Monographs Details:
Authority:
Luteyn, James L., et al. 1995. Ericaceae, Part II. The Superior-Ovaried Genera (Monotropoideae, Pyroloideae, Rhododendroideae, and Vaccinioideae P.P.). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 66: 560. (Published by NYBG Press)
Luteyn, James L., et al. 1995. Ericaceae, Part II. The Superior-Ovaried Genera (Monotropoideae, Pyroloideae, Rhododendroideae, and Vaccinioideae P.P.). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 66: 560. (Published by NYBG Press)
Family:
Ericaceae
Ericaceae
Description:
Species Description - Evergreen, low to erect, often densely branched shrub to medium-sized tree to 1.5-7 m tall, with gray to brownish, longitudinally furrowed bark; twigs slightly to moderately angled, slender, sparsely lepidote, otherwise usually sparsely pubescent; buds ovoid, 0.7-1.7 × 0.7-1.1 mm. Leaf blades elliptic to ovate or occasionally obovate, 0.8-5(-6.8) × 0.4-2(-3) cm, ± flat to recurved or slightly concave, coriaceous, ca. 0.2-0.4 mm thick; base rounded to narrowly cuneate; apex acute to rounded or truncate (slightly acuminate); margin plane to slightly revolute toward petiole, apical portion clearly to obscurely and irregularly toothed to entire, basal portion sinuous or entire to obscurely and irregularly toothed; venation brochidodromous, 3° veins ± reticulate; adaxial surface lepidote but scales usually quickly deciduous, sparsely to moderately pubescent on basal portion of midvein, with veins obscure to faintly visible and reticulate, not depressed (midvein and/or few 2° veins slightly depressed); abaxial surface moderately lepidote, otherwise densely (sparsely) pubescent, the 3° and higher-order veins ± flat, obscure to occasionally slightly and laxly reticulate, the 2° veins obscure to very occasionally slightly raised and visible; scales rust colored but becoming whitish with age, usually persistent, ca. 0.08-0.2 mm in diam., erose to entire; petiole 1-7.5 mm long, lepidote, otherwise pubescent adaxially; flower buds ± intermixed with vegetative buds. Inflorescences fasciculate, ca. 2-15-flowered; pedicels clearly articulated with calyx, slender, 2-10(-13) mm long, lepidote, otherwise glabrous to moderately pubescent; bracteoles ± opposite, basal to positioned on basal 1/3 of pedicel, narrowly triangular, ca. 0.7-2 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 2 mm long. Flowers (4-)5(-6)-merous; calyx lobes triangular, with acuminate to occasionally acute apices, 0.7-2 × 0.4-1.1 mm, adaxial side slightly pubescent, especially near apex, abaxial side lepidote, otherwise glabrous to pubescent; corolla cylindrical or urceolate-cylindrical, white or sometimes slightly pink tinged, 3-7 × 2-3.5(-4) mm, abaxially sparsely lepidote; filaments roughened, 2.5-4 mm long, unappendaged; anthers 0.7-1.5 mm long; ovary lepidote, otherwise pubescent, placentae ± subapical. Capsule ovoid to ellipsoid, 3-6.5 × 2.5-4.5(-5) mm, slightly lepidote, otherwise very sparsely to moderately pubescent, especially near base, the pale, much-thickened sutures separating as unit from adjacent valves; seeds 2-3 mm long.
Species Description - Evergreen, low to erect, often densely branched shrub to medium-sized tree to 1.5-7 m tall, with gray to brownish, longitudinally furrowed bark; twigs slightly to moderately angled, slender, sparsely lepidote, otherwise usually sparsely pubescent; buds ovoid, 0.7-1.7 × 0.7-1.1 mm. Leaf blades elliptic to ovate or occasionally obovate, 0.8-5(-6.8) × 0.4-2(-3) cm, ± flat to recurved or slightly concave, coriaceous, ca. 0.2-0.4 mm thick; base rounded to narrowly cuneate; apex acute to rounded or truncate (slightly acuminate); margin plane to slightly revolute toward petiole, apical portion clearly to obscurely and irregularly toothed to entire, basal portion sinuous or entire to obscurely and irregularly toothed; venation brochidodromous, 3° veins ± reticulate; adaxial surface lepidote but scales usually quickly deciduous, sparsely to moderately pubescent on basal portion of midvein, with veins obscure to faintly visible and reticulate, not depressed (midvein and/or few 2° veins slightly depressed); abaxial surface moderately lepidote, otherwise densely (sparsely) pubescent, the 3° and higher-order veins ± flat, obscure to occasionally slightly and laxly reticulate, the 2° veins obscure to very occasionally slightly raised and visible; scales rust colored but becoming whitish with age, usually persistent, ca. 0.08-0.2 mm in diam., erose to entire; petiole 1-7.5 mm long, lepidote, otherwise pubescent adaxially; flower buds ± intermixed with vegetative buds. Inflorescences fasciculate, ca. 2-15-flowered; pedicels clearly articulated with calyx, slender, 2-10(-13) mm long, lepidote, otherwise glabrous to moderately pubescent; bracteoles ± opposite, basal to positioned on basal 1/3 of pedicel, narrowly triangular, ca. 0.7-2 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 2 mm long. Flowers (4-)5(-6)-merous; calyx lobes triangular, with acuminate to occasionally acute apices, 0.7-2 × 0.4-1.1 mm, adaxial side slightly pubescent, especially near apex, abaxial side lepidote, otherwise glabrous to pubescent; corolla cylindrical or urceolate-cylindrical, white or sometimes slightly pink tinged, 3-7 × 2-3.5(-4) mm, abaxially sparsely lepidote; filaments roughened, 2.5-4 mm long, unappendaged; anthers 0.7-1.5 mm long; ovary lepidote, otherwise pubescent, placentae ± subapical. Capsule ovoid to ellipsoid, 3-6.5 × 2.5-4.5(-5) mm, slightly lepidote, otherwise very sparsely to moderately pubescent, especially near base, the pale, much-thickened sutures separating as unit from adjacent valves; seeds 2-3 mm long.
Distribution:
Haiti South America| Dominican Republic South America| Puerto Rico South America|
Haiti South America| Dominican Republic South America| Puerto Rico South America|