Authority:

Pedraza-Peñalosa, Paola. 2010. (Ericaceae, Vaccinieae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 108: 1-126. (Published by NYBG Press)

Family:

Ericaceae

Synonyms:

Vaccinium dendrophilum Benth.

Description:

Species Description - Epiphytic or terrestrial shrubs, scandent or erect, 0.5–3 m tall. Young branchlets ridged, ± smooth, villosulous, the hairs eglandular and brown, the indumentum of the mature branches similar but glabrate. Leaves 4–7 per cm, apparently distichous, diffuse or patent; petiole 0.8–1 mm long, puberulous, the hairs eglandular; lamina elliptic or sometimes ovate, (0.5–) 0.7–1.2 × (0.2–)0.4–0.6 cm, basally obtuse or cuneate, marginally entire, apically ciliolate with eglandular hairs, apically acute, acuminate, or long-acuminate, adaxially glabrate with minute eglandular and glandular hairs, abaxially glabrate with glandular hairs, the venation adaxially obscure or hyphodromous with the midvein impressed, abaxially obscure. Inflorescences axillary, 2(–3)-flowered fascicles or flowers solitary; bracts 5–8, chartaceous, broadly ovate, suborbicular, or transverse-elliptic, 0.5–1.3 × 0.9–1.6 mm, marginally eciliate, apically obtuse, abaxially glabrous; pedicel 1–2 mm long, evident or at least with a portion of it not completely obscured by overlapping bracts, glabrous or glabrate with glandular hairs; differentiated apical bracteoles 2, distinct, chartaceous, enveloping entire calyx tube or to lower half of calyx lobes, covering 50–62(–100)% of calyx, suborbicular or reniform, 2–3 × 2.8–3.2 mm, marginally eciliate or rarely ciliolate with minute eglandular hairs, apically obtuse, the surface smooth, abaxially and adaxially glabrous. Flowers 4-merous. Calyx aestivation valvate, campanulate, 2.4–3.6 mm long; tube angled, 1.2–1.7 mm long, abaxially glabrous or glabrate with glandular hairs; limb 1–2 mm long, abaxially and adaxially glabrous; lobes triangular, 0.8–1.6 × 0.9–1.2 mm, marginally eciliate, apically acute, sinuses acute (V-shaped). Corolla pink or white, chartaceous, bistratose, tubular in herbarium specimens (sometimes a little constricted at the throat but not inflated), 4.4–5.6 mm long when dry, 2.4–3 mm diam. when dry, (1.8–)2–3 mm wide at throat when dry, abaxially glabrate with glandular hairs, adaxially glabrous; lobes 1–1.6 × 1–1.4 mm, apically acute, adaxially smooth. Stamens 8, (4–)4.4–5 mm long, the tips exserted; filaments distinct, straight, ± linear with parallel sides, 2.2–2.4 mm long, abaxially pilulose, adaxially glabrate; anthers distinct, papillae only on thecae; thecae (1–)1.2–1.5 mm long, basally appendaged; tubules 2, distinct, (1.3–)1.5–2 mm long, dehiscing introrsely by longitudinal slits, 0.8–1 mm long. Ovary 4-locular; style 4.8–6 mm long, exserted. Berry white, ± spherical, 6–7.5 mm diam., the persistent calyx lobes erect or spreading, becoming succulent (at least at base), same color as mature berry; embryo white.

Distribution and Ecology - Disterigma dendrophilum is found mostly in Pichincha, Ecuador, with very few collections made in the Provs. Bolívar, Cotopaxi, and Tungurahua, and only one specimen from Nariño, southern Colombia (Fig. 21). This species grows in montane cloud forests at 2000–3200 m. Flowering in Jan, Apr, Jun–Sep, Nov–Dec; fruiting in Apr, Aug, and Nov.

Local Names and Uses - The fruits of this species are reported to be eaten by humans.

Distribution:

Colombia South America| Nariño Colombia South America| Ecuador South America| Bolívar Ecuador South America| Cotopaxi Ecuador South America| Pichincha Ecuador South America| Tungurahua Ecuador South America|