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 - Terrestrial shrub arching to 3 m from mostly single stems; mature stems terete, glabrous, brown; bark cracking longitudinally; twigs bluntly angled, striate, densely short-pilose, light brown, glaucous. Leaves elliptic or ovate-elliptic, 10-27 x 3.5-10 cm, basally rounded often subcordate, apically short-acuminate, sparsely short-pilose along nerves on both surfaces; 5(-7)-plinerved, inner pair lateral nerves arising ca. 1 cm above base, midrib basally thickened and with the lateral nerves impressed above and conspicuously raised beneath, reticulate veinlets slightly but noticeably raised on both surfaces; petiole terete, rugose, 5-15 mm long and 24 mm in diam., densely pilose. Inflorescence paniculate, up to 150-flowered; primary rachis 12-14(-19) cm long and 2-3 mm in diam., lateral branches 5-10 cm long, both subterete, conspicuously striate and densely short-pilose, each branch subtended by a caducous, membranaceous, green, ovate, apically obtuse, ciliate bract 10 X 10 mm; floral bracts caducous, cucullate, ovate, 4-5 mm long and broad, apically obtuse, ciliate, green; pedicels terete, striate, short-pilose, 4-5 mm long at anthesis, elongating to ca. 8 mm; bracteoles basal, subreniform or hemispheric, 0.2 mm long and broad, densely glandular-fimbriate marginally, the fimbriae coalescing distally. Flowers: calyx ca. 3 mm long; hypanthium cylindric, slightly pentagonal, 1 mm long, basally truncate and glabrous or sparsely short-pilose; limb campanulate, 2 mm long; lobes broadly triangular, acute, 0.75 mm long, connivent after anthesis, with a tiny, inconspicuous, oblong gland on each side towards apex; sinus rounded; corolla urceolate, glabrous, 9-10 mm long and ca. 8 mm in diam. towards base when fresh but drying to 6 mm long and 4 mm in diam., mauve to violet with paler lobes when fresh, lobes strongly revolute and tightly appressed to corolla tube, ca. 1 mm long; stamens 5.6-6 mm long; filaments slightly coherent at base, ciliate distally, alternately 2-2.5 mm and 33.2 mm long; connective conspicuously tapering onto tubules of long anthers; anthers alternately 4-4.2 mm and 3-3.2 mm long; thecae ca. 1-2.2 mm long; style ca. 8 mm long. Berry 8-9 mm in diam.
Species Description - Terrestrial shrub arching to 3 m from mostly single stems; mature stems terete, glabrous, brown; bark cracking longitudinally; twigs bluntly angled, striate, densely short-pilose, light brown, glaucous. Leaves elliptic or ovate-elliptic, 10-27 x 3.5-10 cm, basally rounded often subcordate, apically short-acuminate, sparsely short-pilose along nerves on both surfaces; 5(-7)-plinerved, inner pair lateral nerves arising ca. 1 cm above base, midrib basally thickened and with the lateral nerves impressed above and conspicuously raised beneath, reticulate veinlets slightly but noticeably raised on both surfaces; petiole terete, rugose, 5-15 mm long and 24 mm in diam., densely pilose. Inflorescence paniculate, up to 150-flowered; primary rachis 12-14(-19) cm long and 2-3 mm in diam., lateral branches 5-10 cm long, both subterete, conspicuously striate and densely short-pilose, each branch subtended by a caducous, membranaceous, green, ovate, apically obtuse, ciliate bract 10 X 10 mm; floral bracts caducous, cucullate, ovate, 4-5 mm long and broad, apically obtuse, ciliate, green; pedicels terete, striate, short-pilose, 4-5 mm long at anthesis, elongating to ca. 8 mm; bracteoles basal, subreniform or hemispheric, 0.2 mm long and broad, densely glandular-fimbriate marginally, the fimbriae coalescing distally. Flowers: calyx ca. 3 mm long; hypanthium cylindric, slightly pentagonal, 1 mm long, basally truncate and glabrous or sparsely short-pilose; limb campanulate, 2 mm long; lobes broadly triangular, acute, 0.75 mm long, connivent after anthesis, with a tiny, inconspicuous, oblong gland on each side towards apex; sinus rounded; corolla urceolate, glabrous, 9-10 mm long and ca. 8 mm in diam. towards base when fresh but drying to 6 mm long and 4 mm in diam., mauve to violet with paler lobes when fresh, lobes strongly revolute and tightly appressed to corolla tube, ca. 1 mm long; stamens 5.6-6 mm long; filaments slightly coherent at base, ciliate distally, alternately 2-2.5 mm and 33.2 mm long; connective conspicuously tapering onto tubules of long anthers; anthers alternately 4-4.2 mm and 3-3.2 mm long; thecae ca. 1-2.2 mm long; style ca. 8 mm long. Berry 8-9 mm in diam.
Discussion:
Cavendishia lebroniae is notable for its large leaves, many-flowered, paniculate inflorescences, densely short-pilose rachis, small, mauve to violet corollas, and low-elevation, Ecuadorian habitat. It is the only cavendishia with paniculate inflorescence in Ecuador. Although it has large leaves, it is a rather inconspicuous plant with small, darkly colored corollas and dull green leaves blending into the surrounding vegetation. When I first collected the species, the inflorescences were covered with black, non-biting ants which were feeding on the seeds of the mature berries, leaving the juicy pulp untouched. Upon another occasion I have observed very large, darkly colored (?blackish) bumble-bee type bees visiting the flowers, but was unable to tell if they were collecting pollen or nectar. The wine-red corollas of C. lebroniae have chromoplasts restricted to the outer epidermal layer (not the inner as is characteristic of C. divaricata, C. dulcis, C. palustris, and C. isernii var. isernii).Cavendishia lebroniae is most closely related to C. leucantha, another paniculate-inflorescence species, and their relationship is discussed with that species.
Cavendishia lebroniae is notable for its large leaves, many-flowered, paniculate inflorescences, densely short-pilose rachis, small, mauve to violet corollas, and low-elevation, Ecuadorian habitat. It is the only cavendishia with paniculate inflorescence in Ecuador. Although it has large leaves, it is a rather inconspicuous plant with small, darkly colored corollas and dull green leaves blending into the surrounding vegetation. When I first collected the species, the inflorescences were covered with black, non-biting ants which were feeding on the seeds of the mature berries, leaving the juicy pulp untouched. Upon another occasion I have observed very large, darkly colored (?blackish) bumble-bee type bees visiting the flowers, but was unable to tell if they were collecting pollen or nectar. The wine-red corollas of C. lebroniae have chromoplasts restricted to the outer epidermal layer (not the inner as is characteristic of C. divaricata, C. dulcis, C. palustris, and C. isernii var. isernii).Cavendishia lebroniae is most closely related to C. leucantha, another paniculate-inflorescence species, and their relationship is discussed with that species.
Distribution:
Ecuador South America| Cañar Ecuador South America|
Ecuador South America| Cañar Ecuador South America|
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