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:
Polyboea laurifolia Klotzsch, Chupalon laurifolium (Klotzsch) Kuntze, Cavendishia tuerckheimii Hoerold
Polyboea laurifolia Klotzsch, Chupalon laurifolium (Klotzsch) Kuntze, Cavendishia tuerckheimii Hoerold
Description:
Species Description - Epiphytic or terrestrial shrub to 1-3 m tall; stem base 2.5-5 cm in diam.; mature branches arching, terete, striate, glabrous; bark tan to grayish-brown; twigs subterete or flattened with blunt angles, striate, reddish-brown, densely puberulous and often with short, reddish, glandular fimbriae. Leaves slightly bullate when fresh, drying bullate or flat, lanceolate, ovate or lance-elliptic, (3.5-)6-13 X (1-) 2-4 cm, basally rounded or obtuse rarely subcordate or cuneate, apically acuminate sometimes acumen to 2-3 cm long, puberulous above along proximal portions of midrib and lateral nerves, glabrous beneath; 3-5-plinerved from near base, midrib slightly thickened and raised through proximal 0.5 mm otherwise impressed above, lateral nerves impressed above, veinlets raised and conspicuous above, midrib and lateral nerves raised and conspicuous beneath, veinlets plane or raised but obscure beneath; petioles subterete, smooth, striate or commonly rugose, 2-5 mm long and 0.5-1.5 mm in diam., densely puberulous adaxially. Inflorescence (8-)17-32(-45)-flowered with lowermost nodes bracteolate but sterile; rachis subterete, striate, weakly muricate, glabrous, 4—15(-20) cm long and 1-2 mm in diam., rose-pink at anthesis but turning whitish or pale green; floral bracts concave, oriented perpendicular to or somewhat recurved with respect to rachis, muricate, oblong, obovate or oblanceolate, 7-13 X 3.5-6.5(-10) mm, basally narrowed, apically obtuse to broadly rounded or rarely acute, marginally scarious and densely glandular-fimbriate, glabrous, deep rose-pink; pedicels swollen distally, striate, (9-) 14-22(-26) mm long (14-17 mm at anthesis) and 0.5-1 mm in diam., rose-pink at anthesis but turning whitish or pale green, densely covered with reddish, caducous glandular fimbriae 0.3 mm long when young; bracteoles basal, oblong to ovate, 1-2.5 X 0.5-1(-2) mm, basally slightly auriculate, marginally densely glandular-fimbriate, rose-pink. Flowers: calyx 2.5-3.5 mm long, green in bud, dark wine-red at anthesis, later turning green; hypanthium cylindric but slightly pentagonal in cross-section, rugose, 0.5-1 mm long and 2.5-3(-4) mm in diam., basally slightly apophysate, densely covered in bud by reddish, glandular fimbriae; limb broadly campanulate, muricate, 1.5-3 mm long, densely glandular-fimbriate these usually persisting to fruit; lobes triangular or oblong, (0.2-)0.5-l mm long, connivent after anthesis, marginally lacerate-glandular and/or glandular-fimbriate; sinus acute in bud becoming broadly rounded to flat at anthesis; corolla bottle-shaped, bluntly 5-angled opposite calyx lobes, constricted basally, (6.5-)8-10(-12) mm long and 5.5-6.5 mm in diam. at widest point, tube with scattered glandular fimbriae, completely red or white lower 2/3, dark rose-red upper 1/3 plus limb and lobes, lobes oblong, acute, slightly flaring at anthesis; stamens alternately 6-7 mm and 7-8.5 mm long; filaments densely puberulous distal half, alternately 1.5-3 mm and 2.5-4 mm long; anthers alternately 5-7 mm and 4-5.5 mm long; thecae 1.2-3 mm long; style 8-9 mm long. Berry 6-7 mm in diam.
Species Description - Epiphytic or terrestrial shrub to 1-3 m tall; stem base 2.5-5 cm in diam.; mature branches arching, terete, striate, glabrous; bark tan to grayish-brown; twigs subterete or flattened with blunt angles, striate, reddish-brown, densely puberulous and often with short, reddish, glandular fimbriae. Leaves slightly bullate when fresh, drying bullate or flat, lanceolate, ovate or lance-elliptic, (3.5-)6-13 X (1-) 2-4 cm, basally rounded or obtuse rarely subcordate or cuneate, apically acuminate sometimes acumen to 2-3 cm long, puberulous above along proximal portions of midrib and lateral nerves, glabrous beneath; 3-5-plinerved from near base, midrib slightly thickened and raised through proximal 0.5 mm otherwise impressed above, lateral nerves impressed above, veinlets raised and conspicuous above, midrib and lateral nerves raised and conspicuous beneath, veinlets plane or raised but obscure beneath; petioles subterete, smooth, striate or commonly rugose, 2-5 mm long and 0.5-1.5 mm in diam., densely puberulous adaxially. Inflorescence (8-)17-32(-45)-flowered with lowermost nodes bracteolate but sterile; rachis subterete, striate, weakly muricate, glabrous, 4—15(-20) cm long and 1-2 mm in diam., rose-pink at anthesis but turning whitish or pale green; floral bracts concave, oriented perpendicular to or somewhat recurved with respect to rachis, muricate, oblong, obovate or oblanceolate, 7-13 X 3.5-6.5(-10) mm, basally narrowed, apically obtuse to broadly rounded or rarely acute, marginally scarious and densely glandular-fimbriate, glabrous, deep rose-pink; pedicels swollen distally, striate, (9-) 14-22(-26) mm long (14-17 mm at anthesis) and 0.5-1 mm in diam., rose-pink at anthesis but turning whitish or pale green, densely covered with reddish, caducous glandular fimbriae 0.3 mm long when young; bracteoles basal, oblong to ovate, 1-2.5 X 0.5-1(-2) mm, basally slightly auriculate, marginally densely glandular-fimbriate, rose-pink. Flowers: calyx 2.5-3.5 mm long, green in bud, dark wine-red at anthesis, later turning green; hypanthium cylindric but slightly pentagonal in cross-section, rugose, 0.5-1 mm long and 2.5-3(-4) mm in diam., basally slightly apophysate, densely covered in bud by reddish, glandular fimbriae; limb broadly campanulate, muricate, 1.5-3 mm long, densely glandular-fimbriate these usually persisting to fruit; lobes triangular or oblong, (0.2-)0.5-l mm long, connivent after anthesis, marginally lacerate-glandular and/or glandular-fimbriate; sinus acute in bud becoming broadly rounded to flat at anthesis; corolla bottle-shaped, bluntly 5-angled opposite calyx lobes, constricted basally, (6.5-)8-10(-12) mm long and 5.5-6.5 mm in diam. at widest point, tube with scattered glandular fimbriae, completely red or white lower 2/3, dark rose-red upper 1/3 plus limb and lobes, lobes oblong, acute, slightly flaring at anthesis; stamens alternately 6-7 mm and 7-8.5 mm long; filaments densely puberulous distal half, alternately 1.5-3 mm and 2.5-4 mm long; anthers alternately 5-7 mm and 4-5.5 mm long; thecae 1.2-3 mm long; style 8-9 mm long. Berry 6-7 mm in diam.
Discussion:
Cavendishia laurifolia is a very beautiful and showy species especially in Guatemala where its corolla is bright waxy white in the lower 2/3 and red the upper 1/3. The Colombian (and seemingly Panamanian) collections have an almost completely red corolla sometimes with a pinkish or white apex. The corollas are also conspicuous glandular-fimbriate in both areas. I have noticed a faint wintergreen odor in the dried material (Luteyn & Lebrón-Luteyn 7202) from Colombia, but failed to notice it in living material.Cavendishia laurifolia is most closely related to C. quereme, although its position in sect. Quereme seems to be somewhat more advanced as indicated by only lacerate calyx lobes in the Panamanian-Colombian plants, whereas lacerate and fimbriate lobes occur in the Mexican-Guatemalan populations. I would also regard it as a link to sect. Cavendishia, and most likely to ser. Cavendishiae.
Cavendishia laurifolia is a very beautiful and showy species especially in Guatemala where its corolla is bright waxy white in the lower 2/3 and red the upper 1/3. The Colombian (and seemingly Panamanian) collections have an almost completely red corolla sometimes with a pinkish or white apex. The corollas are also conspicuous glandular-fimbriate in both areas. I have noticed a faint wintergreen odor in the dried material (Luteyn & Lebrón-Luteyn 7202) from Colombia, but failed to notice it in living material.Cavendishia laurifolia is most closely related to C. quereme, although its position in sect. Quereme seems to be somewhat more advanced as indicated by only lacerate calyx lobes in the Panamanian-Colombian plants, whereas lacerate and fimbriate lobes occur in the Mexican-Guatemalan populations. I would also regard it as a link to sect. Cavendishia, and most likely to ser. Cavendishiae.
Distribution and Ecology: Collected in Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, and Colombia as a terrestrial or epiphytic shrub at elevations of 250-1650 m. In Mexico it is usually found in montane cloud forests dominated by Pinus-Quercus-Liquidambar, but has also been recorded from limestone areas. In Guatemala it occurs in virgin or disturbed forest, wet ravines, or along fence-rows. In Panama it is found only in the wet cloud forests of Cerro Pirre, Darién Prov., and I have collected it along steep roadsides and forest edge in Chocó Dept., Colombia. Flowering occurs sporadically throughout the year, and fruits have been collected only during March-May.
Distribution:
Mexico North America| Chiapas Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America| Alta Verapaz Guatemala Central America| Panama Central America| Darién Panamá Central America| Colombia South America| Chocó Colombia South America|
Mexico North America| Chiapas Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America| Alta Verapaz Guatemala Central America| Panama Central America| Darién Panamá Central America| Colombia South America| Chocó Colombia South America|
Common Names:
Rok’h-ik’h, pie de pájaro
Rok’h-ik’h, pie de pájaro
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