Monographs Details:
Family:
Ericaceae
Ericaceae
Description:
Species Description - Terrestrial shrub ca. 2 m tall; stems glabrous, striate, terete to complanate. Leaves coriaceous, concave, ovate, 4-6 x 2-3 cm, basally rounded, apically acuminate, the margin often involute in proximal one-third; 3(-5)-plinerved, the inner nerves arising from the base, the midrib, lateral, and reticulate veinlets all impressed above and raised beneath, the reticulate veinlets conspicuous on both surfaces; petiole subterete, flattened above, 3-4 mm long, sparsely puberulent above. Inflorescence of axilllary racemes of 3-9 flowers; rachis subterete, glabrous, 1-2(-6) cm long; floral bract persistent, ovate, ca. 1.5 mm long, marginally with few glandular fimbriae; pedicels terete, ca. 15 mm long at anthesis, elongating to 40 mm; bracteoles near middle of pedicel, ovate, less than 1 mm long, marginally with few glandular fimbriae; calyx terete, weakly puberulent, glabrate, ca. 9-15 mm long; hypanthium 5-9 mm long; limb 5-6 mm long; lobes less than 1 mm and bearing on each side a small ± concave glandular area along the margin; corolla cylindric-infundibuliform, glabrous, 40-50 mm long, when fresh ca. 10 mm in proximal diam. expanding to 22 mm distal diam. and orange to reddish-orange, the lobes deltate, ca. 4-6 mm long and 9-12 mm broad but tearing to 14 mm long when dry; stamens ca. 35-41 mm long; filaments distinct, pilose dorsally, 5-8 mm long; anthers 31-39 mm long; thecae ca. 6-11 mm long; tubules dehiscing by exactly terminal pores. Berry not seen.
Distribution and Ecology - Endemic to southern Colombia, where it is found in the high montane forest/wet páramo ecotone, at 2700-3250 m elevation. Flowering specimens have been collected from January through March and July through September.
Species Description - Terrestrial shrub ca. 2 m tall; stems glabrous, striate, terete to complanate. Leaves coriaceous, concave, ovate, 4-6 x 2-3 cm, basally rounded, apically acuminate, the margin often involute in proximal one-third; 3(-5)-plinerved, the inner nerves arising from the base, the midrib, lateral, and reticulate veinlets all impressed above and raised beneath, the reticulate veinlets conspicuous on both surfaces; petiole subterete, flattened above, 3-4 mm long, sparsely puberulent above. Inflorescence of axilllary racemes of 3-9 flowers; rachis subterete, glabrous, 1-2(-6) cm long; floral bract persistent, ovate, ca. 1.5 mm long, marginally with few glandular fimbriae; pedicels terete, ca. 15 mm long at anthesis, elongating to 40 mm; bracteoles near middle of pedicel, ovate, less than 1 mm long, marginally with few glandular fimbriae; calyx terete, weakly puberulent, glabrate, ca. 9-15 mm long; hypanthium 5-9 mm long; limb 5-6 mm long; lobes less than 1 mm and bearing on each side a small ± concave glandular area along the margin; corolla cylindric-infundibuliform, glabrous, 40-50 mm long, when fresh ca. 10 mm in proximal diam. expanding to 22 mm distal diam. and orange to reddish-orange, the lobes deltate, ca. 4-6 mm long and 9-12 mm broad but tearing to 14 mm long when dry; stamens ca. 35-41 mm long; filaments distinct, pilose dorsally, 5-8 mm long; anthers 31-39 mm long; thecae ca. 6-11 mm long; tubules dehiscing by exactly terminal pores. Berry not seen.
Distribution and Ecology - Endemic to southern Colombia, where it is found in the high montane forest/wet páramo ecotone, at 2700-3250 m elevation. Flowering specimens have been collected from January through March and July through September.
Discussion:
Illustrated Luteyn, 1984, fig. 3E-G. Conservation status: Rare and endangered.
Illustrated Luteyn, 1984, fig. 3E-G. Conservation status: Rare and endangered.
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