Resumen

The florbella group of Miconia is composed of four species from the central Andes that are characterized by hollow stems inhabited by ants, and pleiostemonous flowers with a calyptrate calyx. The four species are M. inusitata, and the newly described here M. cava, M. florbella, and M. valenzuelana. The combination of pleistemonous flowers and calyptrate calyces suggests that these species could be placed in the former Conostegia, but at least three of the four species discussed here (M. florbella, M. inusitata and M. valenzuelana) do not belong in that clade and are more closely related to other species of Andean Miconia. All four species grow in undisturbed areas in low- to middle-elevation forests in the Andes.