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:

Leucothoe intermedia Meisn., Amechania hispidula DC., Leucothoe hispidula (DC.) Meisn., Agarista brevifolia (Meisn.) Hook.f. & Nied., Leucothoe intermedia Meisn.

Description:

Species Description - Usually erect shrub to 2.5 m tall (but often only ca. 1 m tall), with bark often not well developed; twigs with or without scattered gland-headed hairs, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent, with nonchambered to irregularly chambered or sometimes hollow pith; buds to ca. 0.8 mm long, leaves revolute. Leaves coriaceous, ovate to narrowly ovate, 0.8-2.5(-3.3) × 0.15-1.2 cm, base cordate, apex acute- to rounded-mucronate (short-acuminate), margin entire (slightly sinuous, serrulate due to glandheaded hairs), strongly to moderately (slightly) revolute, adaxial surface sparsely to densely pubescent on midvein and often with scattered hairs on lamina, abaxial surface with or without gland-headed hairs on midvein, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent on midvein and often also sparsely (moderately) pubescent on lamina (with few very inconspicuous glandular dots along midvein); petiole 1-4 mm long. Inflorescences (very short, fascicle-like) axillary racemes (terminal racemes or panicles) to 0.5-6.5 cm long; rachis with or without scattered gland-headed hairs, otherwise densely pubescent; pedicels 5-13 mm long, with or without gland-headed hairs, otherwise moderately to densely pubescent; bracteoles 2(-3), alternate to subopposite, from nearly basal to near midpoint of pedicel, narrowly triangular, to ca. 1.8 mm long; bracts to 2.3 mm long. Flowers with triangular to ovate calyx lobes, with acuminate (to ± acute) apices, 2-5.5 × 0.8-2 mm, abaxial surface with or without gland-headed hairs, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent; corolla cylindrical to urceolate-cylindrical, red to pink (or white), 6.5-8.5 × 3-6 mm, sparsely to densely pubescent (also with few gland-headed hairs); filaments 4-5 mm long; anthers 1.4-1.8 mm long; ovary densely pubescent. Capsules short-ovoid, 2.5-5 by 4-7.5 mm, placentae subapical to central; seeds 0.6-1.4 mm long.

Discussion:

Agarista hispidula is most closely related to A. chlorantha, A. organensis, and A. ericoides; it can be distinguished from all of these species by its abaxially pubescent corollas. In addition, it differs from A. organensis in its elongated calyx lobes, from A. chlorantha in its acuminate (vs. acute) calyx lobes, and from A. ericoides in its larger leaves.

Sleumer (1959) separated the plants lacking glandheaded hairs as Leucothoe intermedia, but these plants are identical in all other characters to the glandular-hairy plants, and both pubescence forms can be found in the same locality (Judd, 1984).

Distribution:

Brazil South America| Goiás Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America| Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America|