Orthaea ecuadorensis Luteyn
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Authority
1996. Fl. Ecuador. 54: 117.
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Family
Ericaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type: Ecuador. Pastaza: Mera, 1100 m, Lugo S. 1157 (holotype, GB, photo NY neg. 13033; isotypes, AAU, F, NY, QCA).
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Description
Species Description - Epiphytic shrub ca. 3-4 m tall; stem terete, striate, nitid, glabrous; twigs subterete, bluntly angled, striate, nitid, glabrous. Leaves subcoriaceous to membranous, elliptic to oblong-elliptic, 4.8-9.5 x 1.8-4 cm, base cuneate, acute, apex somewhat abruptly long-caudate-acuminate, margin entire and flat, glabrous on both surfaces, but sparsely glandular-fimbriate with ferruginous hairs ca. 0.2 mm long; 5-plinerved from the base, midrib slightly impressed above and prominently raised beneath, lateral nerves plane or more commonly slightly raised above, raised beneath, reticulate veinlets slightly raised on both surfaces and conspicuous; petiole subterete, strongly canaliculate above, rugose, 2.4-4 mm long, glabrous. Inflorescence axillary, racemose, 6-11-flowered, surrounded at the base by several deciduous, submembranous, oblong, glabrous bracts to 1 cm long; rachis subterete, bluntly angled, striate, (1.5-)2-4 cm long, glabrous, the nodes prominently raised; floral bract deciduous, not seen; pedicel subterete, ribbed, subrugose, 10-15 mm long, glabrous; bracteoles nearly basal, not seen. Flowers with calyx ca. 5 mm long; hypanthium rugose, subcylindric-campanulate, 3 mm long and 4-4.5 mm diam.; limb submembranous, ca. 2 mm long; lobes sharply apiculate to triangular, acuminate, ca. 0.5-1 mm long, glandular-fimbriate margined; sinuses broadly rounded; corolla cylindric, membranous, 30-31 mm long and 8-10 mm diam., rose-red, the lobes triangular, bluntly acute, less than 1 mm long; stamen alternately 9-10 mm and 11.5-12 mm long; filaments distinct, densely pilose in distal half to one-third, alternately 6 mm and 7-8 mm long; anthers equal, ca. 4.5 mm long; thecae ca. 2.2 mm long; tubules ca. 2.3 mm long, dehiscing by terminal, slightly flaring pores; style exserted, ca. 33-40 mm long, glabrous. Berry spherical, 11-13 mm diam. glabrous, black.
Distribution and Ecology - Endemic to Ecuador and known from only three collections; bosque pluvial to bosque pluvial premontano or montano bajo at 900-1300 m altitude. Rare and endangered.