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
Description:
Species Description - Epiphyte or terrestrial shrub to 3 m tall; mature stems subterete, striate, glabrous, reddish-brown; bark thin and reticulately exfoliating into strips; twigs terete or bluntly angled, densely cinereous puberulent, reddish-brown. Leaves ovate, oblong-ovate, or elliptic, (2-)3.5-5(-6) X (1-)1.5-2.5(-3) cm, basally rounded often subcordate, apically sharply short-acuminate, sparsely short-pilose above (more apparent towards base) and glabrous beneath; weakly 3-5-plinerved often appearing pinnate, midvein often conspicuously thickened and raised through proximal 1/3 otherwise impressed above, lateral nerves often much thinner than midvein, slightly but conspicuously raised at base becoming plane or slightly impressed distally above, all veins raised beneath; petioles terete, somewhat rugose, 2-3 mm long and 1.2-1.5 mm in diam., densely cinereous puberulent becoming glabrate. Inflorescence paniculate, 20-100-flowered; rachis and lateral branches subterete, striate, glabrous, the primary axis 5-10 cm long and 1 mm in diam., the lateral branches 1.5-5 cm long and 0.75 mm in diam.; floral bracts caducous, clasping, somewhat cucullate, ovate to oblong-ovate, ca. 7 X 4.5 mm, basally truncate and auriculate, apically rounded, ciliate, marginally and dorsally glandular-fimbriate, glabrous, translucent white but tinged with green when fresh; pedicels terete, striate, 6-8 mm long at anthesis and ca. 0.2-0.3 mm in diam.; bracteoles basal, oblong to ovate, 0.75 mm long, apically obtuse, ciliate, marginally glandular-fimbriate becoming especially dense near distal tip. Flowers: calyx glabrous, 1.5 mm long, greenish-white when fresh; hypanthium pentagonal, ca. 1 mm long and in diam., basally truncate and slightly apophysate; limb erect, ca. 0.5 mm long; lobes triangular to slightly ovate, acute, ca. 0.5 mm long, connivent after anthesis, with an oblong somewhat thickened, translucent gland on each side but not covering the tip; sinus acute; corolla tubular with greatest diam. about the middle, glabrous, ca. 6 mm long and 5 mm in diam., white when fresh, lobes triangular, completely reflexed at anthesis, ca. 1.5 mm long; stamens 3-3.3 mm long; filaments densely and coarsely short-pilose ventrally, alternately 1.2-1.4 mm and ca. 1.5 mm, the longer ones narrowly constricted distally; anthers alternately ca. 2.2 mm and 2 mm long, the longer ones straight at the base, the shorter ones curved inward; thecae 0.7-0.8 mm long; tubules dehiscent over their entire length; style 3.5 mm long. Berry ca. 5-6 mm diam.
Species Description - Epiphyte or terrestrial shrub to 3 m tall; mature stems subterete, striate, glabrous, reddish-brown; bark thin and reticulately exfoliating into strips; twigs terete or bluntly angled, densely cinereous puberulent, reddish-brown. Leaves ovate, oblong-ovate, or elliptic, (2-)3.5-5(-6) X (1-)1.5-2.5(-3) cm, basally rounded often subcordate, apically sharply short-acuminate, sparsely short-pilose above (more apparent towards base) and glabrous beneath; weakly 3-5-plinerved often appearing pinnate, midvein often conspicuously thickened and raised through proximal 1/3 otherwise impressed above, lateral nerves often much thinner than midvein, slightly but conspicuously raised at base becoming plane or slightly impressed distally above, all veins raised beneath; petioles terete, somewhat rugose, 2-3 mm long and 1.2-1.5 mm in diam., densely cinereous puberulent becoming glabrate. Inflorescence paniculate, 20-100-flowered; rachis and lateral branches subterete, striate, glabrous, the primary axis 5-10 cm long and 1 mm in diam., the lateral branches 1.5-5 cm long and 0.75 mm in diam.; floral bracts caducous, clasping, somewhat cucullate, ovate to oblong-ovate, ca. 7 X 4.5 mm, basally truncate and auriculate, apically rounded, ciliate, marginally and dorsally glandular-fimbriate, glabrous, translucent white but tinged with green when fresh; pedicels terete, striate, 6-8 mm long at anthesis and ca. 0.2-0.3 mm in diam.; bracteoles basal, oblong to ovate, 0.75 mm long, apically obtuse, ciliate, marginally glandular-fimbriate becoming especially dense near distal tip. Flowers: calyx glabrous, 1.5 mm long, greenish-white when fresh; hypanthium pentagonal, ca. 1 mm long and in diam., basally truncate and slightly apophysate; limb erect, ca. 0.5 mm long; lobes triangular to slightly ovate, acute, ca. 0.5 mm long, connivent after anthesis, with an oblong somewhat thickened, translucent gland on each side but not covering the tip; sinus acute; corolla tubular with greatest diam. about the middle, glabrous, ca. 6 mm long and 5 mm in diam., white when fresh, lobes triangular, completely reflexed at anthesis, ca. 1.5 mm long; stamens 3-3.3 mm long; filaments densely and coarsely short-pilose ventrally, alternately 1.2-1.4 mm and ca. 1.5 mm, the longer ones narrowly constricted distally; anthers alternately ca. 2.2 mm and 2 mm long, the longer ones straight at the base, the shorter ones curved inward; thecae 0.7-0.8 mm long; tubules dehiscent over their entire length; style 3.5 mm long. Berry ca. 5-6 mm diam.
Discussion:
Cavendishia leucantha is characterized by a paniculate inflorescence with tiny white flowers, and by small leaves which superficially appear pinnately veined.At the time this species was described (Luteyn, 1980), the uncertainty of its interspecific relationships was mentioned. A resemblance to divaricata, C. martii, C. dulcis, and C. lebroniae due to the paniculate inflorescence common to them was then suggested. It now appears, however, that paniculate inflorescences have arisen more than once in the genus and that the first three species mentioned above belong to a different evolutionary lineage (sect. Quereme). Consequently, I feel C. leucantha is most closely related to C. lebroniae. They have in common all the features which characterize ser. Deciduae with one exception, the large leaves of C. lebroniae. They also have similar glands on the calyx lobes and bracteoles. They may be easily separated by the characters given in the key.
Cavendishia leucantha is characterized by a paniculate inflorescence with tiny white flowers, and by small leaves which superficially appear pinnately veined.At the time this species was described (Luteyn, 1980), the uncertainty of its interspecific relationships was mentioned. A resemblance to divaricata, C. martii, C. dulcis, and C. lebroniae due to the paniculate inflorescence common to them was then suggested. It now appears, however, that paniculate inflorescences have arisen more than once in the genus and that the first three species mentioned above belong to a different evolutionary lineage (sect. Quereme). Consequently, I feel C. leucantha is most closely related to C. lebroniae. They have in common all the features which characterize ser. Deciduae with one exception, the large leaves of C. lebroniae. They also have similar glands on the calyx lobes and bracteoles. They may be easily separated by the characters given in the key.
Distribution:
Colombia South America| Chocó Colombia South America| Valle Colombia South America|
Colombia South America| Chocó Colombia South America| Valle Colombia South America|