Salud (BIOMAS), Ingeniería en Agroindustria, Facultad de Ingenierías y Ciencias Aplicadas, Universidad de Las Américas, Vía a Nayón, Quito 170124, Ecuador</mods:affiliation>
<mods:affiliationid="361E0683B27444A1940ADBF64BF5C72A">Grupo de Investigación en Medio Ambiente y Salud (BIOMAS), Ingeniería en Agroindustria, Facultad de Ingenierías y Ciencias Aplicadas, Universidad de Las Américas, Vía a Nayón, Quito 170124, Ecuador</mods:affiliation>
<mods:affiliationid="51E47BAB137FF14BBF673F3526A3332F">Amichi Lounge, vía Gualaquiza - San Juan Bosco, E 45 s / n., Morona Santiago, Ecuador</mods:affiliation>
<mods:affiliationid="D28BA3808181351FF003B7428C990E6E">Departamento de Orquideología, Centro de Investigación en Biología Tropical y Conservación - CINBIOTYC, Cal. Nestor Martos Mza. e Lote. 16 A. H. Almirante Miguel Grau II, Piura, Peru & Departamento de Gimnospermas y Monocotiledóneas, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Av. Arenales 1256, Jesús María, Lima, Peru & Grupo Científico Calaway Dodson: Investigación y Conservación de Orquídeas del Ecuador, Quito, 170510, Pichincha, Ecuador</mods:affiliation>
<mods:affiliationid="309CB7549747FEA9E56015C392DCA431">Grupo Científico Calaway Dodson: Investigación y Conservación de Orquídeas del Ecuador, Quito, 170510, Pichincha, Ecuador & Jungle Dave’s Science Foundation, San Juan Bosco, Ecuador & Herbario HUTPL, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto s / n 11 - 01 - 608, Loja, Ecuador</mods:affiliation>
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F24A00285C94FAB69D983D08"ID-CoL="CKJLL"authority="M.M.Jimenez & H.Garzon"authorityName="M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon"authorityYear="2024"box="[136,664,1356,1383]"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="1"pageNumber="240"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="judithiae"status="sp. nov.">
<figureCitationid="13725C9EF24A00285F15FAB69C563D08"box="[777,854,1356,1383]"captionStart="FIGURE 1"captionStartId="3.[136,229,1921,1943]"captionTargetBox="[183,1404,314,1894]"captionTargetId="figure-104@3.[183,1404,314,1894]"captionTargetPageId="3"captionText="FIGURE 1. Meriania judithiae. A. Branch with inflorescence. B. Flower with a close-up of the indumentum on the hypanthium (B1). C. Petals, abaxial (left) and adaxial (right) views. D. Flower without petals. E. Hypanthium and calyx with style. F. Ovary with style. G. Longitudinal section of the calyx, hypanthium and ovary. H. Calyx, hypanthium and ovary, top view. I. Stamen. J.Anther with connective appendage viewed from the top. K. Close-up of the connective appendage. L. Mature fruit. Prepared by L. Ocupa-Horna from photos by H. Garzón-Suárez and Nelson Espinosa-Ortega (B1) from the holotype."figureDoi="http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14516218"httpUri="https://zenodo.org/record/14516218/files/figure.png"pageId="1"pageNumber="240">Figs. 1</figureCitation>
<figureCitationid="13725C9EF24A00285F78FAB79C743D08"box="[868,884,1357,1383]"captionStart="FIGURE 2"captionStartId="4.[136,229,1865,1887]"captionTargetBox="[150,1434,209,1832]"captionTargetId="figure-27@4.[138,1448,190,1841]"captionTargetPageId="4"captionText="FIGURE 2. Meriania judithiae. A. Habit. B. Type of the inflorescences. C. Flower with floral bud. D. Hypanthium and calyx showing stamens and style, longitudinal section. E. Pedicel, ovary and style. F. Stamens, lateral and upper views. G. Calyx, hypanthium and ovary, top view. Drawing by J. Mendoza from the holotype."figureDoi="http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14516220"httpUri="https://zenodo.org/record/14516220/files/figure.png"pageId="1"pageNumber="240">2</figureCitation>
<figureCitationid="13725C9EF24A00285F9CFAB79C903D08"box="[896,912,1357,1383]"captionStart="FIGURE 4"captionStartId="6.[136,229,1877,1899]"captionTargetBox="[155,1432,194,1849]"captionTargetId="figure-27@6.[151,1436,190,1853]"captionTargetPageId="6"captionText="FIGURE 4. Meriania judithiae in situ. A. Habitat of the species. B. Terminal branches with inflorescences. C and D. Detail of the inflorescences. Photographs by H. Garzón-Suárez."figureDoi="http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14516224"httpUri="https://zenodo.org/record/14516224/files/figure.png"pageId="1"pageNumber="240">4</figureCitation>
<figureCitationid="13725C9EF24A00285F80FAB69CBE3D08"box="[924,958,1356,1383]"captionStart="FIGURE 5"captionStartId="7.[136,229,1877,1899]"captionTargetBox="[155,1432,194,1849]"captionTargetId="figure-22@7.[151,1436,190,1853]"captionTargetPageId="7"captionText="FIGURE 5. Meriania species with 5-nerved leaves and campanulate corollas. A. Meriania judithiae M.M. Jiménez & H. Garzón based on the type (Ecuador, Morona Santiago); B. M. aff. cuneifolia Wurdack based on M. Jiménez 1803 (Ecuador, Morona Santiago); C. M. bongarana Rob. Fern., R. Goldenb. & Michelang. based on the type (Peru, Amazonas); D. M. dimorphanthera Wurdack based on H. Mendoza 16675 (Colombia, Cundinamarca). Photos: by Henry Garzón-Suárez (A, B), Robin Fernandez-Hilario (C) and Humberto Mendoza-Cifuentes (D)."figureDoi="http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14516226"httpUri="https://zenodo.org/record/14516226/files/figure.png"pageId="1"pageNumber="240">5A</figureCitation>
<figureCitationid="13725C9EF24A00285FD2FAB79CDC3D08"box="[974,988,1357,1383]"captionStart="FIGURE 7"captionStartId="8.[136,229,1993,2015]"captionTargetBox="[222,1366,1163,1969]"captionTargetId="figure-107@8.[222,1366,1163,1969]"captionTargetPageId="8"captionText="FIGURE 7. Comparison of the holotype specimens of Meriania judithiae (left) and M. cuneifolia subsp. cuneifolia (right). Holotype specimen of Meriania cuneifolia Gleason, collected in Ecuador, Morona Santiago, “Río Santa Bárbara near Río Tintas” by J.A. Steyermark in 1943. Reproduced with permission from the New York Botanical Garden Herbarium."figureDoi="http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14516230"httpUri="https://zenodo.org/record/14516230/files/figure.png"pageId="1"pageNumber="240">7</figureCitation>
<collectionCodeid="ED58D8DEF24A00285DF0FA409D003DA0"box="[492,512,1466,1487]"country="Finland"lsid="urn:lsid:biocol.org:col:15618"name="University of Helsinki"pageId="1"pageNumber="240"type="Herbarium">H</collectionCode>
long, elongated hairs with greatly roughened (substellate) base and dendritic hairs with short axis and few-moderate number of terete arms, these arranged sparsely on young branches, petioles; or with a stellate, scaly base, sparsely on the underside of leaf blades, densely on inflorescences, hypanthia and calyces.
, small leaves (35–60% smaller) 6.1–17.7 × 1.2–5.0 cm, elliptic, apex long-acuminate, base attenuate continuing down the petiole as slightly revolute wings; margin crenulate at the apical half, venation acrodromous and suprabasal, with 2 pairs of lateral (secondaries) nerves, first pair diverging
from the base of the blade, an additional pair of faint submarginal veins running up to leaf apex, tertiary (transversal nerves) 40–60 on each side of the primary veins, percurrent,
distant from each other; midvein, secondary and tertiary veins strongly impressed adaxially, salient abaxially, adaxial surface bullate, dark green, shiny, glabrous, olive-green when dry; abaxial surface greenish dirty white when dry, puberulous.
long, few-flowered to multiflorous (18–130 flowers) panicles, consisting of 4–6 levels of branching nodes; axis densely pubescent, becoming glabrate in certain parts.
long, quadrangular, the proximal node with 1 pair of basal paraclades, the supraproximal with 1 pair of paraclades, the subdistal and distal with an umbel of 4–8 flowers arising from more or less the same point on the pedicel.
long, reddish-purple, paler to the base, flat, glabrous; connectives prolonged below the thecae, reddish-purple, glabrous, with one dorsal conic, crown-shaped appendage,
<emphasisid="B93D9C09F249002B5CA1FB749EDD3CC6"bold="true"box="[189,477,1166,1193]"italics="true"pageId="2"pageNumber="241">Distribution and habitat:</emphasis>
—
</emphasis>
A population of approximately 8 individuals of
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F249002B5811FB759BE03CC7"authorityName="M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon"authorityYear="2024"box="[1037,1248,1166,1192]"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="2"pageNumber="241"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="judithiae">
has been found in the evergreen lower montane forests at the Southeastern Cordillera of the Andes, coded as BsBn02 according to the Ecosystem Classification System from Continental
<bibRefCitationid="EFD83DEAF249002B5CD9FAE49E843D57"author="Baez, S. & Santiana, J. & Guevara, J."box="[197,388,1310,1336]"pageId="2"pageNumber="241"pagination="121 - 123"refId="ref5091"refString="Baez, S., Santiana, J. & Guevara, J. (2013) BsBn 02. Bosque siempreverde montano bajo del Sur de la Cordillera Oriental de los Andes. Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador. Sistema de Clasificacion de los Ecosistemas del Ecuador Continental de los Andes. Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador, Quito, pp. 121 - 123."type="book chapter"year="2013">
a.s.l., within a private reserve near San Juan Bosco in the southern part of
<collectingRegionid="498D8EF9F249002B5E63FAB99CB03D33"box="[639,944,1346,1373]"country="Ecuador"name="Morona-Santiago"pageId="2"pageNumber="241">Morona Santiago Province</collectingRegion>
<figureCitationid="13725C9EF249002B58A2FAB89A0D3D33"box="[1214,1293,1346,1372]"captionStart="FIGURE 3"captionStartId="5.[136,229,1907,1929]"captionTargetBox="[150,1438,202,1870]"captionTargetId="figure-22@5.[138,1449,190,1882]"captionTargetPageId="5"captionText="FIGURE 3. Distribution of Meriania judithiae in southeastern Ecuador. Prepared by Henry X. Garzón-Suárez using ArcGIS."figureDoi="http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14516222"httpUri="https://zenodo.org/record/14516222/files/figure.png"pageId="2"pageNumber="241">Figs. 3</figureCitation>
<figureCitationid="13725C9EF249002B5907FAB89A2C3D33"box="[1307,1324,1346,1372]"captionStart="FIGURE 4"captionStartId="6.[136,229,1877,1899]"captionTargetBox="[155,1432,194,1849]"captionTargetId="figure-27@6.[151,1436,190,1853]"captionTargetPageId="6"captionText="FIGURE 4. Meriania judithiae in situ. A. Habitat of the species. B. Terminal branches with inflorescences. C and D. Detail of the inflorescences. Photographs by H. Garzón-Suárez."figureDoi="http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14516224"httpUri="https://zenodo.org/record/14516224/files/figure.png"pageId="2"pageNumber="241">4</figureCitation>
<bibRefCitationid="EFD83DEAF249002B5F41FA9C9B313DEF"author="Martius, C. F. P. von"box="[861,1073,1382,1408]"pageId="2"pageNumber="241"pagination="37 - 38"refId="ref5800"refString="Martius, C. F. P. von (1843) Amara. Amara cum principio adstringente. Meliaceae. In: Missouri Botanical Garden (Org.) Systema materiae medicae vegetabilis brasiliensis. Fleischer, Lipsiae, pp. 37 - 38. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 9541"type="book chapter"year="1843">Martius (1843: 38)</bibRefCitation>
<bibRefCitationid="EFD83DEAF249002B5C94FA709E763DCB"author="Wurdack, J. J."box="[136,374,1418,1444]"pageId="2"pageNumber="241"pagination="347 - 348"refId="ref6704"refString="Wurdack, J. J. (1979) Certamen Melastomataceis XXX. Phytologia 43: 347 - 348."type="journal article"year="1979">Wurdack (1979: 347)</bibRefCitation>
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F249002B5852FA719E5E3DA7"authority="A. C. Smith (1950: 360)"authorityName="A. C. Smith"authorityPageNumber="360"authorityYear="1950"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Ericaceae"genus="Ceratostema"kingdom="Plantae"order="Ericales"pageId="2"pageNumber="241"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="charianthum">
<bibRefCitationid="EFD83DEAF249002B5C94FA549E5E3DA7"author="Smith, A. C."box="[136,350,1454,1481]"pageId="2"pageNumber="241"pagination="317 - 393"refId="ref6262"refString="Smith, A. C. (1950) Studies of South American plants, XII. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 29: 317 - 393."type="journal article"year="1950">Smith (1950: 360)</bibRefCitation>
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F249002B5E7DFA559B2B3DA6"authority="Wilbur & Luteyn"authorityName="Wilbur & Luteyn"box="[609,1067,1454,1481]"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Ericaceae"genus="Disterigma"kingdom="Plantae"order="Ericales"pageId="2"pageNumber="241"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="utleyorum">
<bibRefCitationid="EFD83DEAF249002B5849FA559AAC3DA6"author="Luteyn, J. L. & Wilbur, R. L."box="[1109,1452,1454,1481]"pageId="2"pageNumber="241"pagination="255 - 276"refId="ref5752"refString="Luteyn, J. L. & Wilbur, R. L. (1977) New genera and species of Ericaceae (Vaccinieae) from Costa Rica and Panama. Brittonia 29: 255 - 276. https: // doi. org / 10.2307 / 2806199"type="journal article"year="1977">Luteyn & Wilbur (1977: 259)</bibRefCitation>
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F249002B5DD5FA0D9D9E3E7F"authorityName="M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon"authorityYear="2024"box="[457,670,1526,1552]"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="2"pageNumber="241"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="judithiae">Meriania judithiae</taxonomicName>
</emphasis>
is known only from the Siete Iglesias Municipal Conservation Area (ACMSI)
locality near San Juan Bosco. At present, only a few individual living specimens are known. The regions in the eastern foothills of the Andes are acutely threatened by deforestation carried out for cattle pastures, mining activities, slash-and-burn agriculture and infrastructure works. Nonetheless, the new species might be protected because it grows within or near the ACMSI. For a better assessment of its conservation, additional data on its distribution and abundance are required. We recommend
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F249002B5E53F9519C223EAB"authorityName="M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon"authorityYear="2024"box="[591,802,1706,1732]"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="2"pageNumber="241"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="judithiae">
be characterized as Data Defficient (DD) according to the IUCN red list (
<bibRefCitationid="EFD83DEAF249002B5D33F9349EB93E87"author="IUCN"box="[303,441,1742,1768]"pageId="2"pageNumber="241"refId="ref5621"refString="IUCN (2024) Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Version 16. Prepared by the Standards and Petitions Committee. Available from: http: // www. iucnredlist. org / documents / RedListGuidelines. pdf (accessed 11 July 2024)"type="book"year="2024">IUCN 2024</bibRefCitation>
—The new species is named after Judith A. Steck, mother of David R. Goucher who has been actively supporting botanical research, environmental education and conservation in the south of
<collectingRegionid="498D8EF9F249002B586BF8ED9AA73F5F"box="[1143,1447,1814,1841]"country="Ecuador"name="Morona-Santiago"pageId="2"pageNumber="241">Morona Santiago province</collectingRegion>
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F249002B5DFDF8A59DB53F17"authorityName="M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon"authorityYear="2024"box="[481,693,1886,1912]"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="2"pageNumber="241"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="judithiae">Meriania judithiae</taxonomicName>
</emphasis>
belongs to a group of species distinguished by the campanulate, reddish-orange corollas and the lobed calyx, usually with claw-shaped dorsal projections (
<bibRefCitationid="EFD83DEAF249002B5842F8789AA33FF3"author="Fernandez-Hilario, R. & Goldenberg, R. & Michelangeli, F. A."box="[1118,1443,1922,1948]"pageId="2"pageNumber="241"pagination="1 - 16"refId="ref5291"refString="Fernandez-Hilario, R., Goldenberg, R. & Michelangeli, F. A. (2021) Two new species and two new country records for Meriania (Melastomataceae) from northern Peru. Nordic Journal of Botany 39: 1 - 16. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / njb. 02969"type="journal article"year="2021">
<figureCitationid="13725C9EF249002B5C8CF85C9FD33FAE"box="[144,211,1958,1985]"captionStart="FIGURE 5"captionStartId="7.[136,229,1877,1899]"captionTargetBox="[155,1432,194,1849]"captionTargetId="figure-22@7.[151,1436,190,1853]"captionTargetPageId="7"captionText="FIGURE 5. Meriania species with 5-nerved leaves and campanulate corollas. A. Meriania judithiae M.M. Jiménez & H. Garzón based on the type (Ecuador, Morona Santiago); B. M. aff. cuneifolia Wurdack based on M. Jiménez 1803 (Ecuador, Morona Santiago); C. M. bongarana Rob. Fern., R. Goldenb. & Michelang. based on the type (Peru, Amazonas); D. M. dimorphanthera Wurdack based on H. Mendoza 16675 (Colombia, Cundinamarca). Photos: by Henry Garzón-Suárez (A, B), Robin Fernandez-Hilario (C) and Humberto Mendoza-Cifuentes (D)."figureDoi="http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14516226"httpUri="https://zenodo.org/record/14516226/files/figure.png"pageId="2"pageNumber="241">Fig. 5</figureCitation>
). The new species is distinguished from other members of the group by the attenuate base of the leaves continuing down the petiole as wings and the presence of conical projections in the lobes of the calyx (
<figureCitationid="13725C9EF249002B5895F8309BD83F8B"box="[1161,1240,1994,2020]"captionStart="FIGURE 6"captionStartId="8.[136,229,1043,1065]"captionTargetBox="[221,1366,190,1018]"captionTargetId="figure-27@8.[221,1366,190,1018]"captionTargetPageId="8"captionText="FIGURE 6. Leaves of Meriania judithiae with diagnostic details. A. Adaxial view with a close-up of the apical, bullate surface (A1) and base of the leaf (A2). B. Abaxial view with a close-up of the apical surface (B1) and basal portion of the leaf (B2) with trichome (B3). Photos by Henry X. Garzón-Suárez and Nelson Espinosa-Ortega (B3)."figureDoi="http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14516228"httpUri="https://zenodo.org/record/14516228/files/figure.png"pageId="2"pageNumber="241">Figs. 6</figureCitation>
<figureCitationid="13725C9EF249002B5945F8149A9D3067"box="[1369,1437,2030,2056]"captionStart="FIGURE 7"captionStartId="8.[136,229,1993,2015]"captionTargetBox="[222,1366,1163,1969]"captionTargetId="figure-107@8.[222,1366,1163,1969]"captionTargetPageId="8"captionText="FIGURE 7. Comparison of the holotype specimens of Meriania judithiae (left) and M. cuneifolia subsp. cuneifolia (right). Holotype specimen of Meriania cuneifolia Gleason, collected in Ecuador, Morona Santiago, “Río Santa Bárbara near Río Tintas” by J.A. Steyermark in 1943. Reproduced with permission from the New York Botanical Garden Herbarium."figureDoi="http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14516230"httpUri="https://zenodo.org/record/14516230/files/figure.png"pageId="2"pageNumber="241">Fig. 7</figureCitation>
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F249002B5D03F7E99EA73043"authorityName="M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon"authorityYear="2024"box="[287,423,2066,2092]"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="2"pageNumber="241"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="judithiae">
<bibRefCitationid="EFD83DEAF248002A586DFEF09A0F394B"author="Gleason, H. A."box="[1137,1295,266,292]"pageId="3"pageNumber="242"pagination="294 - 306"refId="ref5528"refString="Gleason, H. A. (1947) New and noteworthy melastomes, chiefly Ecuadorian. Phytologia 2: 294 - 306."type="journal article"year="1947">Gleason 1947</bibRefCitation>
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F248002A5D1AF8789EC03FF8"authorityName="M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon"authorityYear="2024"box="[262,448,1922,1943]"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="3"pageNumber="242"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="judithiae">Meriania judithiae</taxonomicName>
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F24F002D5D1AF8B09EBB3F31"authorityName="M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon"authorityYear="2024"box="[262,443,1865,1887]"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="4"pageNumber="243"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="judithiae">
. A. Habit. B. Type of the inflorescences. C. Flower with floral bud. D. Hypanthium and calyx showing stamens and style, longitudinal section. E. Pedicel, ovary and style. F. Stamens, lateral and upper views. G. Calyx, hypanthium and ovary, top view. Drawing by J. Mendoza from the holotype.
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F24E002C5D8BF88E9D4C3FE7"authorityName="M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon"authorityYear="2024"box="[407,588,1907,1929]"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="5"pageNumber="244"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="judithiae">
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F24D002F5D15F8AC9EC13F05"authorityName="M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon"authorityYear="2024"box="[265,449,1877,1899]"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="6"pageNumber="245"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="judithiae">Meriania judithiae</taxonomicName>
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F24C002E5FBDF8AC9A6E3F05"authority="M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon"authorityName="M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon"authorityYear="2024"box="[929,1390,1877,1899]"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="7"pageNumber="246"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="judithiae">
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F24C002E5C94F8649D983FDC"authority="Rob. Fern., R. Goldenb. & Michelang."authorityName="Rob. Fern., R. Goldenb. & Michelang."box="[136,664,1949,1971]"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="7"pageNumber="246"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="bongarana">
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F24300215D7BFBEE9D1B3C47"authorityName="M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon"authorityYear="2024"box="[359,539,1043,1065]"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="8"pageNumber="247"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="judithiae">
Abaxial view with a close-up of the apical surface (B1) and basal portion of the leaf (B2) with trichome (B3). Photos by Henry X. Garzón-Suárez and Nelson Espinosa-Ortega (B3).
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F24300215EB0F8309C633FB1"authorityName="M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon"authorityYear="2024"box="[684,867,1993,2015]"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="8"pageNumber="247"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="judithiae">
, collected in Ecuador, Morona Santiago, “Río Santa Bárbara near Río Tintas” by J.A. Steyermark in 1943. Reproduced with permission from the New York Botanical Garden Herbarium.
Both species have been reported in the southeastern Ecuadorian Andes and have not been found growing sympatrically.
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F24200205D2CFF399D0738B3"authorityName="M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon"authorityYear="2024"box="[304,519,194,220]"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="9"pageNumber="248"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="judithiae">
where it is restricted to the lower montane forests near the township of San Juan Bosco in
<collectingRegionid="498D8EF9F24200205EDCFF1D9CF8396F"box="[704,1016,230,257]"country="Ecuador"name="Morona-Santiago"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Morona Santiago Province</collectingRegion>
. On the other hand, according to the specimens of
<emphasisid="B93D9C09F24200205879FEF19AAB394B"box="[1125,1451,266,293]"italics="true"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">C. Chimbo & C. Chamba 89</emphasis>
<quantityid="4CB1EDFEF24200205802FED49BD73926"box="[1054,1239,302,329]"metricMagnitude="3"metricUnit="m"metricValue="2.15"metricValueMax="2.2"metricValueMin="2.1"pageId="9"pageNumber="248"unit="m"value="2150.0"valueMax="2200.0"valueMin="2100.0">2100 to 2200 m</quantity>
provinces. Considering the different ecological preferences, it is improbable there will be consistent gene flow between the two locations despite both being present in southeast
, as they are also characterized by leaves mostly elliptic, anisophyllous, acuminate, with two pairs of secondaries (lateral nerves) and the acrodromous and suprabasal venation. However,
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F24200205F64FDFD9B043A4F"authorityName="M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon"authorityYear="2024"box="[888,1028,518,544]"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="9"pageNumber="248"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="judithiae">
<bibRefCitationid="EFD83DEAF24200205C93FD409EE23ABB"author="Fernandez-Hilario, R. & Gonzales, R. & Villanueva-Espinoza, R. & Lajo, L. & Sato, A. A. W. & Paredes-Burneo, D. & Pillaca-Huacre, L. & Michelangeli, F. A. & Goldenberg, R."box="[143,482,698,724]"pageId="9"pageNumber="248"pagination="39 - 74"refId="ref5349"refString="Fernandez-Hilario, R., Gonzales, R. del P. R., Villanueva-Espinoza, R., Lajo, L., Sato, A. A. W., Paredes-Burneo, D., Pillaca-Huacre, L., Michelangeli, F. A. & Goldenberg, R. (2022) Nine new species and a new country record for Meriania (Melastomataceae) from Peru. Willdenowia 52: 39 - 74. https: // doi. org / 10.3372 / wi. 52.52103"type="journal article"year="2022">
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F24200205D3CFC9F9E893B17"authorityName="M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon"authorityYear="2024"box="[288,393,869,888]"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="9"pageNumber="248"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="judithiae">
<bibRefCitationid="EFD83DEAF24200205E7AFC899DDE3BE9"author="Gleason, H. A."box="[614,734,883,902]"pageId="9"pageNumber="248"pagination="294 - 306"refId="ref5528"refString="Gleason, H. A. (1947) New and noteworthy melastomes, chiefly Ecuadorian. Phytologia 2: 294 - 306."type="journal article"year="1947">Gleason 1947</bibRefCitation>
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F24200205FF5FCAD9BB13BE9"authority="(Fernandez et al. 2022)"baseAuthorityName="Fernandez"baseAuthorityYear="2022"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="9"pageNumber="248"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="bongarana">
<tdid="76A82B25F242FFD65D3CFC579EF83CBB"box="[288,504,941,1236]"gridcol="1"gridrow="1"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Anisophyllous, petioles 0.3–1.0 cm long; blades 6.1–27.1 × 1.2–8.2 cm, elliptic, apex long- acuminate, base cuneate- decurrent; venation suprabasal, abaxial surface puberulous</td>
<tdid="76A82B25F242FFD65E19FC579CDC3CBB"box="[517,988,941,1236]"gridcol="2"gridrow="1"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Anisophyllous, petioles Anisophyllous, petioles 2.0–3.0 cm long; blades 0.7–0.9 cm long; blades 10–13 × 2.5–4.5 cm, 15–23 × 5–10 cm, elliptic, oblanceolate, apex apex acuminate, base abruptly and sharply attenuate-decurrent; acuminate, base long- venation suprabasal, cuneate; venation abaxial surface sparsely suprabasal, abaxial surface stellate-setulose softly cinereous</td>
<tdid="76A82B25F242FFD65FF5FC579BBE3CBB"box="[1001,1214,941,1236]"gridcol="3"gridrow="1"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Isophyllous; petioles 1.2–1.5 cm long; blades 7.5–9.5 × 3.2–4.3 cm, elliptic, apex acuminate, base acute; venation suprabasal, abaxial surface densely pubescent</td>
<tdid="76A82B25F242FFD658D0FC579AA73CBB"box="[1228,1447,941,1236]"gridcol="4"gridrow="1"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Anisophyllous, petioles 2.0–9.0 cm long; blades 7.0–24 × 3.2–14.0 cm, elliptic to oblong-elliptic; apex obtuse to shortly acuminate, base obtuse to slightly rounded; venation basal or slightly suprabasal, abaxial surface densely rufous</td>
<tdid="76A82B25F242FFD65D3CFAFE9EF83D3A"box="[288,504,1284,1365]"gridcol="1"gridrow="2"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Multiflorous, 4.3–6.1 cm long, 4–8 flowered umbels</td>
<tdid="76A82B25F242FFD65E19FAFE9CDC3D3A"box="[517,988,1284,1365]"gridcol="2"gridrow="2"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Submultiflorous, 6.0–7.9 Few-flowered, 1.7–2.7 cm cm long, 3–9 flowered long, 3–4 flowered umbels umbels</td>
<tdid="76A82B25F242FFD65FF5FAFE9BBE3D3A"box="[1001,1214,1284,1365]"gridcol="3"gridrow="2"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Submultiflorous, 7.5–8.2 cm long, 4–5 flowered umbels</td>
<tdid="76A82B25F242FFD658D0FAFE9AA73D3A"box="[1228,1447,1284,1365]"gridcol="4"gridrow="2"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Multiflorous, 5.0–15.0 cm long, with umbels with more than 3 flowers</td>
<thid="76A82B25F242FFD65C90FA7F9FFF3E5D"box="[140,255,1413,1586]"gridcol="0"gridrow="3"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Hypanthium and calyx</th>
<tdid="76A82B25F242FFD65D3CFA7F9EF83E5D"box="[288,504,1413,1586]"gridcol="1"gridrow="3"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Cupuliform, 3.4–3.9 mm long, calyx lobes 0.5–1.3 mm long, subtruncate, thickened to the apex, not extending beyond the lobes</td>
<tdid="76A82B25F242FFD65E19FA7F9CDC3E5D"box="[517,988,1413,1586]"gridcol="2"gridrow="3"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Campanulate, 5.2 mm Obconic, 7.3 mm long, long, calyx lobes 8.5 mm calyx lobes 0.8–1.1 mm long, acute with claw- long, acute, subtruncate, shaped projections 6.0–7.5 claw-shaped projections mm long 2.3–3.0 mm long</td>
<tdid="76A82B25F242FFD65FF5FA7F9BBE3E5D"box="[1001,1214,1413,1586]"gridcol="3"gridrow="3"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Campanulate, 6.5–7.0 mm long, calyx lobes 2.0–2.5 × 5–7 mm, acute with claw-shaped projections 2.0–2.5 mm long</td>
<tdid="76A82B25F242FFD658D0FA7F9AA73E5D"box="[1228,1447,1413,1586]"gridcol="4"gridrow="3"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Cupuliform, 3.5–6.0 mm long, calyx lobes broadly triangular with dorsal teeth non-visible or exceeding the length of the lobe 0.9–2.5 mm long</td>
<tdid="76A82B25F242FFD65D3CF9989CDC3EFA"box="[288,988,1634,1685]"colspan="2"colspanRight="1"gridcol="1"gridrow="4"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Petals 11.1–11.3 mm long Petals 13 mm long Petals 13.1–13.4 mm long</td>
<tdid="76A82B25F242FFD65FF5F9989BBE3EFA"box="[1001,1214,1634,1685]"gridcol="3"gridrow="4"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Petals 14–15.5 × 13–16 mm long</td>
<tdid="76A82B25F242FFD658D0F9989AA73EFA"box="[1228,1447,1634,1685]"gridcol="4"gridrow="4"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Petals 12.0–16.0 mm long</td>
<tdid="76A82B25F242FFD65D3CF9329EF83FFB"box="[288,504,1736,1940]"gridcol="1"gridrow="5"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Isomorphic, filaments 4.4–5.8 mm long, connectives prolonged below the thecae, the dorso-basal appendage crown-shaped, thecae 5.4–5.8 mm long</td>
<tdid="76A82B25F242FFD65E19F9329BBE3FFB"box="[517,1214,1736,1940]"colspan="2"colspanRight="1"gridcol="2"gridrow="5"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Dimorphic, filaments 6.4– Isomorphic, filaments Dimorphic, filaments 8.0– 8.5 mm long, connectives 8.0–8.5 mm long, 9.5 mm long, connectives prolonged below the connectives prolonged prolonged below the thecae, thecae, the dorso-basal below the thecae, the the dorso-basal appendage appendage broadly conic, dorso-basal appendage crown-shaped, thecae obtuse or rounded, thecae slightly crown-shaped, 7.6–9.7 mm long 5.3–8.3 mm long thecae 8.5–9.0 mm long</td>
<tdid="76A82B25F242FFD658D0F9329AA73FFB"box="[1228,1447,1736,1940]"gridcol="4"gridrow="5"pageId="9"pageNumber="248">Dimorphic, filaments 6.0–10.0 mm long, connectives prolonged below the thecae, the dorso-basal appendage dentiform, thecae 4.8–8.0 mm long</td>
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F24100235D00FF659EF238D7"authorityName="M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon"authorityYear="2024"box="[284,498,158,184]"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="10"pageNumber="249"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="judithiae">
<bibRefCitationid="EFD83DEAF24100235D63FE8C9DA239FF"author="Mendoza-Cifuentes, H."box="[383,674,374,400]"pageId="10"pageNumber="249"refId="ref5860"refString="Mendoza-Cifuentes, H. (2021) Taxonomic review of the genus Meriania (Melastomataceae) in Colombia. Acta Botanica Mexicana 128: e 1734. https: // doi. org / 10.21829 / abm 128.2021.1734"type="journal volume"year="2021">Mendoza-Cifuentes 2021</bibRefCitation>
). A summary comparing these morphological characters between
<taxonomicNameid="4C493B98F24100235991FE8D9FEC39DB"authorityName="M. M. Jimenez & H. Garzon"authorityYear="2024"class="Magnoliopsida"family="Melastomataceae"genus="Meriania"kingdom="Plantae"order="Myrtales"pageId="10"pageNumber="249"phylum="Tracheophyta"rank="species"species="judithiae">
and the other species as mentioned above is provided in
<tableCitationid="C6CB75A0F24100235F75FE609CBD39DB"box="[873,957,410,436]"captionStart="TABLE 1"captionStartId="9.[136,216,774,795]"captionText="TABLE 1. Summary of principal differences between Meriania judithiae, M.cuneifolia subsp. cuneifolia, M. cuneifolia subsp. subandina, M. bongarana and M. dimorphanthera."pageId="10"pageNumber="249">Table 1</tableCitation>
<dateid="FFF766DBF24100235E8AFE189C2E3993"box="[662,814,482,508]"pageId="10"pageNumber="249"value="2023-07-22">22 Julio 2023</date>
(fl.),
<emphasisid="B93D9C09F24100235F72FE199BC63993"box="[878,1222,482,509]"italics="true"pageId="10"pageNumber="249">M. Jiménez & H. Garzón 1810</emphasis>
