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| Meriania judithiae in Jiménez, Iturralde, Mendoza, Ocupa-Horna et Garzon-Suarez, 2024. |
Abstract
Meriania judithiae, a new species from the southeast of Morona Santiago in Ecuador, is described and illustrated. With this new addition, the number of species of the genus increases to 33 in this country. Meriania judithiae has leaves with a attenuate base extending down the petiole as wings, multiflorous inflorescences with sub-umbellate paraclades, pink-orange campanulate flowers, the calyx with conical projections, and isomorphic stamens with connectives prolonged below the thecae. It is compared with M. cuneifolia, its most similar species which shares the distant supra-basal venation and gradually narrowing base of the leaves. In addition, the taxonomic similarities of the new entity are discussed and information about its distribution, habitat, and conservation status is provided.
lower montane forest, Morona Santiago, northern Andes, rainforest, taxonomy, Eudicots
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
Meriania judithiae M.M.Jiménez & H.Garzón, sp. nov.
Diagnosis. This species is most similar to Meriania cuneifolia subsp. cuneifolia but differs by the sparse furfuraceous indumentum (vs. hirsute), the much shorter petioles 0.3–1.0 cm long (vs. 2.0–3.0 cm long), the leaf blades with attenuate bases extending into the petiole as wings (vs. long-cuneate), the shorter calyx lobes 0.5–1.3 mm long (vs. 8.5 mm long) each with a conical projection that does not surpass the apex of the lobe (vs. distinct claw-shaped projections extending further the lobes), and the isomorphic stamens (vs. dimorphic).
Etymology:—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 Morona Santiago province,
Ecuador.
Marco M. Jiménez, Gabriel A. Iturralde, Johny Mendoza, Luis Ocupa-Horna, Henry X. Garzon-Suarez. 2024. A New Species of Meriania (Melastomataceae: Merianieae) from southeastern Ecuador. Phytotaxa. 662(3); 239-250. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.662.3.3
