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:

Brossaea coccinea L., Epigaea cordifolia Sw., Gaultheria sphagnicola Rich., Brossaea anastomosans (L.) Griseb., Gaultheria swartzii R.A.Howard, Gaultheria coccinea Kunth, Gaultheria cordifolia Kunth

Description:

Species Description - Prostrate to erect, rhizomatous subshrub to shrub 1-6 dm tall, often embedded in moss; mature stem terete to subterete, striate, strigose with hairs to 2 mm long, glabrate; bark thin, cracking in reticulate strips; twigs terete, densely strigose or somewhat spreading-hirsute with swollen-based, eglandular trichomes to 2 mm long; buds terete to flattened, ovate to fusiform, scales ovate, acute to obtuse, striate, glabrous. Leaves thick-coriaceous, ovate, elliptic-ovate, to subrotund, (1-) 1.7-3.5(-5.5) × (0.8-) 1.3-2.5(-3) cm, base rounded, subcordate, apex rounded to acute (short-acuminate), bluntly apiculate, margin flat or ± revolute, edge sometimes thickened, subentire to crenate-serrate with teeth sometimes coarse and very conspicuous, or remote and irregularly scattered, each tooth terminating in a deciduous, basally swollen hair to 1.2 mm long, lamina strigose on both surfaces (more conspicuous and persistent beneath) with basally swollen, eglandular hairs to 1.5 mm long; midrib impressed above and conspicuously raised beneath, lateral nerves (2-3 per side) arching, impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets impressed but obscure above, conspicuously thickened and raised beneath; petiole subterete, rugose, narrowly but conspicuously canaliculate above, (1-) 1.5-4 mm long, densely and persistently strigose. Inflorescence axillary, racemose at tips of twigs, but partially hidden by leaves, 2-8-flowered; rachis subterete, striate, 4-25(-30) mm long, moderately to densely hirsute with straight or ± crisped, reddish, eglandular hairs to 2 mm long (also with scattered, short-pilose, white hairs) at base with a series of concave, oblong to ovate, acute, striate, scarious, glabrous but ciliolate bracts to 7 mm long; pedicels subterete, striate to ribbed, 4-10 mm long, pubescent as on rachis; bracteoles located near middle of pedicel or slightly below, cochleariform, conspicuously striate, narrowly ovate to nearly linear-ovate, 4-7 mm long, acute to acuminate, glabrous but ciliolate; floral bract similar to bracteoles but sometimes more broadly ovate and slightly longer (rarely to 8 mm long). Flowers with calyx 5.3-7.5 mm long, glabrous (with a few coarse hairs to 1.5 mm long at base of lobes), lobes ovate and ± abruptly long-acuminate, conspicuously striate, ca. 4.5-6(-6.5) mm long, ciliolate; corolla urceolate, terete, 5-6(-7) mm long, very weakly to densely strigose with golden to ferruginous, eglandular hairs to ca. 0.6 mm long (also basally very weakly short-pilose with white hairs, or glabrous), pink to red when fresh, lobes deltoid, ca. 1-1.5 mm long, acute to obtuse, reflexed; stamens 5-5.6 mm long; filaments 3-4.6 mm long, pilose; anthers 1-1.2 mm long, short-prognathous at base, awns minute; dehiscence by slits running ± entire length of anther; ovary rounded to pentagonal, glabrous to short-hirsute distally; style 3-4.5 mm long, glabrous (weakly short-pilose at base). Fruiting calyx 6-10 mm diam., blue-black, glabrous. Chromosome number: In = 22 (Hersey & Vander Kloet 325274b).

Discussion:

Fruits are said to be edible but are reported to vary from sweet to insipid. In Martinique and Guadeloupe the species is considered "vulnerable" (following the IUCN standards) because of its exposed habit at the summits of active volcanoes and also because tourists collect the plants as ornamentals or for the edible fruits (Sastre, 1978).

Gaultheria domingensis is a subshrub to low shrub characterized by its strigose stems, petioles, and leaves; small but conspicuously veined leaves (especially beneath); few-flowered inflorescences; rachises and pedicels with hirsute indumentum and mostly without any short-white-pilose hairs; long calyx lobes (with respect to corolla length) which are also conspicuously striate and long-acuminate; stamens with long filaments and tiny anthers; dehiscence by slits the entire length of the anther; and weakly pilose ovaries.

Traditionally two species have been recognized in the Caribbean- G. domingensis from Hispaniola and G. swartzii (incl. G. sphagnicola) from the Lesser Antillean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. They were characterized by G. domingensis having corollas densely pubescent and leaves obscurely toothed vs. G. swartzii with corollas glabrous and leaves distinctly toothed (cf. Small, 1914). Camp (1939a) noted the similarity between the two species and further observed that he had seen plants from Guadeloupe in which the corollas were pubescent. Howard (1975) also noted the indumentum on corollas from the Lesser Antilles, although he correctly stated that it is not so abundant as that on material from Hispaniola. Howard maintained two species, however, on the basis of leaf characters. Hersey and Vander Kloet (1976), after studying Caribbean material along with some Mexican and South American species, decided that only one species should be recognized from the Caribbean- G. domingensis. It is true that the corollas on plants from Hispaniola are more densely strigose than any from the Lesser Antilles and that the leaves from Lesser Antillean plants are more conspicuously toothed. It is also true that plants from Hispaniola are found at higher elevations, are generally more robust with larger leaves, bear more flowers per inflorescence, and have longer rachises. These differences, however, are better seen as part of a continuum and even when taken together do not warrant specific distinction. It is more important to see what features the populations have in common, viz., those mentioned above, which characterize the species as a whole because, in combination, those characters circumscribe a very distinct, coherent taxon.

Gaultheria domingensis is related to the widespread (Venezuela to Bolivia) G. glomerata. The general habit and overall facies are very similar. Although I have not collected G. domingensis, color slides and photos of the species (kindly placed at my disposal by T. Zanoni and Alain Liogier) show that it bears a very striking similarity to the South American G. glomerata. The two species also have in common the combination of characters of relatively long calyx lobes and dehiscence slits running nearly the length of the anther.

Collections labeled "Cayenne" (e.g., Herb. Poiret, P) or "Trinidad" (e.g., Sieber 346, E, G, L, MO, P, W) are most likely from Guadeloupe or Martinique, since G. domingensis has never been collected in either of those places.

Distribution and Ecology: (Fig. 17). Endemic to the Caribbean region where it is known only from Hispaniola, Guadeloupe, and Martinique. In Hispaniola it is found in humid or open Pinus occidentalis forest, burned over ravines, or sandy roadsides at 1300-3125 m elev. In Guadeloupe and Martinique it is found at 1000-1467 m elev. Here the plants are nearly always associated with Sphagnum. It is an important colonizer of mountain summits after volcanic activity (Sastre et al., 1983, and references therein). Flowering and fruiting occur throughout the year.

Distribution:

West Indies| Haiti South America| Dominican Republic South America| Azua Dominican Republic South America| La Vega Dominican Republic South America| Guadeloupe South America| Martinique South America|

Common Names:

myrtille des hauts, niquivá