Luteyn, James L. 1976. A revision of the Mexican Central American species of Cavendishia (Vacciniaceae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 28 (3): 1-138.
Ericaceae
Species Description - Epiphytic shrub. Immature branches and twigs of new growth terete, somewhat rugose, moderately hirsute or glabrate, trichomes 1-2 mm long, tan to tawny-yellow. Petioles terete or infrequently flattened adaxially, rugose, 4-7 mm long and 2 mm in diameter, hirsute. Leaves elliptic or oblong-elliptic, (4.5-)9-14 cm long and (1-)2-4(-6) cm broad, basally narrowing and obtuse, apically acuminate, grayish- or brownish-green above and tan beneath when dry, sparsely short pilose along nerves above, moderately pilose or glabrate beneath with tawny-yellow trichomes; 3(-5)-plinerved, midrib weakly impressed or plane above, raised and prominent beneath, lateral nerves weakly impressed or more commonly elevated on both surfaces as veinlets. Infiorescence obconic or fusiform-shaped at anthesis, 20 flowered, lowest nodes sterile, circumscribed at base by striate bracts; rachis glabrous, smooth, fusiform, 3-8 cm long and 5-6 mm in diameter at middle, nodes congested and often imbricate. Floral bracts glabrous, striate, marginally scarious, oblong-obovate, basally narrowing and rounded, apically rounded and emarginat (commonly tearing), 25-35 mm long and 13-18 mm broad, red to rose-pink (fide label data), with subsessile, capitate, red glands located at base. Pedicels subterete, glabrous, 1 mm long and 1-1.5 mm in diameter. Bracteoles oblong or oblanceolate, basally clasping calvx and imbricate, apically rounded and shallowly emarginate, 2 5 - 3 0 mm long and about 10 mm broad, with subsessile, capitate, red glands as on floral bracts. Calyx glabrous, 11-15 mm long; tube barrel-shaped, smooth, 2.5-4 mm long, nonapophysate; limb erect, spreading, submembranaceous, striate, 9-12 mm long including lobes; lobes linear-oblong, acute, 3-6 mm long, erect after anthesis, marginalh' with few, stout, glandular fimbriae which may fuse distalh; sinus obtuse to broadiv rounded. Corolla glabrous, membranaceous basallv and subcoriaceous apicallv, 34-35 mm long and 6-7 mm in diameter, white with green tips (fide label data). Stamens alternately either 10-11.5 mm or 12-13.5 mm long, about one-third length oi corolla; filaments disdnct or slighdy coherent basally, glabrous, alternately either 1-2 mm or 3.5-4.5 mm long, long filaments conspicuously narrowed and thin distally; anthers including tubules alternately either 8-9 mm or 9-10.5 mm long; thecae smooth, 2.5-3 mm long; tubules dehiscing by short, oblique pores or oval clefts 1-1.5 mm long. Style 33-37 mm long. Berry not seen. Phenology: Flowering March-April.
Cavendishia fusiformis is unique a m o n g the Central American taxa since its very short stamens are only about one-third the length of the corolla. T he texture of the corolla is also unique. It is membranaceous on the lower threequarters and subcoriaceous on the upper quarter. Additional characters which set it apart from other Central American Cavendishias are the submembranaceous calyx limb and lobes, the short dehiscence-clefts, and the fusiformshaped rachis. These characters which m a k e C. fusiformis distinct from all other Central American taxa, are the same ones which align C. fusiformis with a group of Colombian taxa all of which were described by A. C. Smith. These include C. glandulosa, C. venosa, C. speciosa, C. micayensis, and C chlamydantha. As a group these taxa share the following characters: 1) short stamens which are usually one-third to one-half the length of the corolla; 2) distinctly clavate or fusiform rachises; 3) conspicuously nerved inflorescence and floral bracts, with the floral bracts also submembranaceous in texture; 4) the tendency for elongate and somewhat infundibuliform calyx limbs which reach their ultimate in C. chlamydantha (see Smith, 1946); 5) corollas which are membranaceous below and somewhat subcoriaceous above; and 6) similar colored floral bracts and corollas. The South American taxa are restricted to the Pacific coast or the western cordillera of Colombia, being found in an extraordinarily wide elevational belt from near sea level to 3000 meters.
Type: Panama. Province of Darien. Causi-Cana Trail between Cerro Campamiento and La Escalera to "paramo", E of Tres Bocas, Kirkbride ^ Duke 1276 (Holotype: MO! photo of type DUKE! isotype: NY!).
Panama Central America|