Thibaudia lugoi Luteyn
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Authority
1996. Fl. Ecuador. 54: 303.
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Family
Ericaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type: Ecuador. Pastaza: Mera, M. Lugo 170 (holotype, S, photo NY neg. 13039; isotypes, AAU, GB, L, MO).
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Description
Distribution and Ecology - Terrestrial shrub with branches 1-4 m long, or epiphytic and climbing; stem terete, striate, nitid, glabrous; twigs subterete to complanate with blunt angles, striate, slightly rugose, glabrous. Leaves coriaceous to thick-coriaceous, elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 8-24 x 4-8(-10) cm, base rounded or obtuse with the lamina often narrowly attenuate onto the petiole, or rarely cuneate and then attenuate, apex acuminate, rarely acute, margin entire, slightly to conspicuously revolute at very base or in lower one-third of lamina, glabrous; 5-(-7)-plinerved, nerves joined in the proximal 1.5-2.5(-5) cm, midrib thickened and raised in proximal 1.5-2.5(-5) cm, then becoming impressed distally above, conspicuously raised beneath, inner pair of lateral nerves impressed above and conspicuously raised beneath, outer pair(s) slightly raised but inconspicuous on both surfaces, reticulate veinlets slighty raised on both surfaces but obscure above; petiole terete, rugose, thick, 7-10 mm long, narrowly winged by lamina. Inflorescence axillary, solitary or sometimes 2 per axil, racemose, 10-18-flowered; rachis subterete, angled, rugose, 1-2.5 cm long, glabrous; floral bract persistent, ovate, acute, ca. 1-2 x 1.5 mm, glabrous; pedicel subterete, sharply ribbed, 17-20 mm long, glabrous; bracteoles located near base, broadly ovate, acuminate, ca. 1.5 x 2 mm, glabrous. Flowers with calyx articulate, ca. 5 mm long, glabrous; hypanthium cylindric, strongly rugose, ca. 3 mm long, the base rounded; limb campanulate, ca. 2 mm long; lobes apiculate, < 0.5 mm long; sinuses flat to broadly rounded; corolla thick-carnose, cylindric, very rugose when dry, 12-14 mm long and 3 mm diam. when dry, 16-17 mm long and 9-10 mm diam. when fresh, glabrous, pink to red in lower 3/4 and white in upper 1/4, the lobes triangular, acute, ca. 1 mm long, white; stamens 10-11.5 mm long; filaments distinct, 2-3.3 mm long, short-pilose distally along margins; anthers 9-10 mm long; thecae papillose, 4-4.5 mm long; tubules 5-5.5 mm long, separate to base (even below into thecae), papillose to apex, dehiscing by clefts 2-3 mm long; style exserted (?), ca. 14 mm long, glabrous. Berry not seen.
Distribution and Ecology - Ecuador and Peru, and known only from ca. 12 collections; premontane rainforest to montane rainforest at 1000-2150 m altitude.