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Family:

Ericaceae (Magnoliophyta)

Primary Citation:

J. Arnold Arbor. 27: 106. 1946

Accepted Name:

This name is currently accepted.

Description:

Description: Terrestrial or epiphytic shrub with stems to 3 m long; mature branches terete, glabrous; bark reddish-gray; twigs sharply to bluntly angled, puberulous or glabrate, often bearing thin glandular fimbriae, flesh-colored to brown; vegetative bracts membranaceous, caducous, ovate to oblanceolate, apically acute to rounded, to 40 x 15 mm, glandular-fimbriate marginally and on dorsal surface of lamina. Leaves elliptic, (5-)7.5-14.5(-18) x (2.7-)3.5-6.5(-10.5) cm, basally tapering and obtuse, decurrent onto petiole, apically obtusely cuspidate rarely acute, puberulent or glabrate above, puberulent (sometimes densely) along veins beneath, glandular-fimbriate on both surfaces, often the last leaves of current year's growth small and ovate, basally subcordate, apically acute; 5(-7)-plinerved, midrib and lateral nerves deeply impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets slightly raised on both surfaces; petioles subterete, deeply canaliculate adaxially, rugose, puberulent, (6-)10-22(-27) mm long and 2.7-5 mm diam. Inflorescence 35-50(-80)-flowered, ca. 5-6 flowers/cm; rachis subterete slightly bluntly angled, smooth, glabrous, 7-12.5(-18) cm long and ca. 5 mm in diam., the proximal 1.5-2 cm bearing sterile nodes, flowering nodes swollen, distal portion often still in bud as proximal flowers are developing their fruit; floral bracts caducous, falling prior to anthesis, concave, smooth, elliptic, 12-17 x 10-16 mm, glabrous, marginally scarious and glandular-fimbriate at base and apex, cream-colored or whitish at base and bright red distally when living; pedicels terete but swollen apically, glabrous, 3-7 mm long and 1-1.5 mm diam.; bracteoles basal, subcoriaceous, ovate, 1-1.3 x 0.7 mm, marginally densely glandular-fimbriate, the fimbriae stout, often fusing distally. Flowers: calyx carnose, glabrous, 7-9 mm long, pale green when living; hypanthium campanulate-cylindric, smooth or rarely bluntly pentagonal, 2-3 mm long; limb erect, 5-7 mm long; lobes imbricate, oblong, 3.3-4.5 x 4.5-5 mm, apically rounded and bluntly apiculate, marginally glandular-callose over entire length (except at apex) or becoming broken up or stoutly fimbriate at very base; corolla carnose, cylindric but slightly zygomorphic, basally expanded and conspicuously narrowed at throat, 11-14 mm long and ca. 7.5 mm diam. at widest part, narrowed to 4.5 mm diam. at throat, lobes oblong-ovate, reflexed at anthesis, ca. 1-1.5 mm long, wine-red, sometimes whitish in lower half when living; stamens 8-9 mm long; filaments slightly connate to distinct, marginally and ventrally puberulent, alternately 2.3-3 mm and 3-3.5 mm long; anthers alternately 7.3-8.5 mm and 6.5 -7.5 mm long; thecae 2.5-3 mm long; tubules dehiscing by clefts nearly the entire length; style equaling corolla. Berry ca. 10 mm diam.

Distribution: Endemic to Colombia, along the western slopes of the Cordillera Occidental of Chocó and Valle Depts., where it is found in rain forest, cloud forest, and on disturbed roadsides through cloud forests, at elevations of 60-1990 m. Flowering specimens have been collected in April, May and August; fruiting in April and August.

Type: Colombia. Valle: Cordillera Occidental, banks of Río Anchicayá, below La Planta, 200-350 m, 27 Sep 1943 (fl), Cuatrecasas 15210 (holotype: GH, photo NY neg. 9091; isotypes: F, MO (sterile), US (sterile), photo NY neg. 9090).

Flora and Monograph Treatment(s):

Cavendishia tenella A.C.Sm.: [Article] Luteyn, James L. 1983. Ericaceae--part I. Cavendishia. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 35: 1-290.