Monographs Details:
Authority:
1996. Fl. Ecuador. 54: 228.
1996. Fl. Ecuador. 54: 228.
Family:
Ericaceae
Ericaceae
Description:
Species Description - Pendent, epiphytic shrub; stem terete, striate, reddish-brown when dry, white puberulent, glabrate; twigs subterete, striate, reddish-brown when dry, densely white puberulent. Leaves membranous, flat when dry (photo shows possibly weakly concave when fresh), elliptic, 2-4 x 1-1.7 cm, base obtuse, apex obtuse or bluntly acute, margin entire, glabrous on both surfaces, over lower surface provided with scattered, circular, ± concave glands, ca. 0.2 mm diam.; weakly 5-plinerved from near the base, midrib plane to weakly impressed above, raised and conspicuous beneath, lateral nerves slightly raised but obscure above, raised beneath, reticulate veinlets obscure above, raised beneath; petiole subterete, flattened above, rugose, 1.5-4 mm long, glabrous, glaucous. Inflorescence axillary, solitary, racemose, 4-flowered; rachis subterete, striate, 8-9 mm long, white puberulent; floral bract ovate, acuminate, ca. 1.6 x 1.5 mm, distally puberulent, marginally ciliolate, dorsally at the base each lobe provided with two circular, black glands one on either side of the middle; pedicel subterete, striate, 9-13 mm long, sparsely white puberulent; bracteoles located below middle of pedicel, ovate, acuminate, 1.3-1.5 x ca. 1 mm, white puberulent dorsally, without dorsal basal glands. Flowers pendent with calyx ca. 6 mm long, puberulent; hypanthium turbinate, ribbed, 3-3.5 mm long; limb spreading, ca. 3 mm long; lobes oblong-ovate, somewhat irregularly fissured, abruptly short-acuminate, 2-2.3 x ca. 2.3 mm, dorsally and medially each lobe provided with a black, circular, ± concave gland, 0.3-0.4 mm diam.; sinuses acute; corolla tubular, slightly ventricose at base, 29-30 mm long and 8-9 mm basal diam., weakly puberulent, red, the lobes reflexed, lanceolate, long-acuminate, 12-14 mm long, black, dorsally at the base each lobe provided with two, black, circular to elliptic, ± concave glands, 0.2-0.3 mm long or in diam.; stamen about equalling corolla in overall length, but alternately ca. 27 mm and 29 mm long; filaments equal, ca. 6 mm long, connate in the basal 1.5 mm, glabrous; anthers alternately ca. 25 mm and 23.5 mm long; thecae alternately ca. 9.5 mm and 8 mm long; tubules connate nearly to the distal tip, ca. 15.5 mm long, dehiscing through oblique clefts, ca. 0.7 mm long; style 32-33 mm long, glabrous. Berry not seen.
Distribution and Ecology - Endemic to Ecuador, and known only from the type collection, from primary moist forest at 1400 m altitude. Rare and probably endangered.
Species Description - Pendent, epiphytic shrub; stem terete, striate, reddish-brown when dry, white puberulent, glabrate; twigs subterete, striate, reddish-brown when dry, densely white puberulent. Leaves membranous, flat when dry (photo shows possibly weakly concave when fresh), elliptic, 2-4 x 1-1.7 cm, base obtuse, apex obtuse or bluntly acute, margin entire, glabrous on both surfaces, over lower surface provided with scattered, circular, ± concave glands, ca. 0.2 mm diam.; weakly 5-plinerved from near the base, midrib plane to weakly impressed above, raised and conspicuous beneath, lateral nerves slightly raised but obscure above, raised beneath, reticulate veinlets obscure above, raised beneath; petiole subterete, flattened above, rugose, 1.5-4 mm long, glabrous, glaucous. Inflorescence axillary, solitary, racemose, 4-flowered; rachis subterete, striate, 8-9 mm long, white puberulent; floral bract ovate, acuminate, ca. 1.6 x 1.5 mm, distally puberulent, marginally ciliolate, dorsally at the base each lobe provided with two circular, black glands one on either side of the middle; pedicel subterete, striate, 9-13 mm long, sparsely white puberulent; bracteoles located below middle of pedicel, ovate, acuminate, 1.3-1.5 x ca. 1 mm, white puberulent dorsally, without dorsal basal glands. Flowers pendent with calyx ca. 6 mm long, puberulent; hypanthium turbinate, ribbed, 3-3.5 mm long; limb spreading, ca. 3 mm long; lobes oblong-ovate, somewhat irregularly fissured, abruptly short-acuminate, 2-2.3 x ca. 2.3 mm, dorsally and medially each lobe provided with a black, circular, ± concave gland, 0.3-0.4 mm diam.; sinuses acute; corolla tubular, slightly ventricose at base, 29-30 mm long and 8-9 mm basal diam., weakly puberulent, red, the lobes reflexed, lanceolate, long-acuminate, 12-14 mm long, black, dorsally at the base each lobe provided with two, black, circular to elliptic, ± concave glands, 0.2-0.3 mm long or in diam.; stamen about equalling corolla in overall length, but alternately ca. 27 mm and 29 mm long; filaments equal, ca. 6 mm long, connate in the basal 1.5 mm, glabrous; anthers alternately ca. 25 mm and 23.5 mm long; thecae alternately ca. 9.5 mm and 8 mm long; tubules connate nearly to the distal tip, ca. 15.5 mm long, dehiscing through oblique clefts, ca. 0.7 mm long; style 32-33 mm long, glabrous. Berry not seen.
Distribution and Ecology - Endemic to Ecuador, and known only from the type collection, from primary moist forest at 1400 m altitude. Rare and probably endangered.
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