Taxonomic Studies in the Miconieae (Melastomataceae). III. Cladistic Analysis of Axillary-Flowered Taxa

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Abstract
The axillary-flowered members of the Miconieae are hypothesized to be a monophyletic group, and the generic relationships within this group have been investigated by means of a preliminary cladistic analysis, which resulted in the following taxonomic conclusions. Henriettea is circumscribed broadly, including Henrietetella and llewelynia, as is loreya, which is considered to include Bellucia and myriaspora. The small genus kirkbridea is likely the sister group of henriettea sensu lato. Clidemia sect. Calophysoides and Maieta from a single clade and are considered congeneric. Mecranium (including Ekmaniocharis), Killipia, Huilaea, and the axillary-flowered 5- or 6-merous species of Ossaea all are considered generically distinct due to their isolated cladistic positions. Species of Clidemia sect. Sagraea along with Necramium and the axillary-flowered and 4-merous species of Ossaea are considered a distinct genus, Sagraea; an autapomorphy for this group was not consistently present in the generated cladograms, and the genus is considered metaphyletic. Clidemia sect. Miconiopsis, although usually considered axillary-flowered , actually has both terminal and axillary inflorescences and may be congeneric with Miconia (and likely is related, closely to sect. Tamonea). Thus, axillary-flowered groups recognized at the generic level include: Henriettea, Huilaea, Killipia, Kirkbridea, Loreya, Maieta, Mecranium. PENTOSSAEA and Sagraea. Axillary-flowered Miconieae appear to form two major clades based primarily on the crystal type present in the leaf mesophyll and stem. Megastyloids (sometimes along with druses) occur in Loreya, Kirkbridea, and Henriettea, while only durses are found in the remaining genera. Cladistic relationships among the genera possessing only durse crystals are obscure, although Huilaea is probably basal within this complex, as reflected by its large flowers with well-developed pedicles, and Sagraea is likely most closely related to Mecranium, the two being linked by the synapomorphy of 4-merous flowers. Relationships of axillary-flowered taxa to those with terminal inflorescences are discussed briefly.