Taxon Details: Lyonia latifolia (A.Rich.) Griseb.
Taxon Profile:
Narratives:
Family:
Ericaceae (Magnoliophyta)
Ericaceae (Magnoliophyta)
Scientific Name:
Lyonia latifolia (A.Rich.) Griseb.
Lyonia latifolia (A.Rich.) Griseb.
Common Names:
clavellina
clavellina
Description:
Description: Evergreen low shrub to moderate-sized tree to ca. 6 m tall, with brownish to gray, longitudinally furrowed bark; twigs slightly to moderately angled, slender, densely to moderately lepidote, otherwise slightly to occasionally moderately pubescent; buds ovoid, 1-2.5 x 1-2.5 mm. Leaf blades ovate to obovate, or nearly orbicular, 2.5-7(-9.5) x 1.5-5(-6.5) cm, ± flat, coriaceous, ca. 0.34-0.43 mm thick; base slightly cordate to narrowly cuneate or attenuate; apex acuminate, acute, to rounded or truncate; margin plane to slightly revolute, apical portion entire to very obscurely and irregularly toothed, basal portion entire to sinuous; venation brochidodromous, 3o veins ± reticulate; adaxial surface lepidote but scales quickly deciduous, moderately pubescent on basal portion of midvein, the 3o and higher order veins obscure to visible, the midvein sometimes slightly depressed, the 2o veins obscure to visible, ± flat to slightly depressed; abaxial surface densely to sparsely lepidote, otherwise densely pubescent (only sparsely pubescent near margin or apex), the 3o and higher order veins ± flat or nearly so and obscure to slightly and laxly reticulate, or, on few plants from extremely high elevations, raised and forming dense, fine reticulum, the 2o veins slightly raised and visible to occasionally nearly obscure; scales yellowish gold, sometimes becoming whitish with age, deciduous, ca. 0.08-0.43 mm in diameter, nearly entire to erose; petiole 4-20 mm long, lepidote, otherwise pubescent adaxially or all around; flower buds ± intermixed with vegetative buds. Inflorescences fasciculate, ca. 1- to 12-flowered; pedicels clearly articulated with calyx, moderately stout, 2.5-10 mm long, densely lepidote, otherwise pubescent; bracteoles ± opposite, basal, narrowly triangular, 1.2-3.6 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 2.5 mm long. Flowers (4-)5-(-6)-merous; calyx lobes narrowly triangular, with acute or long-acuminate apices, (2.5-)3.7-7(-8) x 0.8-2.5 mm, adaxial side densely lepidote, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent, especially near apex, abaxial side very densely lepidote, otherwise pubescent; corolla long-urceolate, white to pink, 5.5-8 X 3-6 mm, abaxially densely lepidote, and corolla appearing yellow or golden due to peltate scales; filaments roughened, 3-5 mm long, unappendaged or with minute spurs near anther-filament junction; anthers 1.3-2 mm long; ovary lepidote and pubescent, placentae ± subapical. Capsules ovoid to short-ovoid or subglobose, 4-6(-7) x 3.5-5.5(-6) mm, lepidote, otherwise moderately to densely pubescent, the pale, very thick sutures separating as unit from adjacent valves; seeds 1.5-2.7 mm long.
Distribution: Endemic to Cuba (Prov. Oriente; Sierra Maestra, Gran Piedra range, and few mountains of eastern Oriente), in pinelands, thickets, rocky places, moist montane forests, "monte fresco" vegetation of higher summits, at ca. 650-2000 m elev.
Key to the Varieties of Lyonia latifolia:
1. Leaves with secondary veins at least slightly depressed, the blade ovate to elliptic or nearly orbicular, with length/width quotient 1-1.9, and with base rounded, slightly cordate, or broadly cuneate, not decurrent, the petiole 4-12 mm long; Sierra Maestra from Loma del Gato westward ................ var. latifolia
1. Leaves with secondary veins not depressed, the blade elliptic to obovate or ovate, with length/width quotient (1.2-)1.4-2(-2.7), and with base narrowly to broadly cuneate (rounded), sometimes decurrent; the petiole 8-20 mm long; Sierra Maestra from Loma del Gato east to Gran Piedra range and mts. of eastern Oriente ........... var. calycosa
Description: Evergreen low shrub to moderate-sized tree to ca. 6 m tall, with brownish to gray, longitudinally furrowed bark; twigs slightly to moderately angled, slender, densely to moderately lepidote, otherwise slightly to occasionally moderately pubescent; buds ovoid, 1-2.5 x 1-2.5 mm. Leaf blades ovate to obovate, or nearly orbicular, 2.5-7(-9.5) x 1.5-5(-6.5) cm, ± flat, coriaceous, ca. 0.34-0.43 mm thick; base slightly cordate to narrowly cuneate or attenuate; apex acuminate, acute, to rounded or truncate; margin plane to slightly revolute, apical portion entire to very obscurely and irregularly toothed, basal portion entire to sinuous; venation brochidodromous, 3o veins ± reticulate; adaxial surface lepidote but scales quickly deciduous, moderately pubescent on basal portion of midvein, the 3o and higher order veins obscure to visible, the midvein sometimes slightly depressed, the 2o veins obscure to visible, ± flat to slightly depressed; abaxial surface densely to sparsely lepidote, otherwise densely pubescent (only sparsely pubescent near margin or apex), the 3o and higher order veins ± flat or nearly so and obscure to slightly and laxly reticulate, or, on few plants from extremely high elevations, raised and forming dense, fine reticulum, the 2o veins slightly raised and visible to occasionally nearly obscure; scales yellowish gold, sometimes becoming whitish with age, deciduous, ca. 0.08-0.43 mm in diameter, nearly entire to erose; petiole 4-20 mm long, lepidote, otherwise pubescent adaxially or all around; flower buds ± intermixed with vegetative buds. Inflorescences fasciculate, ca. 1- to 12-flowered; pedicels clearly articulated with calyx, moderately stout, 2.5-10 mm long, densely lepidote, otherwise pubescent; bracteoles ± opposite, basal, narrowly triangular, 1.2-3.6 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 2.5 mm long. Flowers (4-)5-(-6)-merous; calyx lobes narrowly triangular, with acute or long-acuminate apices, (2.5-)3.7-7(-8) x 0.8-2.5 mm, adaxial side densely lepidote, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent, especially near apex, abaxial side very densely lepidote, otherwise pubescent; corolla long-urceolate, white to pink, 5.5-8 X 3-6 mm, abaxially densely lepidote, and corolla appearing yellow or golden due to peltate scales; filaments roughened, 3-5 mm long, unappendaged or with minute spurs near anther-filament junction; anthers 1.3-2 mm long; ovary lepidote and pubescent, placentae ± subapical. Capsules ovoid to short-ovoid or subglobose, 4-6(-7) x 3.5-5.5(-6) mm, lepidote, otherwise moderately to densely pubescent, the pale, very thick sutures separating as unit from adjacent valves; seeds 1.5-2.7 mm long.
Distribution: Endemic to Cuba (Prov. Oriente; Sierra Maestra, Gran Piedra range, and few mountains of eastern Oriente), in pinelands, thickets, rocky places, moist montane forests, "monte fresco" vegetation of higher summits, at ca. 650-2000 m elev.
Key to the Varieties of Lyonia latifolia:
1. Leaves with secondary veins at least slightly depressed, the blade ovate to elliptic or nearly orbicular, with length/width quotient 1-1.9, and with base rounded, slightly cordate, or broadly cuneate, not decurrent, the petiole 4-12 mm long; Sierra Maestra from Loma del Gato westward ................ var. latifolia
1. Leaves with secondary veins not depressed, the blade elliptic to obovate or ovate, with length/width quotient (1.2-)1.4-2(-2.7), and with base narrowly to broadly cuneate (rounded), sometimes decurrent; the petiole 8-20 mm long; Sierra Maestra from Loma del Gato east to Gran Piedra range and mts. of eastern Oriente ........... var. calycosa
Flora and Monograph Treatment(s):
Lyonia latifolia (A.Rich.) Griseb.: [Article] Luteyn, James L., et al. 1995. Ericaceae, Part II. The Superior-Ovaried Genera (Monotropoideae, Pyroloideae, Rhododendroideae, and Vaccinioideae P.P.). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 66: 560.
Lyonia latifolia (A.Rich.) Griseb.: [Article] Luteyn, James L., et al. 1995. Ericaceae, Part II. The Superior-Ovaried Genera (Monotropoideae, Pyroloideae, Rhododendroideae, and Vaccinioideae P.P.). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 66: 560.