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| Meriania penningtonii Rob.Fern., R.Goldenb. & Michelang. in Fernandez‐Hilario, Goldenberg & Michelangeli, 2021. |
Abstract
Two new species of Meriania (Melastomataceae, Merianieae) and two new records from northern Peru are described and illustrated here. Meriania penningtonii is clearly different from all other species of Meriania by its quadrangular and 4‐winged internodes, calyx with whitish callose dorsal projections and spreading reddish‐purple corollas; Meriania dazae differs from the other species by the combination of the calyx with claw‐shaped dorsal projections, campanulate reddish‐orange corollas and petals 19.5–24.0 mm long. The two new species are endemic to the department of Amazonas. Meriania drakei, from Ecuador and Colombia, and Meriania franciscana, from Ecuador, are recorded for the first time for the Andean forests of the departments of Amazonas and Cajamarca, respectively. We also propose the second step lectotypification for Meriania drakei.
Keywords: Amazonas, Andean forests, Cajamarca, Merianieae, Neotropics taxonomy
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| Meriania penningtonii sp. nov. (A) Terminal fertile branch with inflorescence, and details of bullate surface of the leaves and winged internodes, (B) inflorescence branch, (C) flower at anthesis, (D) hypanthium and calyx, (E) petal, (F) style and ovary (left) and longitudinal section of flower with petals and stamens removed (right), (G) transversal section of the ovary, (H) stamen, lateral view, with detail of pore orientation. From T.D. Pennington et al. 17639 (MOL). Drawing by Leticia Lajo. |
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| Meriania penningtonii sp. nov. (A) Terminal fertile branch with inflorescence, (B) winged internodes, (C) flower buds, (D) flower at anthesis, apical view. (A–B) from R. Fernandez‐Hilario et al. 2036, (C) from R. Fernandez‐Hilario et al. 2026, (D) from R. Fernandez‐Hilario et al. 2046. Photos by Robin Fernandez. |
Meriania penningtonii Rob.Fern., R.Goldenb. & Michelang. sp. nov.
Etymology: The species is named in honor of Terence D. ‘Terry' Pennington, a British botanist who collected Meriania penningtonii for the first time. For more than 30 years Terry has carried out research in the flora of Peru, making extensive collections, writing monographies for several Neotropical tree genera and families (Inga, Sloanea, Meliaceae and Sapotaceae), and led the publication of 'Trees of Peru' (Pennington et al. 2004).
Meriania dazae Rob.Fern., R.Goldenb. & Michelang. sp. nov.
Etymology: It is an honor to dedicate the name of this species to Aniceto Daza, researcher at the Herbario Forestal (MOL) of Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina for more than 40 years. His collections are an important contribution to the knowledge of the Peruvian tree flora, including the types of several new species. He is a co‐author of the 'Trees of Peru' (Pennington et al. 2004).
Robin Fernandez‐Hilario, Renato Goldenberg and Fabián A. Michelangeli. 2021. Two New Species and Two New Country Records for Meriania (Melastomataceae) from northern Peru. Nordic Journal of Botany. DOI: 10.1111/njb.02969
