Taxon Details: Sphyrospermum spruceanum Sleumer
Taxon Profile:
Narratives:
Family:
Ericaceae (Magnoliophyta)
Ericaceae (Magnoliophyta)
Scientific Name:
Sphyrospermum spruceanum Sleumer
Sphyrospermum spruceanum Sleumer
Accepted Name:
This name is currently accepted.
This name is currently accepted.
Description:
Description: Epiphytic shrubs or subshrubs; stems thin, terete, striate to ribbed, densely short-pilose to subglabrous with eglandular hairs; twigs subterete, striate, densely short-pilose with eglandular hairs. Leaves subcoriaceous, elliptic, 1-1.3 x 0.6-0.8 cm, base and apex subrounded, margin somewhat revolute, lamina glabrous or glabrate on both surfaces, the hairs eglandular; 3-plinerved, midrib and lateral nerves obscurely raised above, inconspicuous beneath; petiole subterete, 0-1 mm long, densely short-pilose. Inflorescences axillary, flowers solitary, not much exceeding the subtending leaves; floral bracts several (ca. 7), narrowly ovate, acute, ca. 0.5 mm long, minutely ciliate; pedicel terete, striate, ca. 1 mm long, moderately to densely hispid-pilose; bracteoles 2, basal, opposite, narrowly ovate, acute, ca. 0.5 mm long, short-pilose to hispid. Flowers 5-merous, diplostemonous; calyx ca. 2.3-2.5 mm long, hispid to laxly pilose with eglandular hairs to 1 mm long; tube subglobose, ca. 1.3 mm long; limb campanulate, ca. 1 mm long; lobes elongate-deltate to narrowly triangular, acute to long-acuminate, incurved, ca. 0.8-1 mm long, the tips tufted-setose; sinuses broadly rounded; corolla cylindric-campanulate, terete or apparently 5-ribbed opposite the lobes, ca. 4 mm long and ca. 2 mm diam., color unknown, eglandular hispid without in distal 1/2-1/3, the lobes spreading and reflexed but not exposing stamen tips at anthesis, broadly deltate, ca. 0.5 mm long, laxly pilose without at apex; stamens 10, unequal in length, alternately ca. 3 and ca. 2.5 mm long; filaments alternately ca. 0.9 and ca. 0.5 mm long, glabrous; anthers equal in length, ca. 2 mm long; thecae 0.8-1 mm long, the base straight, without basal appendage, papillate; tubules ca. 1.2 mm long, papillate, dehiscing by apical pores; style ca. 4 mm long, slightly exserted. Berry unknown.
Type: Ecuador. Near foot of Mount Chimborazo, 915-1220 m, Aug 1860 (fl), R. Spruce 6167 [holotype: B destroyed; lectotype: K (photo NY neg. s.n.) designated by Luteyn, 1996; isotypes: CGE, L fragment (photos NY negs. 11126, 11126a), NY fragment ex K (photo NY neg. 13012), NY fragment ex W (photo NY neg. 12490), OXF (photo NY neg. 12616), P (dated 1865 but otherwise identical to type material), US fragment, W (photo NY neg. 12491)].
Distribution: Endemic to Ecuador (Prov. Chimborazo?). The type was collected in forest at 915–1220 m and was flowering in August.
Conservation status: Critical [CR B1a(iv)].
Updates and other relevant taxonomic sources: Description updated on Jan 2013. For generic synopsis, keys, and evaluation of conservation status see Phytotaxa.
Description: Epiphytic shrubs or subshrubs; stems thin, terete, striate to ribbed, densely short-pilose to subglabrous with eglandular hairs; twigs subterete, striate, densely short-pilose with eglandular hairs. Leaves subcoriaceous, elliptic, 1-1.3 x 0.6-0.8 cm, base and apex subrounded, margin somewhat revolute, lamina glabrous or glabrate on both surfaces, the hairs eglandular; 3-plinerved, midrib and lateral nerves obscurely raised above, inconspicuous beneath; petiole subterete, 0-1 mm long, densely short-pilose. Inflorescences axillary, flowers solitary, not much exceeding the subtending leaves; floral bracts several (ca. 7), narrowly ovate, acute, ca. 0.5 mm long, minutely ciliate; pedicel terete, striate, ca. 1 mm long, moderately to densely hispid-pilose; bracteoles 2, basal, opposite, narrowly ovate, acute, ca. 0.5 mm long, short-pilose to hispid. Flowers 5-merous, diplostemonous; calyx ca. 2.3-2.5 mm long, hispid to laxly pilose with eglandular hairs to 1 mm long; tube subglobose, ca. 1.3 mm long; limb campanulate, ca. 1 mm long; lobes elongate-deltate to narrowly triangular, acute to long-acuminate, incurved, ca. 0.8-1 mm long, the tips tufted-setose; sinuses broadly rounded; corolla cylindric-campanulate, terete or apparently 5-ribbed opposite the lobes, ca. 4 mm long and ca. 2 mm diam., color unknown, eglandular hispid without in distal 1/2-1/3, the lobes spreading and reflexed but not exposing stamen tips at anthesis, broadly deltate, ca. 0.5 mm long, laxly pilose without at apex; stamens 10, unequal in length, alternately ca. 3 and ca. 2.5 mm long; filaments alternately ca. 0.9 and ca. 0.5 mm long, glabrous; anthers equal in length, ca. 2 mm long; thecae 0.8-1 mm long, the base straight, without basal appendage, papillate; tubules ca. 1.2 mm long, papillate, dehiscing by apical pores; style ca. 4 mm long, slightly exserted. Berry unknown.
Type: Ecuador. Near foot of Mount Chimborazo, 915-1220 m, Aug 1860 (fl), R. Spruce 6167 [holotype: B destroyed; lectotype: K (photo NY neg. s.n.) designated by Luteyn, 1996; isotypes: CGE, L fragment (photos NY negs. 11126, 11126a), NY fragment ex K (photo NY neg. 13012), NY fragment ex W (photo NY neg. 12490), OXF (photo NY neg. 12616), P (dated 1865 but otherwise identical to type material), US fragment, W (photo NY neg. 12491)].
Distribution: Endemic to Ecuador (Prov. Chimborazo?). The type was collected in forest at 915–1220 m and was flowering in August.
Conservation status: Critical [CR B1a(iv)].
Updates and other relevant taxonomic sources: Description updated on Jan 2013. For generic synopsis, keys, and evaluation of conservation status see Phytotaxa.
Flora and Monograph Treatment(s):
Sphyrospermum spruceanum Sleumer: [Article] 1934. Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin-Dahlem. 12: 133.
Sphyrospermum spruceanum Sleumer: [Article] 1934. Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin-Dahlem. 12: 133.