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Aciotis indecora

Description

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Family Melastomataceae

Herbs, shrubs , or trees (to 20 m tall), erect , climbing , or rarely epiphytic. Stipules lacking. Leaves simple , commonly opposite and decussate with one of a pair slightly smaller than other, rarely verticillate or alternate by abortion of one of a pair, usually 1-4(or 5) secondary veins on each side of midvein , originating at or near base and anastomosing apically, tertiary veins numerous, parallel, and connecting secondary veins and midvein but in Memecylon secondary veins pinnate and tertiary veins reticulate . Inflorescences cymose , umbellate , corymbose , in paniculate clusters , or a cincinnus, rarely flowers single, fascicled, or born on a spike; bracts sometimes conspicuous and persistent . Flowers bisexual , actinomorphic but androecium often slightly zygomorphic, usually (3 or) 4- or 5(or 6) -merous, perianth biseriate , perigynous; bracteoles opposite, usually caducous . Hypanthium funnel-shaped, campanulate , cyathiform , or urceolate . Calyx lobes (3-) 5(or 6), valvate (rarely connate , but not in Chinese species) . Petals (3-) 5(or 6), equal to number of sepals, distinct , imbricate. Stamens usually twice as many as petals and in 2 whorls, rarely as many as petals by loss of 1 whorl, isomorphic or dimorphic ; filaments distinct, often geniculate , inflexed in bud; anthers typically 2-celled, introrse , basifixed , dehiscent by 1 or 2 apical pores or by short longitudinal slits (Astronia, Memecylon) ; connective often variously appendaged. Pistil and style 1; stigma minute, capitate or truncate . Ovary commonly inferior or semi-inferior, locules usually (3 or) 4 or 5(or 6) with numerous anatropous ovules , rarely 1-loculed and ovules ca. 9 (Memecylon) ; placentation axillary , parietal (Astronia and, outside China, Pternandra Jack ), or free central (Memecylon) . Fruit a dry or fleshy capsule or a berry, loculicidally dehiscent or indehiscent. Seeds (when 3-6-loculed) usually small, curved through half a circle (cochleate) or wedge-shaped (cuneate), in Memecylon seeds large and ovoid ; endosperm absent.

Between 156 and 166 genera (150-160 in Melastomataceae sensu stricto and six in Memecylaceae here considered part of Melastomataceae) and ca. 4500 species (ca. 4050 in Melastomataceae sensu stricto and 450 in Memecylaceae [Olisbeoideae if considered a subfamily of Melastomataceae]) : primarily in tropical and subtropical regions; 21 genera (five endemic) and 114 species (72 endemic) in China.

Chinese genera of economic value include Osbeckia (medicine) and Melastoma (wild fruit and ornamental flowers) .[1]

Habitat

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 1,891 meters (0 to 6,204 feet).[2]

Taxonomy

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Notes

Publishing author : Triana Publication : Trans. Linn. Soc. xxviii. (1871) 52.

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Aciotis

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 45 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus:

A. acuminifolia · A. acutiflora · A. acutifolia · A. aequatorialis · A. alata · A. amazonica · A. annua · A. anomala · A. aquatica · A. aristata · A. aristellata · A. asplundii · A. brachybotria · A. brachybotrya · A. caulialata · A. circaeifolia · A. circaeifolia var. major · A. cordata · A. dichotoma · A. discolor · A. dysophylla · A. ferreirana · A. ferruginea · A. fragilis · A. herbacea · A. indecora · A. latifolia · A. laxa · A. levyana · A. longifolia · A. martiana · A. martinicensis · A. olivieriana · A. ornata · A. paludosa · A. pendulifolia · A. polystachya · A. purpurascens · A. rostellata · A. rubricaulis · A. sileniflora · A. spiritusanctensis · A. trinitensis · A. viscida · A. viscosa

More Info

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Further Reading

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  • Chen Cheih. 1984. Melastomataceae. In: Chen Cheih, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 53(1): 135-293.

    • Notes

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    Contributors

    Data Sources

    Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 11, 2007:

    Identifiers

    Footnotes

    1. Jie Chen & Susanne S. Renner "Melastomataceae". in Flora of China Vol. 13 Page 360. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
    2. Mean = 202.650 meters (664.862 feet), Standard Deviation = 583.700 based on 378 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
    Last Revised: 2009-08-28