A Monograph of Conostegia (Melastomataceae, Miconieae) Author Kriebel, Ricardo Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 430 Lincoln Drive Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA kriebelr@gmail.com text PhytoKeys 2016 2016-07-20 67 1 326 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.67.6703 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.67.6703 1314-2003-67-1 D846EB3F7746FFFE4A469751FFEF3B22 133270 Conostegia friedmaniorum (Almeda & Umana ) Kriebel comb. nov. Fig. 158 Conostegia friedmaniorum (Almeda & Umana ) Kriebel. Basionym: Miconia friedmaniorum Almeda & Umana , Novon 3(1): 5, f. 1. 1993. Type: Costa Rica. Alajuela: Upala, Colonia Libertad, subiendo hasta el Llano Aguacatales, 10 48'25"N , 85 17'50"W , 1500 m, 28 April 1988, G. Herrera 1900 (holotype: CR!, isotype: BR!, CAS!, F!, MEXU!, MO!, PMA, SAC, USJ). Description. Shrub to small tree 2-5 m tall with somewhat tetragonal and ridged stems in newer branches that are densely covered with inconspicuously stalked reddish-orange asperous-headed hairs usually also with some simple multicellular hairs on the distal internodes; the nodal line nodal line present. Leaves of a pair equal to somewhat unequal in length. Petioles 0.5-4.8 cm. Leaf blades 7.5-18.6 x 3.4-7.7 cm, 5-plinerved, with the innermost pair of veins arising up to about 4 cm above the base in opposite or frequently in strongly alternate fashion, elliptic to elliptic-ovate, the base obtuse to oblique, the apex acuminate,the margin entire to inconspicuously denticulate, the adaxial surface mostly glabrous, moderately to sparsely covered with a mixture of inconspicuously asperous headed and scalelike multicellular hairs on the secondary and higher order veins abaxially. Inflorescence a mostly deflexed terminal modified cyme branching at the base, 3.6-9.8 cm long, accessory branches absent, rachis covered with stalked asperous headed hairs, linear oblong to triangular, bracteoles 1.5-4 mm, persistent. Pedicel 1-1.75 mm long. Flowers 5-merous, calyx in bud not calyptrate but closed in bud and crowned by an apiculum, rupturing irregularly at anthesis into 4-5 hyaline irregular lobes 0.3-1.5 mm long, flower buds 3-4 x 2-2.5 mm, the hypan thium 1.5-2.5 x 1.75-2.25 mm, campanulate, covered with orangish asperous headed hairs; exterior calyx teeth conspicuous, triangular, 0.5-0.6 mm long, torus glabrous. Petals 3-3.5 x 0.9-1.25 mm, translucent pink, linear-oblong, reflexed at anthesis, glabrous , the apex acute. Stamens 10, 2.2-3 mm, radially arranged around the style, the filaments 1-1.75 mm, geniculate near the apex, white, anthers 1-1.25 x 0.25-0.75 mm, linear-oblong, yellow, laterally compressed, the pore 0.1-0.14 mm wide, terminal and slightly dorsally inclined. Ovary 5 locular, 3/4 inferior, slightly fluted and with glandular hairs on the apex. Style 5.25-5.5 mm long, slightly to strongly bending, vertical distance from anther pore to stigma 1.75-2.25 mm, horizontal distance absent or up to1.3 mm, stigma truncate and somewhat dilated, 0.25-35 mm wide. Berry 3-4 x 3-4 mm, red turning purple black when mature. Seeds 0.39-0.6 mm, angular pyramidate to somewhat cescent shaped in profile, the testa smooth. Figure 158. Conostegia friedmaniorum . A Habit. Note asymmetric leaf base B Habit showing deflexed inflorescence C Close up of flower D Infructescence E Flower bud F Longitudinal section of a flower bud G-H Pickled flowers I Petal J Stamen. Photos of A, D of specimen vouchered R. Kriebel 5497 , and B, D R. Kriebel 5641 . Distribution (Fig. 159 ). Endemic to the Caribbean slope of the Cordillera de Tilaran and Volcan Tenorio National Park in Costa Rica, 1250-1700 m in elevation. Figure 159. Distribution of Conostegia friedmaniorum . Conostegia friedmaniorum can be recognized by its rusty pubescence, leaves which are strongly plinerved with the veins frequently arising in asymmetric fashion, deflexed inflorescences and linear-oblong petals. Vegetatively it resembles another Costa Rican endemic, Conostegia pendula , as well as the Panamanian endemics Conostegia galdamesiae and Conostegia papillopetala . From Conostegia pendula it can be distinguished because the latter has lanate indument on the stems which is absent in Conostegia friedmaniorum . From Conostegia galdamesiae and Conostegia papillopetala it can be distinguished by its deflexed inflorescence and linear-oblong petals. Specimens examined. COSTA RICA . Alajuela : Monteverde Reserve , Cerro Negro, continental divide with Atlantic Slope exposure, Bello 3242 (CAS); San Ramon , Valle del Rio Penas Blancas, R. B . Monteverde, Bello 5155 (CAS); P. N. Volcan Tenorio , Estacion El Pilon , sendero hacia Cerro Montezuma, Kriebel and Nicholas 5497 (INB, NY); loc. cit., Kriebel et al. 5641 (INB); Border of Alajuela , Guanacaste , and Puntarenas Provinces, Cordillera de Tilaran , sendero El Valle , Almeda and Anderson 5416 (CAS); Border of Puntarenas Alajuela border, Cordillera de Tilaran , Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve , sendero Brillante along the Continental Divide, Almeda and Daniel 7074 (CAS) .