Taxon Details: Didonica panamensis Luteyn & Wilbur
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Family:

Ericaceae (Magnoliophyta)
Scientific Name:

Didonica panamensis Luteyn & Wilbur
Primary Citation:

Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 68: 159. 1981
Accepted Name:

This name is currently accepted.
Description:

Description: Epiphytic shrub, glabrous except for the filaments. Mature stems terete or subterete; bark adherent or exfoliating in thin longitudinal strips, grayish-brown when dry; twigs bluntly angled, reddish; bud scales 2, narrowly ovate to linear, long-acuminate, 1.3-2 mm long. Leaves coriaceous, elliptic to ovate-lanceolate, 4-7 x (1.5-)2-3.5(-5) cm; base slightly tapering and attentuate; apex acuminate, sometimes abruptly so; margin obscurely and remotely crenate, each crenation tipped by a tiny reddish-brown gland; abundantly provided beneath with minute glandular fimbriae arising from concave depressions in the leaf surface; 3(-5)-plinerved, midrib conspicuously impressed above and raised beneath, lateral veins arising slightly above the base and slightly raised on both surfaces; petiole subterete, rugose, 6-15 x 2-3 mm, flanked the entire length by the attenuate leaf blade. Inflorescence racemose, (2-)3-4(-5)-flowered; rachis subterete, striate, 3-15 x 2 mm at anthesis but extending to 13 mm long; floral bract ovate, acuminate, 1.5 x 1.5 mm, the margin glandular-fimbriate; pedicels terete, striate, 15-25 x ca. 1 mm, expanding to 2 mm in diam. at the distal tip; bracteoles ovate, sharply acuminate to awl-shaped, ca. 1 x ca. 1 mm, located near the base to 1/3 of the way up the pedicel, the margin glandular-fimbriate. Flowers 5-merous; hypanthium cylindric or slightly spreading, slightly rugose, 3-4 x ca. 4 mm; calyx 6-12 mm long, the limb spreading, somewhat campanulate, slightly rugose, striate, 4-9 mm long including the lobes, 10-13 mm in diam. at the distal tip; lobes barely differentiated, broadly ovate, apiculate, ca. 1 mm long, 6 mm wide at the base; sinuses flat; corolla thin, chartaceous when dry, broadly cylindric-campanulate, 12-16 x 12-15 mm, pale yellowish-green, surface of the lower half drying smooth, the upper half drying smooth and slightly papillate, the lobes triangular, 3-4 mm long, 4-5 mm wide, glabrous within; stamens 10, 11-14 mm long; filaments 3-5 mm long, marginally and dorsally long pilose and with or without glandular-fimbriate trichomes dorsally along the upper half of the filament and connective; anthers including the tubules 10-12 mm long; thecae 5-6.5 mm long; tubules 4.5-5.5 mm long, dehiscing by ovate-elliptic clefts 2-3 mm long, the inner surface moderately provided with apicular trichomes to 1 mm long; style glabrous, 16-19 mm long, exserted. Berry not seen.

Distribution: Known only from the general vicinity of the type collection at elevations from 500 to 750 m.

Type: Panama. Coclé: Continental Divide N of Penonomé on rd. to Coclesito between Llano Grande and Cascajal, remnant forest, 500 m, 2 May 1979, Hammel 7223 (holotype: MO!).

Conservation Status: Rare and probably endangered.

Flora and Monograph Treatment(s):

Didonica panamensis Luteyn & Wilbur: [Article] 1981. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 68: 159.