Creochiton pudibundus (Blume) Blume

Kartonegoro, A. & Veldkamp, J. F., 2013, Revision of Creochiton (Melastomataceae), Blumea 58 (3), pp. 217-227 : 225-226

10. Creochiton pudibundus (Blume) Blume ― Fig. 2 , Map 2

Creochiton pudibundus (Blume) Blume (1831a) 506; (1831b) 248; Naudin (1852) 154; Miq. (1855) 560; Triana (1871) 85; Cogn. (1891) 604; Krasser (1893) 178, f. 77b; Koord. (1912) 693; (1923) 212; Bakh.f. (1943) 309; (1963) 363. ― Melastoma pudibundum Blume (1823) 71; (1826) 1071; DC.(1828) 148. ― Diplectria pudibunda (Blume) Kuntze (1891) 246, nom. inval. prov. ― Lectotype (designated here): Blume s.n. (holo L, sh. no. 908.129–971; iso BO, L sh. 908.129–904, -911, -932, -961, -981, -991, -993), Java, G. Salak, Cicelebak.

Creochiton pudibundus (Blume) Blume var. coriaceus Naudin (1852) 154; Miq. (1855) 560. ― Type: Zollinger 3196 (holo G n.v.; iso L), Java.

Creochiton emarginatus Miq. (1855) 561. ― Type: Junghuhn s.n. (holo U, sh. 000543; iso L, sh. 908.129-952), Java, Pengalengan .

Epiphytes, up to 1 m high, or climbers, c. 30 m high; branchlets terete, glabrous to sparsely furfuraceous, 4.5–6.5 mm diam; nodes thickened with an interpetiolary ridge. Leaves coriaceous, ovate to elliptic, apex acute, base rounded or cuneate, glabrous above, midrib sunken above, sparsely puberulous to furfuraceous below, 7–10 by 3.7–5.8 cm; nervation plinerved with 2 pairs of main nerves arising from above the base; petiole glabrous to puberulous, terete, 8–15 mm long. Inflorescences axillary, umbellate with 4–7 flowers, 3–5 cm long; main axis terete, puberulous, 1.5–3 cm long; bracts ovate, densely stellate hairy, 2–3 mm long; bracteoles glabrous, obovate, cream, concave, enveloping the flower bud, 7–10 by 4–5 mm; pedicel sparsely stellate furfuraceous, 5 mm long. Flower bud c. 11 by 10 mm. Hypanthium campanulate, glabrous, rather angular, 2–4 by 2–3 mm; calyx rim truncate with 4 undulations, c. 0.5 mm long; petals ovate, violet or red, glabrous, 6–13 by 6–7 mm. Stamens 8, equal; filament flat, 7 mm long; anther elongate, 5–7 mm long; connective with a triangular crest, 0.5–1 mm long; lateral appendages absent; ovary globose, glabrous, c. 3 by 2 mm; style glabrous, curved when mature, c. 10 mm long; extra-ovarial chambers not developed. Fruits globose, glabrous, white, 3–5 by 4–6 mm; stalk glabrous 1.5–1.7 cm long; seeds 0.7–0.75 mm long.

Distribution ― Java (west) and Celebes (southwest, south- east).

Ecology & Habitat ― Edge of primary or secondary forest, edge of river or on a mountain slope between 1000–1400 m altitude.

Vernacular name ― Caluncung, Harendong areuy (Sundanese for about any climbing Melastomataceae ), Harendong areuy putih, Harendong areuy merah.

Note ― Creochiton pudibundus is easily recognized by its coriaceous ovate to elliptic glabrous leaves, underneath sparsely puberulous to densely furfuraceous, axillary umbellate inflorescences, coriaceous, concave bracteoles. Similar to C. bibracteatus in the axillary umbellate inflorescence, number and shape of the stamens, but differs in the shape and indument of the leaves which in C. bibracteatus are thin, ovate and densely tomentose. Creochiton ledermannii differs by the small leaves with a retuse apex and a more dense indument. Apparently not collected in Java after Bakhuizen 5524 (13 June 1922).

Figures

Map 2 Distribution of Creochiton bibracteatus (●) and C. pudibundus (■).

Fig. 2 Creochiton pudibundus (Blume) Blume. a. Habit; b. flower; c. flower bud wit a pair bracteoles; d. mature stamen; e. cross section of flower bud; f. fruit (a: Backer 35201; b–e: Bakhuizen van den Brink 5524; f: Backer 15169, all BO).