A revision of Meriania (Melastomataceae) in the Greater Antilles with emphasis on the status of the Cuban species

The ontogenetic bases for variation in ovary position in Melastomataceae

“…Although the evolutionary hypotheses on the ovary position in Melastomataceae are scarce (see Soltis et al, 2003), the ontogenetic model presented here for the origin and variation of the gynoecial hypanthium gives support to explain the existence of disparate conditions, even between close groups. For example, we can mention the predominance of superior ovaries in Merianieae (Michelangeli et al, 2015) and Microlicieae (except Lavoisiera ; Almeda and Martins, 2001; Fritsch et al, 2004), which are sister groups of clades that predominantly have inferior ovaries, Miconieae (Mendoza and Ramírez, 2006) and Rhexieae (Eyde and Teeri, 1967), respectively. This same development model could be taken as a starting point to investigate similar variations in other Myrtales, which also exhibit lability in the ovary position (Dahlgren and Thorne, 1984), such as Crypteroniaceae (Renner, 2007), Lythraceae (Graham and Graham, 2014), Myrtaceae (Schmid, 1980; Wilson, 2011), and Penaeaceae (Schönenberger and Conti, 2003).…”

<p><strong>Two new species of <em>Meriania</em> (Melastomataceae) from eastern Ecuador</strong></p>

“…In addition, revisions of some clades in Meriania and additional fieldwork have led to the discovery of more than 15 new species in the last years (e.g. Ulloa-Ulloa et al 2007, Ulloa & Homeier 2008, Mendoza-Cifuentes & Fernández-Alonso 2012, Mendoza-Cifuentes et al 2014, Chiavagetto & Baumgratz 2015, Michelangeli et al 2015, Goldenberg et al 2016, Michelangeli & Goldenberg et al 2018. Here, we describe two new species from Ecuador, Meriania ardyae D. Fernández & A. S. Dellinger, which is found in the Llanganates National Park, and M. zunacensis D. Fernández & A. S. Dellinger, from the Rio Zuñac Reserve, both in close vicinity of M. aurata Ulloa et al (2007: 525-528), only described in 2007.…”

“…The Melastomataceae tribe Merianieae encompasses approximately 280-300 species (Mendoza-Cifuentes & Fernández-Alonso 2012) and is distributed from southern Mexico through the tropical Andes and Caribbean islands to southeastern Brazil, with centers of diversity in Colombia and Ecuador (Almeda 1993, Renner 1993, Michelangeli et al 2015. With 95-110 species, Meriania Swartz (1798: 823) is the most speciose genus in the tribe (Michelangeli et al 2015). In Ecuador, 31 species of Meriania have been registered, of which 20 are considered endemic, distributed mostly in the Andes, between 1000 and 3500 m (Fernández-Fernández 2010).…”

Two new species and two new country records for Meriania (Melastomataceae) from northern Peru

“…Meriania Sw. (Melastomataceae) comprises between 95 and 110 species of shrubs, trees and occasionally climbers, distributed from southeast Mexico and the Greater Antilles to eastern Brazil and Bolivia (Michelangeli et al 2015). Meriania was traditionally characterized by being trees and shrubs without malpighiaceous trichomes, flowers with an entire calyx that can be lobed or calyptrate (without circumscissile dehiscence), anthers with a dorsally inclined pore and dorsal appendages, and capsular fruits (Wurdack 1973(Wurdack , 1980(Wurdack , 1993.…”