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 shrub to moderate-sized tree to ca. 6 m tall, with brownish to gray, longitudinally furrowed bark; twigs slightly to moderately angled, slender, densely to moderately lepidote, otherwise slightly to occasionally moderately pubescent; buds ovoid, 1-2.5 × 1-2.5 mm. Leaf blades ovate to obovate, or nearly orbicular, 2.5-7(-9.5) × 1.5-5(-6.5) cm, ± flat, coriaceous, ca. 0.34-0.43 mm thick; base slightly cordate to narrowly cuneate or attenuate; apex acuminate, acute, to rounded or truncate; margin plane to slightly re volute, apical portion entire to very obscurely and irregularly toothed, basal portion entire to sinuous; venation brochidodromous, 3° veins ± reticulate; adaxial surface lepidote but scales quickly deciduous, moderately pubescent on basal portion of midvein, the 3° and higher-order veins obscure to visible, the midvein sometimes slightly depressed, the 2° veins obscure to visible, ± flat to slightly depressed; abaxial surface densely to sparsely lepidote, otherwise densely pubescent (only sparsely pubescent near margin or apex), the 3° and higher-order veins ± flat or nearly so and obscure to slightly and laxly reticulate, or, on few plants from extremely high elevations, raised and forming dense, fine reticulum, the 2° veins slightly raised and visible to occasionally nearly obscure; scales yellowish gold, sometimes becoming whitish with age, deciduous, ca. 0.08-0.43 mm in diam., nearly entire to erose; petiole 4-20 mm long, lepidote, otherwise pubescent adaxially or all around; flower buds ± intermixed with vegetative buds. Inflorescences fasciculate, ca. 1-12-flowered; pedicels clearly articulated with calyx, moderately stout, 2.5-10 mm long, densely lepidote, otherwise pubescent; bracteoles ± opposite, basal, narrowly triangular, 1.2-3.6 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 2.5 mm long. Flowers (4-)5(-6)-merous; calyx lobes narrowly triangular, with acute or long-acuminate apices, (2.5-)3.7-7(-8) × 0.8-2.5 mm, adaxial side densely lepidote, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent, especially near apex, abaxial side very densely lepidote, otherwise pubescent; corolla long-urceolate, white to pink, 5.5-8 × 3-6 mm, abaxially densely lepidote, and corolla appearing yellow or golden due to peltate scales; filaments roughened, 3-5 mm long, unappendaged or with minute spurs near anther-filament junction; anthers 1.3-2 mm long; ovary lepidote and pubescent, placentae ± subapical. Capsules ovoid to short-ovoid or subglobose, 4-6(-7) × 3.5-5.5(-6) mm, lepidote, otherwise moderately to densely pubescent, the pale, very thick sutures separating as unit from adjacent valves; seeds 1.5-2.7 mm long.
Species Description - Evergreen low shrub to moderate-sized tree to ca. 6 m tall, with brownish to gray, longitudinally furrowed bark; twigs slightly to moderately angled, slender, densely to moderately lepidote, otherwise slightly to occasionally moderately pubescent; buds ovoid, 1-2.5 × 1-2.5 mm. Leaf blades ovate to obovate, or nearly orbicular, 2.5-7(-9.5) × 1.5-5(-6.5) cm, ± flat, coriaceous, ca. 0.34-0.43 mm thick; base slightly cordate to narrowly cuneate or attenuate; apex acuminate, acute, to rounded or truncate; margin plane to slightly re volute, apical portion entire to very obscurely and irregularly toothed, basal portion entire to sinuous; venation brochidodromous, 3° veins ± reticulate; adaxial surface lepidote but scales quickly deciduous, moderately pubescent on basal portion of midvein, the 3° and higher-order veins obscure to visible, the midvein sometimes slightly depressed, the 2° veins obscure to visible, ± flat to slightly depressed; abaxial surface densely to sparsely lepidote, otherwise densely pubescent (only sparsely pubescent near margin or apex), the 3° and higher-order veins ± flat or nearly so and obscure to slightly and laxly reticulate, or, on few plants from extremely high elevations, raised and forming dense, fine reticulum, the 2° veins slightly raised and visible to occasionally nearly obscure; scales yellowish gold, sometimes becoming whitish with age, deciduous, ca. 0.08-0.43 mm in diam., nearly entire to erose; petiole 4-20 mm long, lepidote, otherwise pubescent adaxially or all around; flower buds ± intermixed with vegetative buds. Inflorescences fasciculate, ca. 1-12-flowered; pedicels clearly articulated with calyx, moderately stout, 2.5-10 mm long, densely lepidote, otherwise pubescent; bracteoles ± opposite, basal, narrowly triangular, 1.2-3.6 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 2.5 mm long. Flowers (4-)5(-6)-merous; calyx lobes narrowly triangular, with acute or long-acuminate apices, (2.5-)3.7-7(-8) × 0.8-2.5 mm, adaxial side densely lepidote, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent, especially near apex, abaxial side very densely lepidote, otherwise pubescent; corolla long-urceolate, white to pink, 5.5-8 × 3-6 mm, abaxially densely lepidote, and corolla appearing yellow or golden due to peltate scales; filaments roughened, 3-5 mm long, unappendaged or with minute spurs near anther-filament junction; anthers 1.3-2 mm long; ovary lepidote and pubescent, placentae ± subapical. Capsules ovoid to short-ovoid or subglobose, 4-6(-7) × 3.5-5.5(-6) mm, lepidote, otherwise moderately to densely pubescent, the pale, very thick sutures separating as unit from adjacent valves; seeds 1.5-2.7 mm long.
Distribution:
Cuba South America|
Cuba South America|