Authority:

Luteyn, James L. 1983. Ericaceae--part I. Cavendishia. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 35: 1-290. (Published by NYBG Press)

Family:

Ericaceae

Description:

Species Description - Terrestrial or epiphytic shrub; branches subterete, complanate and bluntly angled, smooth, glabrous, reddish-brown. Leaves coriaceous to subcoriaceous, elliptic or ovate-elliptic, (9.5-)11-15(-19) X (3-)4.5-8.5(-10.5) cm, basally rounded, obtuse, broadly cuneate, or rarely subcordate, apically abruptly caudate-acuminate with acumen 1.5-2 cm long, glabrous or with scattered hairs along midrib beneath; 5(-7)-plinerved with inner pair of lateral nerves arising from 1.5-2.5 cm above base, midrib conspicuously raised and thickened through proximal 2-2.5 cm otherwise impressed above, lateral nerves arcuate-ascending and impressed above, reticulate veinlets plane to slightly raised above, all veins raised beneath; petiole terete, rugose, 6-12(-15) mm long and 1.5-2.5 mm diam., glabrous. Inflorescence 10-20-flowered, averaging 2 flowers/cm; rachis subterete, bluntly angled, slightly flexuous, each node conspicuously swollen, glabrous, 6-12.5 cm long and 2.5-4.5 mm in diam; floral bracts subcoriaceous, persistent for a time after anthesis but falling before fruit matures, tightly involute around flowers, oblong to ovate, 20-30 X 16-27 mm, basally slightly auriculate, glabrous, dark rose when fresh (fide label data); pedicels obconic, coarsely rugose, bluntly angled, glabrous, 2.5-6 mm long, 2.5-3.5 mm in basal diam. and 3.5-6 mm apical diam.; bracteoles usually caducous, oblong, 2.5-5(-13) X 1,2-2(-6) mm, glabrous, marginally weakly glandular-callose at distal tip only or along edge almost to base, the glandular area usually black when dry. Flowers: calyx glabrous, 6-10(-16) mm long; hypanthium cylindric, smooth or coarsely 5-10-ribbed, 2-4 mm long, basally truncate or coarsely 5-undulate/lobed; limb cylindric, erect, 4-7(-13) mm long; lobes oblong, apiculate, imbricate, 3.5-5(-10) x 3(-8) mm, marginally glandular-callose, the distal half although callose not contiguous at tip thereby causing lobe to appear emarginate, lower half of lobe margin thinly glandular, entire glandular area usually black when dry, lobes connivent and encircling style base after anthesis; corolla cylindric, narrowing distally, glabrous, 18-24 mm long, white but red distally when fresh (fide label data), lobes oblong, subacute, 1.5 mm long; stamens 15-19.5 mm long; filaments distinct to loosely coherent basally, pilose marginally, alternately 2-4 mm and 4-7 mm long; anthers alternately 14.5-17 mm and 13-14.3 mm long; thecae 4.5-6.5 mm long; tubules dehiscing by clefts nearly their entire length; style 16-26 mm long. Mature berry not seen, but at least 14 mm diam.

Discussion:

Cavendishia compacta is notable for its compact inflorescence with a somewhat flexuous rachis and swollen floral nodes, its involute and persistent floral bracts, its short obconic and coarsely angled pedicels, and smooth to coarsely ribbed hypanthia.

As I have circumscribed the species there is some degree of morphological variation in leaf shape, in length of pedicel, calyx lobe, and bracteole, and in shape of hypanthium. The few collections extant, however, are from a wide geographical and elevational range and would normally be expected to show this degree of variation. For example the type collection, Cuatrecasas 16316 and Schultes & Villarreal 7375, all from the southern part of the range and generally from lower elevations, show hypanthia which are coarsely 5-10-ribbed and basally deeply 5-undulate or ribbed, and pedicels which are very stout and obconical; whereas the other three collections from the northern part of the range and from higher elevations show smooth hypanthia with truncate bases and more elongate-cylin-dric pedicels. Cuatrecasas 16316 and Schultes & Villarreal 7375 also have very broadly elliptic leaves, while those of all other collections are more narrowly elliptic. Most collections have relatively short calyx lobes (3.5-5 mm long) and bracteoles (2-5 mm long). García-Barriga 11124 and 11127, however, have calyx lobes 8-10 mm and bracteoles 12-13 mm long. The margins of the bracteoles in the Garcia-Barriga collections are also weakly glandular-callose, the callose not continuous along the length but instead irregularly interrupted with thin or open areas of non-callose tissue. Lellinger & de la Sota 232 also shows a tendency for elongated calyx lobes and bracteoles.

The smooth non-ribbed hypanthium and elongate calyx lobes and bracteoles may indicate a relationship to C. longirachis (also in ser. Imbricatae). I feel, however, that the relationships of C. compacta are closer to C. trujilloensis. They have in common the more important feature of marginally glandular-callose calyx lobes, and usually short bracteoles which are either caducous or obscure (not long and clasping or concealing the calyx as in C. longirachis and C. amplexa). The salient known differences between these species are given in the key, but many additional collections are needed before a thorough understanding of their morphological variation and relationships is attained.

Distribution:

Colombia South America| Antioquia Colombia South America| Chocó Colombia South America| Valle Colombia South America|