Monographs Details:
Authority:
1986. J. Arnold Arbor. 67: 491.
1986. J. Arnold Arbor. 67: 491.
Family:
Ericaceae
Ericaceae
Description:
Species Description - Terrestrial shrub with branches to 0.75 m long; stem terete, brown when dry, glabrous; twigs complanate, bluntly angled, rugose, reddish-brown when dry, densely short-pilose with unicellular hairs ca. 0.5 mm long. Leaves coriaceous, lance-elliptic, 9-13 x 3-5 cm, basally cuneate and short-attentuate, apically acute although apex itself often blunt, glabrous above but softly and densely short-pilose beneath; 3-plinerved from near base, midrib and lateral nerves impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets impressed or slightly raised above and slightly raised beneath; petiole terete, rugose, 5-8 mm long, densely short-pilose. Inflorescence solitary, often on older wood in axils of fallen leaves, fasciculate, 4-6-flowered; floral bract membranous, narrowly ovate to linear-lanceolate, long-acuminate, basally clasping pedicel, 20-26 mm long and 2.5-3 mm broad at base, brownish, dorsally sparsely pilose, marginally ciliate and sparsely glandular-fimbriate; pedicel terete to subterete, striate, stout, 6-12 mm long and 2-3 mm basal diam., short-pilose; bracteoles located near base or medially on pedicel, similar to floral bract except 15-24 x ca. 1.5 mm. Flowers with calyx inconspicuously articulate with pedicel, 20-27 mm long, pale green; hypanthium subcylindric, terete, 3-4 mm long, densely short-white-pilose; limb cylindric-campanulate, 17-23 mm long, moderately short-pilose; lobes narrowly triangular, long-acuminate, 15-21 mm long, striate, marginally sparsely glandular-fimbriate; sinuses acute; corolla carnose, tubular, subterete to indistinctly pentagonal at base then narrowly expanding distally and becoming bluntly pentagonal, 38-43 mm long and ca. 5 mm basal diam. to ca. 10 mm at throat, white at extreme base and between lobes but elsewhere bright red, sparsely puberulent, the lobes spreading, narrowly triangular, 4-9 mm long; stamen 10, alternately slightly unequal, 36-40 mm long; filaments distinct, equal, 8-10 mm long, glabrous; anthers alternately slightly unequal, 29.5-33 mm long; thecae equal, 10-12 mm long; tubules alternately slightly unequal, distinct to base, extremely narrow, longer than thecae, 19.5-22 mm long, dehiscing by subterminal, oblique, flaring clefts 0.75-1 mm long; nectariferous disc cupular, glabrous; style long-exserted, (39-)50-53 mm long, glabrous. Mature berry not seen, but at least 12 mm diam.
Distribution and Ecology - Endemic to Ecuador, and known only from two collections; roadbanks through disturbed cloud forest at 1615-1750 m altitude.
Species Description - Terrestrial shrub with branches to 0.75 m long; stem terete, brown when dry, glabrous; twigs complanate, bluntly angled, rugose, reddish-brown when dry, densely short-pilose with unicellular hairs ca. 0.5 mm long. Leaves coriaceous, lance-elliptic, 9-13 x 3-5 cm, basally cuneate and short-attentuate, apically acute although apex itself often blunt, glabrous above but softly and densely short-pilose beneath; 3-plinerved from near base, midrib and lateral nerves impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets impressed or slightly raised above and slightly raised beneath; petiole terete, rugose, 5-8 mm long, densely short-pilose. Inflorescence solitary, often on older wood in axils of fallen leaves, fasciculate, 4-6-flowered; floral bract membranous, narrowly ovate to linear-lanceolate, long-acuminate, basally clasping pedicel, 20-26 mm long and 2.5-3 mm broad at base, brownish, dorsally sparsely pilose, marginally ciliate and sparsely glandular-fimbriate; pedicel terete to subterete, striate, stout, 6-12 mm long and 2-3 mm basal diam., short-pilose; bracteoles located near base or medially on pedicel, similar to floral bract except 15-24 x ca. 1.5 mm. Flowers with calyx inconspicuously articulate with pedicel, 20-27 mm long, pale green; hypanthium subcylindric, terete, 3-4 mm long, densely short-white-pilose; limb cylindric-campanulate, 17-23 mm long, moderately short-pilose; lobes narrowly triangular, long-acuminate, 15-21 mm long, striate, marginally sparsely glandular-fimbriate; sinuses acute; corolla carnose, tubular, subterete to indistinctly pentagonal at base then narrowly expanding distally and becoming bluntly pentagonal, 38-43 mm long and ca. 5 mm basal diam. to ca. 10 mm at throat, white at extreme base and between lobes but elsewhere bright red, sparsely puberulent, the lobes spreading, narrowly triangular, 4-9 mm long; stamen 10, alternately slightly unequal, 36-40 mm long; filaments distinct, equal, 8-10 mm long, glabrous; anthers alternately slightly unequal, 29.5-33 mm long; thecae equal, 10-12 mm long; tubules alternately slightly unequal, distinct to base, extremely narrow, longer than thecae, 19.5-22 mm long, dehiscing by subterminal, oblique, flaring clefts 0.75-1 mm long; nectariferous disc cupular, glabrous; style long-exserted, (39-)50-53 mm long, glabrous. Mature berry not seen, but at least 12 mm diam.
Distribution and Ecology - Endemic to Ecuador, and known only from two collections; roadbanks through disturbed cloud forest at 1615-1750 m altitude.
Discussion:
Illustration Luteyn (1996), plate 6. Conservation Status: Rare and endangered
Illustration Luteyn (1996), plate 6. Conservation Status: Rare and endangered
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