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Family:

Ericaceae (Magnoliophyta)

Primary Citation:

Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 29: 340. 1950

Accepted Name:

This name is currently accepted.

Description:

Description: Rhizomatous subshrub, often repent, usually 1-3 (rarely to 0.5) dm tall, crushed stems, leaves, and fruits often with wintergreen odor; mature stems subterete, striate, puberulent, glabrate, reddish-brown; twigs subterete to complanate, striate, puberulent, often bearing internodal bracteoles similar to those described below; buds ovate, complanate, scales several. Leaves coriaceous, elliptic, ovate, oblong-elliptic, rarely slightly broadest above the middle, (1-)1.5-2.6(-3.5) x (0.7-)1-2 cm, base rounded or obtuse, apex acute and obtusely callose-apiculate, basically flat but margin slightly recurved and serrate (often bluntly), glabrous on both surfaces; midrib usually plane in basal half, but raised distally above, raised and conspicuous beneath, lateral nerves (2-4 per side) and reticulate veinlets raised on both surfaces; petiole subterete, flat to canaliculate above, 1-3(-4) mm long, glabrous or weakly puberulent. Inflorescence axillary, flowers solitary; pedicel subterete, striate, 4-12 mm long, puberulent and also (especially distally) with few, scattered, short (ca. 0.1-0.2 mm long), gland-tipped setae; bracteoles ca. 8-10, scattered along and obscuring pedicel, membranous, clasping, decussate, striate, ovate, 3-6 x 2.5-4 mm, acuminate to obtuse, ciliolate; floral bract similar to bracteoles but broadly ovate, and much smaller, ca. 1.5 mm long and broad, acute. Flowers with calyx (4-)5.5-6.5 mm long, lobes ovate, (3-)5-5.2 x 2-2.5 mm, long-acuminate, glabrous without (pilose apically, or with glandular setae), sparsely pilose within, densely ciliolate apically; corolla urceolate, 5-angled when fresh, strongly constricted at throat, 7-8(-10) x 4-5(-6.5) mm, glabrous without (bearing scattered, ca. 0.3 mm long, glandular setae along angles) and within, pink to dark rose, lobes oblong to ovate, obtuse; stamens 4-4.5 mm long; filaments 3-3.6 mm long, glabrous, sparsely pilose, or basally ciliate; anthers ca. 1.1-1.3 mm long, awns very short, sometimes anthers ± distally bifid only; ovary glabrous to weakly pilose; style 4-5 mm long, glabrous. Fruiting calyx globose, 8-14 mm diam., glabrous, white. Chromosome number: n=11, 2n=22 (Luteyn & Cotton 11153).

Distribution: Southern Colombia to southern Ecuador in grass páramo and sheltered páramo thickets, cloud forest edge, and moist slopes at elevations of 3040-3800(-4000) m. Flowering and fruiting occur throughout the season.

Type: Colombia. Cauca: Cordillera Central, vic. of Laguna de San Rafael, N of Volcán Purace, 3350 m, 29 Jan 1947 (fl, fr), Cuatrecasas 23432 (holotype, US, photo NY neg. 12065; isotype, A, photo NY neg. 11917, COL, F, photo NY neg. 11918).

Cultivated: K.

Flora and Monograph Treatment(s):

Gaultheria amoena A.C.Sm.: [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.