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 - Terrestrial or epiphytic shrub with stems to 3 m long; mature branches terete, glabrous; bark reddish-gray; twigs sharply to bluntly angled, puberulous or glabrate, often bearing thin glandular fimbriae, flesh-colored to brown; vegetative bracts membranaceous, caducous, ovate to oblanceolate, apically acute to rounded, to 40 X 15 mm, glandular-fimbriate marginally and on dorsal surface of lamina. Leaves elliptic, (5-)7.5-14.5(-18) X (2.7-)3.5—6.5(-10.5) cm, basally tapering and obtuse, decurrent onto petiole, apically obtusely cuspidate rarely acute, puberulent or glabrate above, puberulent (sometimes densely) along veins beneath, glandular-fimbriate on both surfaces, often the last leaves of current year’s growth small and ovate, basally subcordate, apically acute; 5(-7)-plinerved, midrib and lateral nerves deeply impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets slightly raised on both surfaces; petioles subterete, deeply canaliculate adaxially, rugose, puberulent, (6-)10-22(-27) mm long and 2.7-5 mm diam. Inflorescence 35-50 (-80)-flowered, ca. 5-6 flowers/cm; rachis subterete, slightly bluntly angled, smooth, glabrous, 7-12.5(-18) cm long and ca. 5 mm in diam., the proximal 1.5-2 cm bearing sterile nodes, flowering nodes swollen, distal portion often still in bud as proximal flowers are developing their fruit; floral bracts caducous, falling prior to anthesis, concave, smooth, elliptic, 12-17 X 10-16 mm, glabrous, marginally scarious and glandular-fimbriate at base and apex, cream-colored or whitish at base and bright red distally when living; pedicels terete but swollen apically, glabrous, 3-7 mm long and 1-1.5 mm diam.; bracteoles basal, subcoriaceous, ovate, 1-1.3 x 0.7 mm, marginally densely glandular-fimbriate, the fimbriae stout, often fusing distally. Flowers: calyx carnose, glabrous, 7-9 mm long, pale green when living; hypanthium campanulate-cylindric, smooth or rarely bluntly pentagonal, 2-3 mm long; limb erect, 5-7 mm long; lobes imbricate, oblong, 3.3-4.5 X 4.5-5 mm, apically rounded and bluntly apiculate, marginally glandular-callose over entire length (except at apex) or becoming broken up or stoutly fimbriate at very base; corolla carnose, cylindric but slightly zygomorphic, basally expanded and conspicuously narrowed at throat, 11-14 mm long and ca. 7.5 mm diam. at widest part, narrowed to 4.5 mm diam. at throat, lobes oblong-ovate, reflexed at anthesis, ca. 1-1.5 mm long, wine-red, sometimes whitish in lower half when living; stamens 8-9 mm long; filaments slightly connate to distinct, marginally and ventrally puberulent, alternately 2.3-3 mm and 3-3.5 mm long; anthers alternately 7.3-8.5 mm and 6.5-7.5 mm long; thecae 2.5-3 mm long; tubules dehiscing by clefts nearly the entire length; style equaling corolla. Berry ca. 10 mm diam.
Species Description - Terrestrial or epiphytic shrub with stems to 3 m long; mature branches terete, glabrous; bark reddish-gray; twigs sharply to bluntly angled, puberulous or glabrate, often bearing thin glandular fimbriae, flesh-colored to brown; vegetative bracts membranaceous, caducous, ovate to oblanceolate, apically acute to rounded, to 40 X 15 mm, glandular-fimbriate marginally and on dorsal surface of lamina. Leaves elliptic, (5-)7.5-14.5(-18) X (2.7-)3.5—6.5(-10.5) cm, basally tapering and obtuse, decurrent onto petiole, apically obtusely cuspidate rarely acute, puberulent or glabrate above, puberulent (sometimes densely) along veins beneath, glandular-fimbriate on both surfaces, often the last leaves of current year’s growth small and ovate, basally subcordate, apically acute; 5(-7)-plinerved, midrib and lateral nerves deeply impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets slightly raised on both surfaces; petioles subterete, deeply canaliculate adaxially, rugose, puberulent, (6-)10-22(-27) mm long and 2.7-5 mm diam. Inflorescence 35-50 (-80)-flowered, ca. 5-6 flowers/cm; rachis subterete, slightly bluntly angled, smooth, glabrous, 7-12.5(-18) cm long and ca. 5 mm in diam., the proximal 1.5-2 cm bearing sterile nodes, flowering nodes swollen, distal portion often still in bud as proximal flowers are developing their fruit; floral bracts caducous, falling prior to anthesis, concave, smooth, elliptic, 12-17 X 10-16 mm, glabrous, marginally scarious and glandular-fimbriate at base and apex, cream-colored or whitish at base and bright red distally when living; pedicels terete but swollen apically, glabrous, 3-7 mm long and 1-1.5 mm diam.; bracteoles basal, subcoriaceous, ovate, 1-1.3 x 0.7 mm, marginally densely glandular-fimbriate, the fimbriae stout, often fusing distally. Flowers: calyx carnose, glabrous, 7-9 mm long, pale green when living; hypanthium campanulate-cylindric, smooth or rarely bluntly pentagonal, 2-3 mm long; limb erect, 5-7 mm long; lobes imbricate, oblong, 3.3-4.5 X 4.5-5 mm, apically rounded and bluntly apiculate, marginally glandular-callose over entire length (except at apex) or becoming broken up or stoutly fimbriate at very base; corolla carnose, cylindric but slightly zygomorphic, basally expanded and conspicuously narrowed at throat, 11-14 mm long and ca. 7.5 mm diam. at widest part, narrowed to 4.5 mm diam. at throat, lobes oblong-ovate, reflexed at anthesis, ca. 1-1.5 mm long, wine-red, sometimes whitish in lower half when living; stamens 8-9 mm long; filaments slightly connate to distinct, marginally and ventrally puberulent, alternately 2.3-3 mm and 3-3.5 mm long; anthers alternately 7.3-8.5 mm and 6.5-7.5 mm long; thecae 2.5-3 mm long; tubules dehiscing by clefts nearly the entire length; style equaling corolla. Berry ca. 10 mm diam.
Discussion:
Cavendishia tenella is notable for its sharply angled stems, conspicuously and deeply channeled (adaxially) petioles, caducous floral bracts, reflexed (or spreading) pedicels, minute bracteoles, glandular-callose calyx lobe margins, and short, slightly zygomorphic corollas.It seems to occupy a position within ser. Imbricatae somewhat intermediate between those species characterized by glandular-fimbriate calyx lobe and bracteole margins (e.g. C. confertiflora and C. zamorensis) and those with glandular-callose calyx lobes and bracteole margins (e.g. C. compacta and C. trujilloensis). The calyx lobe margins of C. tenella are generally glandular-callose nearly their entire length (except at the apex); however, a few collections (e.g. Cuatrecasas 21237 and Forero et al. 2221) show very stout glandular fimbriae towards the base of the lobes. By contrast, the bracteole margins of tenella bear stout fimbriae which are to some degree laterally fused, suggesting an earlier evolutionary link with C. confertiflora-C. zamorensis types.Luteyn & Lebrón-Luteyn 7222 was rooted in the decaying stump of a large tree where it grew intermixed with the following Ericaceae: Macleania sp. (Luteyn & Lebrón-Luteyn 7220), Cavendishia micayensis (Luteyn & Lebrón-Luteyn 7223), C. palustris (Luteyn & Lebrón-Luteyn 7224), and sterile angustifolia (no voucher taken). The leaves of the C. tenella and Macleania sp. were badly damaged by red, biting ants.
Cavendishia tenella is notable for its sharply angled stems, conspicuously and deeply channeled (adaxially) petioles, caducous floral bracts, reflexed (or spreading) pedicels, minute bracteoles, glandular-callose calyx lobe margins, and short, slightly zygomorphic corollas.It seems to occupy a position within ser. Imbricatae somewhat intermediate between those species characterized by glandular-fimbriate calyx lobe and bracteole margins (e.g. C. confertiflora and C. zamorensis) and those with glandular-callose calyx lobes and bracteole margins (e.g. C. compacta and C. trujilloensis). The calyx lobe margins of C. tenella are generally glandular-callose nearly their entire length (except at the apex); however, a few collections (e.g. Cuatrecasas 21237 and Forero et al. 2221) show very stout glandular fimbriae towards the base of the lobes. By contrast, the bracteole margins of tenella bear stout fimbriae which are to some degree laterally fused, suggesting an earlier evolutionary link with C. confertiflora-C. zamorensis types.Luteyn & Lebrón-Luteyn 7222 was rooted in the decaying stump of a large tree where it grew intermixed with the following Ericaceae: Macleania sp. (Luteyn & Lebrón-Luteyn 7220), Cavendishia micayensis (Luteyn & Lebrón-Luteyn 7223), C. palustris (Luteyn & Lebrón-Luteyn 7224), and sterile angustifolia (no voucher taken). The leaves of the C. tenella and Macleania sp. were badly damaged by red, biting ants.
Distribution and Ecology: Endemic to the western slopes of the Cordillera Occidental of Choc6 and Valle Depts., Colombia where it is found in rain forest, cloud forest, and on disturbed roadsides through cloud forests at elevations of 60-1990 m. Flowering specimens have been collected in April, May and August; fruiting in April and August.
Distribution:
Colombia South America| Chocó Colombia South America| Valle Colombia South America|
Colombia South America| Chocó Colombia South America| Valle Colombia South America|
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