Monographs Details:
Authority:
Luteyn, James L. 1983. Ericaceae--part I. Cavendishia. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 35: 1-290. (Published by NYBG Press)
Luteyn, James L. 1983. Ericaceae--part I. Cavendishia. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 35: 1-290. (Published by NYBG Press)
Family:
Ericaceae
Ericaceae
Description:
Species Description - Epiphytic shrub with stems to 1 m long; mature branches terete, smooth, glabrous, reddish-brown; twigs subterete, weakly striate, puberulent. Leaves oblong, elliptic, or ovate-elliptic, (4-)5-10(-12.5) X (1.5-)2-3.5(-5) cm, basally rounded, apically caudate-acuminate, puberulent along major veins above; pinnately veined or weakly plinerved, the 3-5 lateral nerves arising from below middle at angles of 10-30° from midrib, the midrib thickened through proximal half and raised on both surfaces, lateral nerves impressed above and conspicuously raised beneath, reticulate veins slightly raised on both surfaces; petioles terete, rugose 25 mm long and 1-1.5 mm in diam., puberulent. Inflorescence 9-13-flowered, rachis subterete, bluntly angled, glabrous, 5-9 cm long and 2-2.5 mm in diam.; floral bracts elliptic-oblong or oblanceolate, slightly cucullate, 12-15 X 7-10 mm, glabrous, purple when fresh; pedicels terete, glabrous, 8-10 mm long and 1 mm in diam., reddish-purple when fresh, provided at distal tip (articulation with calyx) with angular or oblong greenish-colored glands 0.1-0.3 mm in diam. which secrete a white sticky latex; bracteoles persistent, coriaceous, ovate, 0.5-2 mm long, glabrous, purple, glandular-callose distally and along margins. Flowers: calyx glabrous, 6-7 mm long, reddish-purple, hypanthium subcylindric or campanulate, 2 mm long, strongly apophysate basally, apophysis margin entire and directed upwards at anthesis; limb erecto-patent, 4-6 mm long; lobes triangular, acute, 1.2-2 X 1.5 mm, erect after anthesis, glandular-callose over entire surface and slightly onto limb; sinus broadly rounded to nearly flat; corolla cylindric but becoming swollen distally then abruptly constricting into the short throat and lobes, glabrous, ca. 15 mm long and 6 mm in diam., white, lobes deltoid, obtuse, purple; stamens 11-11.5 mm long; filaments lightly puberulent distally on ventral surface, alternately 2-2.5 mm and 4-5 mm long; anthers alternately ca. 10.3 mm and 7.3 mm long; thecae slightly granular 2.5-3 mm long; style ca. 13-15 mm long. Mature berry not seen.
Species Description - Epiphytic shrub with stems to 1 m long; mature branches terete, smooth, glabrous, reddish-brown; twigs subterete, weakly striate, puberulent. Leaves oblong, elliptic, or ovate-elliptic, (4-)5-10(-12.5) X (1.5-)2-3.5(-5) cm, basally rounded, apically caudate-acuminate, puberulent along major veins above; pinnately veined or weakly plinerved, the 3-5 lateral nerves arising from below middle at angles of 10-30° from midrib, the midrib thickened through proximal half and raised on both surfaces, lateral nerves impressed above and conspicuously raised beneath, reticulate veins slightly raised on both surfaces; petioles terete, rugose 25 mm long and 1-1.5 mm in diam., puberulent. Inflorescence 9-13-flowered, rachis subterete, bluntly angled, glabrous, 5-9 cm long and 2-2.5 mm in diam.; floral bracts elliptic-oblong or oblanceolate, slightly cucullate, 12-15 X 7-10 mm, glabrous, purple when fresh; pedicels terete, glabrous, 8-10 mm long and 1 mm in diam., reddish-purple when fresh, provided at distal tip (articulation with calyx) with angular or oblong greenish-colored glands 0.1-0.3 mm in diam. which secrete a white sticky latex; bracteoles persistent, coriaceous, ovate, 0.5-2 mm long, glabrous, purple, glandular-callose distally and along margins. Flowers: calyx glabrous, 6-7 mm long, reddish-purple, hypanthium subcylindric or campanulate, 2 mm long, strongly apophysate basally, apophysis margin entire and directed upwards at anthesis; limb erecto-patent, 4-6 mm long; lobes triangular, acute, 1.2-2 X 1.5 mm, erect after anthesis, glandular-callose over entire surface and slightly onto limb; sinus broadly rounded to nearly flat; corolla cylindric but becoming swollen distally then abruptly constricting into the short throat and lobes, glabrous, ca. 15 mm long and 6 mm in diam., white, lobes deltoid, obtuse, purple; stamens 11-11.5 mm long; filaments lightly puberulent distally on ventral surface, alternately 2-2.5 mm and 4-5 mm long; anthers alternately ca. 10.3 mm and 7.3 mm long; thecae slightly granular 2.5-3 mm long; style ca. 13-15 mm long. Mature berry not seen.
Discussion:
Cavendishia violacea is notable for its small, pinnately veined leaves, pedicellar glands, reddish-purple floral bracts, white corolla with purple apex, and peculiar corolla shape.Minor variations in the few extant collections are purple-colored leaf nerves in Cabrera 550; and in Mora 4273 short-pilose (not merely puberulent) leaf nerves, a conspicuous “drip-tip” leaf apex, and completely glandular-callose bracteoles. Schultes & Villarreal 7350 displays ciliate floral bracts, a short-pilose calyx and corolla, and bracteoles with margins somewhat thinner glandular than normal. The two collections from Nariño Dept. (Luteyn et al. 5100 and Mora 4273) are from elevations of 550-700 m; otherwise the species has been collected only from below 80 m. These differences are probably all of a local nature, and until more material becomes available we can only take note of them.Cavendishia violacea is most closely related to C. aurantiaca and is discussed with that species. The major differences lie in the colors of floral bracts and corollas, in leaf venation, floral bract size, calyx lobe glands, and geographical distribution, all of which are summarized in the key.
Cavendishia violacea is notable for its small, pinnately veined leaves, pedicellar glands, reddish-purple floral bracts, white corolla with purple apex, and peculiar corolla shape.Minor variations in the few extant collections are purple-colored leaf nerves in Cabrera 550; and in Mora 4273 short-pilose (not merely puberulent) leaf nerves, a conspicuous “drip-tip” leaf apex, and completely glandular-callose bracteoles. Schultes & Villarreal 7350 displays ciliate floral bracts, a short-pilose calyx and corolla, and bracteoles with margins somewhat thinner glandular than normal. The two collections from Nariño Dept. (Luteyn et al. 5100 and Mora 4273) are from elevations of 550-700 m; otherwise the species has been collected only from below 80 m. These differences are probably all of a local nature, and until more material becomes available we can only take note of them.Cavendishia violacea is most closely related to C. aurantiaca and is discussed with that species. The major differences lie in the colors of floral bracts and corollas, in leaf venation, floral bract size, calyx lobe glands, and geographical distribution, all of which are summarized in the key.
Distribution:
Colombia South America| Cauca Colombia South America| Valle Colombia South America|
Colombia South America| Cauca Colombia South America| Valle Colombia South America|
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