Two new species and two new country records for Meriania (Melastomataceae) from northern Peru

Two new species of Meriania (Melastomataceae, Merianieae) and two new records from northern Peru are described and illustrated here. Meriania penningtonii is clearly different from all other species of Meriania by its quadrangular and 4‐winged internodes, calyx with whitish callose dorsal projections and spreading reddish‐purple corollas; Meriania dazae differs from the other species by the combination of the calyx with claw‐shaped dorsal projections, campanulate reddish‐orange corollas and petals 19.5–24.0 mm long. The two new species are endemic to the department of Amazonas. Meriania drakei , from Ecuador and Colombia, and Meriania franciscana , from Ecuador, are recorded for the first time for the Andean forests of the departments of Amazonas and Cajamarca, respectively. We also propose the second step lectotypification for Meriania drakei .