Miconia kallei (Miconieae, Melastomataceae), a new Amazonian species with longitudinal anther dehiscence

Miconia kallei (Miconieae, Melastomataceae), uma nova espécie amazônica com deiscência longitudinal das anteras

Miconia kallei has been collected twice, in the Brazilian states of Amazonas and Rondônia. The most prominent character in this species is the longitudinal anther dehiscence, which also appears in 14 other species in Brazil. It differs from these other species by the leaves that are sessile or with very small petioles up to 3 mm, with a cordate base, and stellate-stipitate or dendritic trichomes on the abaxial surface, inflorescences with accessory branches, the truncate calyx with a 0.6-0.8 mm long tube and the adaxial surface covered with tiny glandular projections, and the stamens with the connective prolonged below the thecae, bearing complex appendages, and the dehiscence area comprising 100% of the thecae length. The small number of collections is insufficient to suggest an extinction risk assessment but for “data deficient”.

KEYWORDS:
Chaenanthera ; Taxonomy; Scanning electron microscopy; Anther morphology; Neotropical flora