Creochiton bracteatus (Quisumb. & Merr.) Veldk.

Kartonegoro, A. & Veldkamp, J. F., 2013, Revision of Creochiton (Melastomataceae), Blumea 58 (3), pp. 217-227 : 222

3. Creochiton bracteatus (Quisumb. & Merr.) Veldk. ― Map 3

Creochiton bracteatus (Quisumb. & Merr.) Veldk. (1978) 438. ― Eisocreochiton bracteatus Quisumb.& Merr. (1928) 177,pl. 4; M.P. Nayar (1970) 88 (‘ bracteata ’). ― Type: Ramos & Edaño BS 45610 (holo PNH n.v., probably lost; iso BM, BO, K, NY, SING, US), Philippines, Luzon, Nueva Vizcaya Province, Mt Alzapan .

Climbers; branchlets terete, sparsely puberulous, 2 mm diam; nodes with an interpetiolary ridge. Leaves thin, ovate, apex acute or acuminate, base cuneate, glabrous above, glabrescent below midrib densely furfuraceous, 3.5–6 by 1.8–3.6 cm; nervation plinerved with two pairs of main nerves arising above the base; petiole densely stellate furfuraceous to floccose, 10–20 mm long. Inflorescences axillary, thyrsoid up to 4 cm long, 5-flowered; main axis angular, densely furfuraceous, 2–4 cm long; bracts elliptic, sparsely furfuraceous, 8–11 by 5–7 mm; bracteoles ovate to suborbicular, glabrous to sparsely furfuraceous, thin, 6–7 by 3–4 mm, enveloping the flower buds; pedicel densely stellate furfuraceous, 7–8 mm long. Hypanthium campanulate, sparsely stellate furfuraceous, 3–4 by 2–3 mm; calyx rim truncate with 4 shallow undulations, 0.3 mm long; petals ovate, apex acute, base rounded, 3–4 by 3 mm. Stamens 4, equal; filament flat, c. 3 mm long; anthers ellipsoid, 4–5 mm long; connective with a triangular crest, 0.75–1 mm long; lateral appendage paired, 0.8–1.5 mm long; ovary globose, glabrous, 2–3 mm long; style glabrous, c. 6 mm long; extra-ovarial chambers deep, half as long as the ovary. Fruits and seeds not seen.

Distribution ― Philippines (Luzon), only known from the type.

Ecology & Habitat ― Climbing on trees on forested slopes at 1700 m altitude.

Note ― Creochiton bracteatus differs from all congeners by its densely furfuraceous to densely floccose petioles, 10– 20 mm long, leaf base cuneate, underneath glabrescent (except midrib) and extra-ovarial chambers half as long as the ovary. Similar to C. furfuraceus by its 4 equal alternipetalous stamens, but differs by having glabrescent branchlets and underside of the leaves while the latter has densely furfuraceous branchlets and underside of the leaves. Its bracts and bracteoles are very distinct being large, thin, membranous, and veined. The bracteoles are also not concave and do not fully enclose the flower buds as in the other species.

Figures

Map 3 Distribution of Creochiton bracteatus (▲), Creochiton dipterus (■) and Creochiton roseus (●).