Pedraza-Peñalosa, Paola. 2010.
Ericaceae
Latin Diagnosis - Species nova foliis ovatis vel ellipticis, in apice acutis vel subacutis, obscure apiculatis, inflorescentia 2–3-flora, unifasciculata, axillari, interdum floribus solitariis, bracteis 6–9, bracteolis apicalibus 1, calycem 2.6 mm superantibus, cordiformibus, saepe lobis latis superimponentibus ad apicem divisis, pustulatis, longitudinaliter striatis, floribus 4-meris, calyce pustulato, aestivatione valvata, lobis calycis quam dimidio longitudinis limbi minoribus, sinubus rotundis, corolla alba, anguste urceolata pustulata, adaxialiter ad lobos et fauces superiores glabrata, antheris lateraliter connatis, bacca alba distincta.
Species Description - Epiphytic or terrestrial shrubs, erect, 0.5–3 m tall. Young branchlets ridged, ± smooth, puberulous, the hairs eglandular, brown or white, the indumentum of the mature branches similar but glabrate. Leaves 1–3 per cm, spirally arranged, diffuse; petiole 1.6–4 mm long, glabrate, the hairs eglandular; lamina ovate or elliptic, 2–3.8 × 1–2 cm, basally obtuse, marginally entire, apically ciliolate with eglandular hairs, apically acute and obscurely apiculate or sometimes subacute and obscurely apiculate, adaxially glabrate with inconspicuous eglandular hairs, abaxially glabrate with eglandular and glandular hairs, the venation 3-nerved on both sides, the midvein adaxially impressed and abaxially raised. Inflorescences axillary, 2–3-flowered fascicles and sometimes solitary flowers; bracts green but soon turning brown, 6–9, chartaceous, obovate, occasionally ovate or cordiform, 3.5–8.5 × 2.5–6 mm, marginally ciliolate with minute eglandular and glandular hairs at apex, apically obtuse or sometimes cleft, abaxially glabrous or glabrate with inconspicuous eglandular hairs; pedicel 0.7–1 mm long, much reduced and hidden by overlapping bracts, glabrous; differentiated apical bracteole green, 1, originated by the fusion of the two differentiated apical bracteoles by one of their lateral margins, chartaceous, extending beyond calyx 2.6 mm (covering 100% of calyx), cordiform with the lobes broad and overlapping or rarely well apart, 6.5–8.8 mm long, each lobe 4.5–5.5 mm wide, marginally ciliolate with minute eglandular and glandular hairs, apically cleft, the surface pustulate and longitudinally striate, abaxially glabrous or glabrate with inconspicuous eglandular hairs, adaxially glabrous. Flowers 4-merous. Calyx aestivation valvate, campanulate or cylindric, 4–5.5 mm long, pustulate; tube terete, 1.5–2.7 mm long, abaxially glabrous or glabrate with inconspicuous eglandular hairs; limb 2.5–2.8 mm long, abaxially and adaxially glabrous; lobes triangular, 0.7–1 × 1.5–2 mm, marginally eciliate, apically acute; sinuses rounded (U-shaped). Corolla white, thinfleshy, bistratose, narrowly urceolate to almost cylindric, 8–8.8 mm long, 2 mm diam., 1.5–1.6 mm wide at throat, pustulate, abaxially puberulous with glandular hairs, adaxially glabrate at the lobes and upper throat; lobes 1.3–1.5 × 1–1.1 mm, apically acute, adaxially rugose. Stamens 8, 7.5–8.2 mm long, inserted; filaments distinct, ± straight, broader at base, 3.8–4.2 mm long, abaxially glabrous, adaxially pilulose (distally); anthers connate by the thecae, papillae only on thecae; thecae 1.6–2.2 mm long, basally appendaged; tubules 2, 2.8– 3 mm long, fused at base for 0.7–1 mm of their length, dehiscing introrsely by longitudinal slits, 0.9–1 mm long. Ovary 4-locular; style 8.5–9 mm long, exserted. Berry white (fide collectoris), the persistent calyx lobes erect or spreading; embryo color unknown.
Distribution and Ecology - Disterigma synanthum is endemic to the Dept. Valle del Cauca, Colombia (Fig. 38). This rare species is known from only four collections. It grows at 1000–1500 m, in premontane forests. It has been recorded growing inside the forest as well as in pastureland with remnant vegetation. Flowering in Mar, Sep, and Dec; fruiting in Sep.
Disterigma synanthum (Figs. 42B, 45) is one of the three species of Disterigma that bear only one bracteole as a result of the fusion of the original pair by one of their ends; more characteristically, the bracteole extends ca. 2.6 mm beyond the calyx (Fig. 45D,E). It is also the only species in the genus with connate anthers; the bracteole cordifom, cleft, and both pustulate and longitudinally striate; and the calyx and corolla pustulate. Other distinctive characters of D. synanthum are its short calyx lobes (i.e., less than half of the limb length), rounded sinuses, and corollas adaxially glabrate at the lobes and upper throat. The elliptic-ovate leaves of D. synanthum and D. verruculatum are very similar; however, D. synanthum can be easily differentiated by the unique floral characters just mentioned, and because it is 4-merous and not 5-merous like D. verruculatum. This species can also be differentiated from a similarly looking specimen (Lozano & Ruíz 7085) from Cauca, Colombia, which has 5-merous flowers. This herbarium collection may represent a new species, but unfortunately there is not enough flowering material to draw more definitive conclusions.
Colombia South America| Valle del Cauca Colombia South America|
