Monographs Details:
Authority:
Luteyn, James L. 1983. Ericaceae--part I. Cavendishia. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 35: 1-290. (Published by NYBG Press)
Luteyn, James L. 1983. Ericaceae--part I. Cavendishia. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 35: 1-290. (Published by NYBG Press)
Family:
Ericaceae
Ericaceae
Synonyms:
Thibaudia quereme Kunth, Polyboea quereme (Kunth) Klotzsch, Ceratostema odoratissimum Willd. ex Klotzsch, Chupalon quereme (Kunth) Kuntze, Orthaea lehmannii B.Fedtsch. & Basil.
Thibaudia quereme Kunth, Polyboea quereme (Kunth) Klotzsch, Ceratostema odoratissimum Willd. ex Klotzsch, Chupalon quereme (Kunth) Kuntze, Orthaea lehmannii B.Fedtsch. & Basil.
Description:
Species Description - Epiphytic or terrestrial shrub to 1-2.5 m tall; stem base 1-5 cm in diam.; mature branches terete, striate, glabrous, reddish-brown; bark reddish-brown; twigs terete or more commonly bluntly angled, smooth or striate, glabrous, reddish-brown or tan. Leaves subcoriaceous, bullate, elliptic, lance-elliptic, or lanceolate, rarely ovate, (3.5-)6-11(-14) X (1-) 1.5-4(-5) cm, basally acute or obtuse or rounded and short-attenuate, usually somewhat short-decurrent on petiole, apically acuminate or caudate-acuminate, nitid, glabrous; 5(-7)-plinerved, midrib and lateral nerves deeply impressed above but raised and very conspicuous beneath, veinlets raised or impressed and very conspicuous above, plane or slightly raised and often obscure beneath; petioles terete or subterete, smooth, minutely striate or somewhat rugose, (3-)5-7(-9) mm long and 1-1.5 mm in diam., sparsely puberulous or glabrous when immature but glabrous at maturity. Inflorescence (8-) 12-20(-25)-flowered; rachis subterete or bluntly angled, minutely striate, glabrous, 2-5(-6) cm long and 1-2 mm in diam., pinkish-green at anthesis but turning pale green or reddish; floral bracts smooth, conduplicate and slightly keeled, ascending with respect to rachis, oblong, elliptic, or lanceolate, 10-25 X 5-10 mm, glabrous, basally slightly clasping the rachis, apically acute, marginally glandular-fimbriate, pink or red; pedicels swollen distally, often coarsely striate or rugose, glabrous, (5-)8-16(-19) mm long (usually 8-11 mm at anthesis) and 0.5-1 mm in diam., pinkish-green at anthesis but turning pale green or red; bracteoles basal, lanceolate, oblong, or linear-lanceolate rarely ovate, 1-2.5(-5) X 0.5-1(-2) mm, apically acute or obtuse, marginally glandular-fimbriate, pink or red. Flowers: calyx often slightly stipitate at anthesis, glabrous, 2.5-5 mm long; hypanthium cylindric but pentagonal in cross-section with broad, blunt angles, smooth or rugose, 1.5-2 mm long, nonapophysate, green or pinkish-green at anthesis but turning green or red; limb cylindric, slightly spreading or campanulate, 2-3.5 mm long, orangish- to reddish-green at anthesis; lobes ovate or oblong, bluntly apiculate, 1-1.5 X 1.5-2 mm, connivent after anthesis, marginally thin lacerate-glandular, secreting a translucent filmy layer between lobes when in bud, orangish- or reddish-green; sinus acute; corolla bottle-shaped and bluntly 5-angled when fresh, slightly constricted basally and narrowing to throat, glabrous, 7-11(-13) mm long and 3-6(-7) mm in diam. at widest point, tube whitish at constricted base then orange or reddish-orange through the middle half and with white limb and lobes, lobes ca. 1 mm long, slightly flaring but not reflexed at anthesis; stamens alternately 5.5-7.5 mm and 8-9.5 mm long; filaments alternately 1.5—2(—3.5) mm and (2.5-)3.5-5 mm long, the short ones glabrous, the long ones with short, stout trichomes distally; anthers alternately (4.5-)5.5-7.5 mm and (3.5-)5-6.5 mm long; thecae 1.5-3 mm long; style 8.5-11 mm long. Berry 7-11 mm in diam.
Species Description - Epiphytic or terrestrial shrub to 1-2.5 m tall; stem base 1-5 cm in diam.; mature branches terete, striate, glabrous, reddish-brown; bark reddish-brown; twigs terete or more commonly bluntly angled, smooth or striate, glabrous, reddish-brown or tan. Leaves subcoriaceous, bullate, elliptic, lance-elliptic, or lanceolate, rarely ovate, (3.5-)6-11(-14) X (1-) 1.5-4(-5) cm, basally acute or obtuse or rounded and short-attenuate, usually somewhat short-decurrent on petiole, apically acuminate or caudate-acuminate, nitid, glabrous; 5(-7)-plinerved, midrib and lateral nerves deeply impressed above but raised and very conspicuous beneath, veinlets raised or impressed and very conspicuous above, plane or slightly raised and often obscure beneath; petioles terete or subterete, smooth, minutely striate or somewhat rugose, (3-)5-7(-9) mm long and 1-1.5 mm in diam., sparsely puberulous or glabrous when immature but glabrous at maturity. Inflorescence (8-) 12-20(-25)-flowered; rachis subterete or bluntly angled, minutely striate, glabrous, 2-5(-6) cm long and 1-2 mm in diam., pinkish-green at anthesis but turning pale green or reddish; floral bracts smooth, conduplicate and slightly keeled, ascending with respect to rachis, oblong, elliptic, or lanceolate, 10-25 X 5-10 mm, glabrous, basally slightly clasping the rachis, apically acute, marginally glandular-fimbriate, pink or red; pedicels swollen distally, often coarsely striate or rugose, glabrous, (5-)8-16(-19) mm long (usually 8-11 mm at anthesis) and 0.5-1 mm in diam., pinkish-green at anthesis but turning pale green or red; bracteoles basal, lanceolate, oblong, or linear-lanceolate rarely ovate, 1-2.5(-5) X 0.5-1(-2) mm, apically acute or obtuse, marginally glandular-fimbriate, pink or red. Flowers: calyx often slightly stipitate at anthesis, glabrous, 2.5-5 mm long; hypanthium cylindric but pentagonal in cross-section with broad, blunt angles, smooth or rugose, 1.5-2 mm long, nonapophysate, green or pinkish-green at anthesis but turning green or red; limb cylindric, slightly spreading or campanulate, 2-3.5 mm long, orangish- to reddish-green at anthesis; lobes ovate or oblong, bluntly apiculate, 1-1.5 X 1.5-2 mm, connivent after anthesis, marginally thin lacerate-glandular, secreting a translucent filmy layer between lobes when in bud, orangish- or reddish-green; sinus acute; corolla bottle-shaped and bluntly 5-angled when fresh, slightly constricted basally and narrowing to throat, glabrous, 7-11(-13) mm long and 3-6(-7) mm in diam. at widest point, tube whitish at constricted base then orange or reddish-orange through the middle half and with white limb and lobes, lobes ca. 1 mm long, slightly flaring but not reflexed at anthesis; stamens alternately 5.5-7.5 mm and 8-9.5 mm long; filaments alternately 1.5—2(—3.5) mm and (2.5-)3.5-5 mm long, the short ones glabrous, the long ones with short, stout trichomes distally; anthers alternately (4.5-)5.5-7.5 mm and (3.5-)5-6.5 mm long; thecae 1.5-3 mm long; style 8.5-11 mm long. Berry 7-11 mm in diam.
Discussion:
Plants of this species are cultivated locally in Cauca and Valle Depts., Colombia, and are sold in markets in Cali (Valle Dept.). I have also been told by local residents (Colombia) that bouquets of flowering twigs are exchanged between young people as tokens of their affection. García-Barriga (1975) stated that in Valle Dept, a decoction is made from this species to remove the salicylic acid which is then taken or applied to relieve toothaches and rheumatism.Cavendishia quereme is a very beautiful species characterized by nitid, coriaceous, bullate leaves, dark pink floral bracts, and a bright orange corolla with a white tip. One of its most distinctive characters is the very strong odor of winter-green (methyl-salicylate) which is emitted by the vegetative parts of the plant (Luteyn et al., 1980). The odor is so distinctive that I have often smelled the plant in the field before I have seen it. The odor persists even after the plants have been dried by heat (often pretreated with formaldehyde) or preserved in FAA.Cavendishia quereme is remarkably stable. Despite its disjunct distribution, there is so little inter-populational variation that specimens from Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama are indistinguishable.Cavendishia quereme is most closely related to C. laurifolia, both taxa having similar habits, pronounced bottle-shaped and bluntly pentagonal corollas, lacerate calyx lobe glands (C. laurifolia also has glandular fimbriae in some populations), and stamens which are conspicuously alternately unequal in overall length. The differences are given in the key.
Plants of this species are cultivated locally in Cauca and Valle Depts., Colombia, and are sold in markets in Cali (Valle Dept.). I have also been told by local residents (Colombia) that bouquets of flowering twigs are exchanged between young people as tokens of their affection. García-Barriga (1975) stated that in Valle Dept, a decoction is made from this species to remove the salicylic acid which is then taken or applied to relieve toothaches and rheumatism.Cavendishia quereme is a very beautiful species characterized by nitid, coriaceous, bullate leaves, dark pink floral bracts, and a bright orange corolla with a white tip. One of its most distinctive characters is the very strong odor of winter-green (methyl-salicylate) which is emitted by the vegetative parts of the plant (Luteyn et al., 1980). The odor is so distinctive that I have often smelled the plant in the field before I have seen it. The odor persists even after the plants have been dried by heat (often pretreated with formaldehyde) or preserved in FAA.Cavendishia quereme is remarkably stable. Despite its disjunct distribution, there is so little inter-populational variation that specimens from Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama are indistinguishable.Cavendishia quereme is most closely related to C. laurifolia, both taxa having similar habits, pronounced bottle-shaped and bluntly pentagonal corollas, lacerate calyx lobe glands (C. laurifolia also has glandular fimbriae in some populations), and stamens which are conspicuously alternately unequal in overall length. The differences are given in the key.
Distribution and Ecology: Cavendishia quereme has a discontinuous distribution from Costa Rica to western Panama (Prov. Chiriquí) and in the Cordillera Occidental (Valle and Nariño Depts.) of Colombia. It may be found as an epiphyte in rain forest and montane cloud forest, or as a terrestrial shrub in disturbed areas along trails or roadsides at elevations of 400-1830(-2350) m. It flowers and fruits sporadically throughout the year.
Distribution:
Costa Rica South America| Alajuela Costa Rica Central America| Cartago Costa Rica Central America| Heredia Costa Rica Central America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| San José Costa Rica Central America| Panama Central America| Chiriquí Panamá Central America| Colombia South America| Cauca Colombia South America| Nariño Colombia South America| Valle Colombia South America|
Costa Rica South America| Alajuela Costa Rica Central America| Cartago Costa Rica Central America| Heredia Costa Rica Central America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| San José Costa Rica Central America| Panama Central America| Chiriquí Panamá Central America| Colombia South America| Cauca Colombia South America| Nariño Colombia South America| Valle Colombia South America|
Common Names:
colmillo, quereme
colmillo, quereme
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