Monographs Details:
Authority:
Luteyn, James L. 1976. A revision of the Mexican Central American species of Cavendishia (Vacciniaceae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 28 (3): 1-138.
Luteyn, James L. 1976. A revision of the Mexican Central American species of Cavendishia (Vacciniaceae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 28 (3): 1-138.
Family:
Ericaceae
Ericaceae
Description:
Species Description - Terrestrial or epiphytic shrubs with branches to 1 m long; stem base to 2.5 cm in diameter; bark hro-wn. Mature branches terete, minutely striate, glabrous, green to reddish-green when fresh, but drying light brown to reddish-brown; immature branches and twigs of n e w growth subterete to bluntly angled, minutely striate, glabrous, light brown to reddish-brown w h e n dry; twigs and mature branches with scattered, subsessile, peltate, capitate glands to 0.4 mm in diameter, most dense about the nodes and on youngest branches. Petioles subterete, flattened adaxially, rugose, (4-)6-7(-I0) mm long and 0.5-1 mm in diameter, short hirsute when young, glabrate at maturity, reddish-brown. Leaves eHiptic to lance-elliptic, 4-9 cm long and 1-3 cm broad, basally cuneate, apically long caudate-acuminate often abruptiy so, acumen 1.5-2 cm long, tan to olive-brown when dry, glabrous except along base of midrib adaxially which is short hirsute but soon glabrate, adaxial surface and margins of mature leaves with scattered, reddish-globular glands, 0.1-0.2 mm in diameter, these soon caducous leaving a reddish or blackish papillate scar; 5-plinerved, midrib and inner pair of lateral nerves deeply impressed above and prominentiy raised beneath causing leaves to be buUate, outer pair of lateral nerves impressed proximaHy becoming slightly elevated and anastomosing with veinlets distally above, slightiy raised proximally then becoming obscure distally beneath. Infiorescence 4-7(-10) flowered with lowest several nodes sterUe, floral internodes (8-)9-13(-I9) mm long; rachis bluntly angled, ridged, nitid, glabrous, 4-9(-15) cm long and 1-1.5 mm in diameter, grass green, with scattered, globular glands especiaUy proximally. Floral bracts foliaceous, 5-plinerved, muricate, cUiate-margined, lance-elliptic to oblonglanceolate, basally narrowed and clasping, apically acuminate, 7-11 (-16) mm long and 2-5 mm broad, pale green, marginaUy with numerous, red, sessile, globular glands to 0.2 mm in diameter. Pedicels terete, swollen distally, striate, glabrous, (14-) 19-25 mm long and 1 mm in diameter, grass green, with globular glands at swollen distal tips. Bracteoles foliaceous, broadly oval to semiorbicular, strongly reflexed and revolute, 1-4 mm long and broad, basaUy clasping, apically broadly rounded, ciliate- and glandular-margined as floral bracts, green. Calyx glabrous, 4-6 mm long, green or green suffused with purple; tube shortcylindric, 10-ribbed, 1.5-2 mm long and 3-4.5 mm in diameter at apophysate base, margins of apophysis turned upwards and provided along edge with globular glands which secrete a milky, viscid latex especially when young; limb erect, or spreading to campanulate, smooth to slightly rugose, eglandular, 2.5-4 mm long; lobes broadly triangular, (0.5-)1(-1.5) mm long, erect after anthesis, provided on each side with a pale green, oblong, callose-thickened gland with these glands nearly contiguous or contiguous at apex of the lobe; sinus broadly rounded to flat, thinner in texture than limb proper. Corolla slightly constricted basally, constricted to a short throat distally, when immature apically broadly shouldered and nippled prior to anthesis, at maturity corolla thick and fleshy with walls 1.5-2 mm thick, but drying thin, membranaceous, 19-29 mm long and about 9.5 mm in diameter, glabrous, green when in bud, greenish-red at maturity; lobes about 0.5 mm long. Stamens 15-20 mm long; filaments alternately either 3.5-4.5 mm or 6.5-7.5 mm long, white to pink; anthers including tubules alternately either 10-14 mm or 12.5-17 mm long, maroon to orangish-brown; thecae 2.5-5 mm long. Style 21.5-26 mm long, reddish the lower threequarters, greenish apically. Berry not seen. Phenology: Flowering May-June.
Species Description - Terrestrial or epiphytic shrubs with branches to 1 m long; stem base to 2.5 cm in diameter; bark hro-wn. Mature branches terete, minutely striate, glabrous, green to reddish-green when fresh, but drying light brown to reddish-brown; immature branches and twigs of n e w growth subterete to bluntly angled, minutely striate, glabrous, light brown to reddish-brown w h e n dry; twigs and mature branches with scattered, subsessile, peltate, capitate glands to 0.4 mm in diameter, most dense about the nodes and on youngest branches. Petioles subterete, flattened adaxially, rugose, (4-)6-7(-I0) mm long and 0.5-1 mm in diameter, short hirsute when young, glabrate at maturity, reddish-brown. Leaves eHiptic to lance-elliptic, 4-9 cm long and 1-3 cm broad, basally cuneate, apically long caudate-acuminate often abruptiy so, acumen 1.5-2 cm long, tan to olive-brown when dry, glabrous except along base of midrib adaxially which is short hirsute but soon glabrate, adaxial surface and margins of mature leaves with scattered, reddish-globular glands, 0.1-0.2 mm in diameter, these soon caducous leaving a reddish or blackish papillate scar; 5-plinerved, midrib and inner pair of lateral nerves deeply impressed above and prominentiy raised beneath causing leaves to be buUate, outer pair of lateral nerves impressed proximaHy becoming slightly elevated and anastomosing with veinlets distally above, slightiy raised proximally then becoming obscure distally beneath. Infiorescence 4-7(-10) flowered with lowest several nodes sterUe, floral internodes (8-)9-13(-I9) mm long; rachis bluntly angled, ridged, nitid, glabrous, 4-9(-15) cm long and 1-1.5 mm in diameter, grass green, with scattered, globular glands especiaUy proximally. Floral bracts foliaceous, 5-plinerved, muricate, cUiate-margined, lance-elliptic to oblonglanceolate, basally narrowed and clasping, apically acuminate, 7-11 (-16) mm long and 2-5 mm broad, pale green, marginaUy with numerous, red, sessile, globular glands to 0.2 mm in diameter. Pedicels terete, swollen distally, striate, glabrous, (14-) 19-25 mm long and 1 mm in diameter, grass green, with globular glands at swollen distal tips. Bracteoles foliaceous, broadly oval to semiorbicular, strongly reflexed and revolute, 1-4 mm long and broad, basaUy clasping, apically broadly rounded, ciliate- and glandular-margined as floral bracts, green. Calyx glabrous, 4-6 mm long, green or green suffused with purple; tube shortcylindric, 10-ribbed, 1.5-2 mm long and 3-4.5 mm in diameter at apophysate base, margins of apophysis turned upwards and provided along edge with globular glands which secrete a milky, viscid latex especially when young; limb erect, or spreading to campanulate, smooth to slightly rugose, eglandular, 2.5-4 mm long; lobes broadly triangular, (0.5-)1(-1.5) mm long, erect after anthesis, provided on each side with a pale green, oblong, callose-thickened gland with these glands nearly contiguous or contiguous at apex of the lobe; sinus broadly rounded to flat, thinner in texture than limb proper. Corolla slightly constricted basally, constricted to a short throat distally, when immature apically broadly shouldered and nippled prior to anthesis, at maturity corolla thick and fleshy with walls 1.5-2 mm thick, but drying thin, membranaceous, 19-29 mm long and about 9.5 mm in diameter, glabrous, green when in bud, greenish-red at maturity; lobes about 0.5 mm long. Stamens 15-20 mm long; filaments alternately either 3.5-4.5 mm or 6.5-7.5 mm long, white to pink; anthers including tubules alternately either 10-14 mm or 12.5-17 mm long, maroon to orangish-brown; thecae 2.5-5 mm long. Style 21.5-26 mm long, reddish the lower threequarters, greenish apically. Berry not seen. Phenology: Flowering May-June.
Discussion:
Cavendishia lactiviscida is closely allied to a group of species including C. chiriquiensis, C. panamensis, C. ciliata, and C. pseudostenophylla. These taxa share the peculiar type of globular to disc-shaped glands found along the margins of the floral bracts and bracteoles, along the rachises, pedicels and calyx tubes, and sometimes onto the calyx limbs. Cavendishia lactiviscida also shares with C. ciliata, C. panamensis, and C. chiriquiensis another type of gland found on the upper surface of the leaves. These leaf glands take the form of scattered reddishglobular glands, 0.1-0.2 mm in diameter which are soon caducous leaving a reddish or blackish papillate scar. Also the glands of C. lactiviscida, C. ciliata, and C. chiriquiensis secrete a milky-colored, viscid latex prior to anthesis.
Type: Costa Rica. Province of Alajuela. 4 k m N of Los Angeles del Norte, and 11 km N of San Ramon, 1200 m, Luteyn 3270 (Holotype: DUKE! isotypes: F! GH! MO! NY!).
Distribution:
Costa Rica South America|
Costa Rica South America|