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)

Family:

Ericaceae

Synonyms:

Lyonia myrtilloides var. ovalifolia Griseb., Xolisma vaccinioides Small, Lyonia myrtilloides var. parvifolia Griseb., Lyonia myrtilloides var. myrtilloides, Xolisma myrtilloides (Griseb.) Small, Andromeda glandulosa var. ovalifolia (Griseb.) M.Gómez, Lyonia vaccinioides (Small) Acuña & Roíg

Description:

Species Description - Evergreen shrub or small tree to 3(-6) m tall, sometimes with strongly ascending branches, with longitudinally furrowed bark; twigs moderately angled, slender, sparsely to densely lepidote, otherwise densely to occasionally moderately pubescent; buds ovoid, 0.5-1.5 × 0.5-1 mm. Leaf blades narrowly to widely obovate or elliptic, or occasionally slightly ovate or orbicular, 0.7-4(-4.5) × 0.3-2(-3.1) cm, flat to slightly recurved, coriaceous, ca. 0.3-0.36 mm thick; base attenuate, narrowly to broadly cuneate or rounded; apex rounded to truncate; margin plane to revolute, apical portion entire to sinuous (very obscurely and irregularly toothed), basal portion entire; venation brochidodromous, 3° veins reticulate; adaxial surface lepidote but scales quickly deciduous, densely to moderately pubescent on basal portion of mid vein, the 3° and higher-order veins obscure to visible, the midvein ± flat or less commonly slightly depressed, the 2° veins visible and slightly raised to obscure (slightly depressed); abaxial surface sparsely to moderately lepidote, otherwise glabrous, often very sparsely pubescent on midvein, especially basal portion, the 3° and higher-order veins flat or nearly so, slightly and laxly reticulate to obscure, the 2° veins raised and visible to obscure, irregular; scales rust colored, becoming whitish with age, usually persistent, ca. 0.09-0.26 mm in diam., entire to erose; petiole 1.5-5.5 mm long, lepidote, otherwise pubescent ± all around; flower buds ± intermixed with vegetative buds. Inflorescences fasciculate, 1-10-flowered; pedicels clearly to only weakly articulated with calyx, slender, 2.5-11 mm long, lepidote, otherwise very sparsely to moderately pubescent; bracteoles subopposite, nearly basal, narrowly triangular, 0.4-1.2 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 1.5 mm long. Flowers 4(-5)-merous; calyx lobes triangular, with acuminate to nearly acute apices, 0.7-1.5 × 0.5-1.3 mm, adaxial side sparsely pubescent, especially near apex, abaxial side lepidote, otherwise glabrous or very sparsely pubescent near base; corolla urceolate to cylindrical, white, 2.5-4 × 1.7-2.7 mm, abaxially sparsely lepidote; filaments roughened, 1.3-2.3 mm long, usually with 2 spurs to ca. 0.1 mm long just below anther-filament junction; anthers 0.7-1.2 mm long; ovary lepidote, otherwise pubescent, placentae ± subapical. Capsules narrowly ovoid, straight-sided, 3-4 × 1.7-3(-3.5) mm, lepidote, otherwise densely to moderately pubescent, the pale, very thick sutures separating as unit from adjacent valves; seeds 1.5-2.5 mm long.

Discussion:

Lyonia myrtilloides, a striking and easily recognized plant, is perhaps closest to L. ekmanii, from which it is very readily distinguished (see above). It is extremely variable in leaf shape and size (see Judd, 1981; also noted by Alain, 1946b; Grisebach, 1866)

Distribution and Ecology: (Fig. 5A). Cuba, prov. Pinar del Río (including Isle of Pines). White sand or gravel savannas of Colpothrinax, Acoelorraphe, and Pinus, open pinelands (of Pinus tropicalis and P. caribaea), and thickets; to ca. 300 m elev. Flora of these savannas and pinelands discussed (with lists of characteristic species) in Jennings (1917), Seifriz (1943), Marie-Victorin and Leon (1944), Alain (1946b), Smith (1954), and Borhidi and Muniz (1986). Sprouting vigorously from base after fire. Flowering probably chiefly March through early June, although also November through February.

Distribution:

Cuba South America| Piñar del Río Cuba South America|

Common Names:

cereza de sabana