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:

Amechania subcanescens DC., Andromeda serrulata Cham., Andromeda chlorantha Cham., Leucothoe chlorantha (Cham.) DC., Leucothoe subcanescens (DC.) C.F.W.Meissn., Leucothoe chlorantha var. subcanescens (DC.) Sleumer, Agarista serrulata (Cham.) G.Don, Leucothoe serrulata (Cham.) DC.

Description:

Species Description - Erectly branched shrub or subshrub to 1.5 m tall, with bark usually not well developed; twigs with or without scattered gland-headed hairs, otherwise moderately to densely pubescent, with ± nonchambered to hollow pith; buds to ca. 0.6 mm long, leaves revolute. Leaves coriaceous, ovate or narrowly ovate to orbicular or even suborbicular, 0.7-2.5 × 0.25-1 -3(-1.7) cm, base cordate, apex acute- to rounded-mucronate, margin entire, often sinuous (serrulate due to gland-headed hairs), strongly to slightly revolute (± plane), adaxial surface sparsely pubescent on midvein, especially basal portion, abaxial surface with or without gland-headed hairs on mid vein, otherwise glabrous to sparsely pubescent on basal portion of midvein, often with few very inconspicuous glandular dots along midvein; petiole 1-4 mm long. Inflorescences axillary (terminal) racemes to (1-) 1.5-8.5 cm long (flowers solitary, axillary), rachis with or without scattered gland-headed hairs, otherwise moderately to densely pubescent; pedicels 3.5-13 mm long, with or without gland-headed hairs, otherwise moderately to densely pubescent; bracteoles 2 (several), alternate to subopposite from nearly basal to within lower 1/3 of pedicel (to near apex), triangular to linear (ovate), to ca. 2.5 mm long; floral bracts to 3 mm long. Flowers with triangular to ovate calyx lobes, with ± acute apices, 2.5-5.5 × 0.8-1.7 mm, abaxial surface with or without gland-headed hairs, otherwise very sparsely to densely pubescent; corolla cylindrical, white (reddish toward apex), 7-11.5 × 3-6.5 mm, glabrous; filaments 5.5-6.5 mm long; anthers 1-1.6 mm long; ovary sparsely to densely pubescent. Capsules short-ovoid to subglobose, 3-5 × 4.5-7 mm, placentae subapical; seeds 1-2.1 mm long.

Discussion:

Agarista chlorantha is most similar to (and easily confused with) A. hispidula and A. organensis; all three taxa are characterized by more or less erect branches with small, usually ovate, clearly revolute leaves; see illustrations in Meisner (1863: t. 61, fig. 1; t. 62, fig. 1; t. 63, fig. 1) and Marques and Klein (1975: pl. 9). This species is easily separated from A. hispidula by its abaxially glabrous (vs. pubescent) corollas and its more or less acute (vs. acuminate) calyx lobes. It can be distinguished from A. organensis by its longer calyx lobes, corollas, and inflorescences, although a few specimens have very short inflorescences or rarely even solitary flowers and thus somewhat approach the latter species (Judd, 1984). Agarista chlorantha is geographically separated from A. organensis, although it grows together with A. hispidula in the northern portion of its range (Fig. 11 A). Agarista chlorantha appears to be more common (or at least much better collected) in the southern portion of its range (Paraná and Santa Catarina).

Agarista chlorantha occurs sympatrically with A. pulchella over much of its range, and Hatschbach 17748 (L, UC) may represent a hybrid between these species. This specimen is unusual in its large (to 3.7 × 2 cm) nonrevolute leaves.

Like many other Agarista species, A. chlorantha is variable in its glandular indumentum. There may be many to few multicellular, gland-headed hairs on the twigs, leaves, inflorescence axis, pedicels, and calyx lobes, or these hairs may be lacking. The plants are alike in all other features, and both indument forms may be found in a single locality (Judd, 1984). Thus, A. serrulata and A. chlorantha- the former characterized by Sleumer (1959) as being glandular-hairy and the latter as lacking such hairs-are considered to be conspecific (Judd, 1984). Leaves of A. chlorantha also vary somewhat in how much the margins are revolute: Those near the base of the plant are frequently less strongly revolute than those toward the apical portion of the shoots. In a few plants, many of the leaves are only very slightly revolute and are more or less orbicular; such plants are easily confused with the closely related A. nummularia (see above).

Distribution:

Brazil South America| Distrito Federal Brazil South America| Paraná Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America| Santa Catarina Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America|