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 - Erect, much-branched, spreading shrub, usually epiphytic, 0.5-1.5(-2) m tall; stem base 1-3(-15) cm in diam.; mature branches terete to bluntly angled, glabrous; bark brown, rusty-brown, gray or almost black; twigs bluntly angled, glabrous or densely hirsute with spreading white or yellowish trichomes 0.5 mm long, frequently also with clavate, reddish glandular fimbriae ca. 0.1 mm long. Leaves obovate, oblanceolate, elliptic, oblong-elliptic, or ovate, 1.5-3(-6) X 0.5-1.5(-3) cm, basally cuneate or rounded, apically rounded, obtuse, or rarely abruptly tapering to a blunt tip, young leaves densely puberulent, glabrate at maturity; 3-5(-7)-plinerved, midrib impressed or slightly raised and conspicuous above, raised and conspicuous beneath, lateral nerves slightly raised and conspicuous or plane and obscure on both surfaces, veinlets slightly raised and conspicuous or obscure above, usually obscure beneath; petioles smooth, striate or more commonly rugose, subterete or flattened, 1-3(-5) mm long and 0.5-1 mm in diam., puberulent becoming glabrate. Inflorescence fasciculate, 3-6(-7)-flowered; rachis glabrous, 1-3(-7) mm long and 1-1.5 mm in diam.; floral bracts smooth or muricate, obovate, 11-14(-19) X 6.5-11 mm, basally narrowed, apically rounded, shallowly emarginate or rarely acute, glabrous, marginally scarious and sparsely glandular-fimbriate, rarely densely ciliate, purple to reddish-purple, frequently with scattered, short, thick reddish-brown glandular fimbriae along lamina; pedicels cylindric or obconic, rugose or obscurely ribbed, sometimes bluntly angled, glabrous or sparsely pilose distally, (0.5-) 1.5-2(-5) mm long and 1-1.5(-2.5) mm in diam., rarely with reddish-brown glandular fimbriae distally; bracteoles basal, oblong to oblong-elliptic, (1-)3-6(-8.5) X 1-2 mm, basally truncate, apically obtuse, marginally scarious and densely glandular-fimbriate with fimbriae to 0.8 mm long, purple. Flowers: calyx 4.5-7.5 mm long; hypanthium cylindric or barrelshaped often pentagonal, smooth or minutely rugose, 1-3 mm long and 2-3 in diam., basally slightly apophysate with a narrow rim or collar, green to purple, sometimes with scattered, reddish-brown, glandular fimbriae; limb erect, somewhat spreading or campanulate, 1.5-4 mm long, green to greenish-white; lobes triangular, obtuse to acute, 0.5-1.5 X 1.5-2 mm, erect or somewhat connivent after anthesis, marginally densely glandular-fimbriate with fimbriae to 0.2 mm long; sinus broadly rounded or obtuse rarely acute; corolla constricted basally and narrowed to throat, glabrous, 10-16 mm long and 4-5 mm in diam., basal ¼ white or pale red, middle half purple or reddish-purple, distal Vi plus lobes white, lobes triangular, obtuse, 1 mm long; stamens 9-14.5 mm long; filaments glabrous or with scattered hairs distally, alternately 1.5-3 mm and 3-6 mm long; anthers alternately 7.5-12.5 mm and 5.5-10 mm long; thecae 2-3 mm long; style (9.5-) 11-15.5 mm long. Berry 5-9 mm in diam., insipid (fide Nee & Tyson 10956, NY).
Species Description - Erect, much-branched, spreading shrub, usually epiphytic, 0.5-1.5(-2) m tall; stem base 1-3(-15) cm in diam.; mature branches terete to bluntly angled, glabrous; bark brown, rusty-brown, gray or almost black; twigs bluntly angled, glabrous or densely hirsute with spreading white or yellowish trichomes 0.5 mm long, frequently also with clavate, reddish glandular fimbriae ca. 0.1 mm long. Leaves obovate, oblanceolate, elliptic, oblong-elliptic, or ovate, 1.5-3(-6) X 0.5-1.5(-3) cm, basally cuneate or rounded, apically rounded, obtuse, or rarely abruptly tapering to a blunt tip, young leaves densely puberulent, glabrate at maturity; 3-5(-7)-plinerved, midrib impressed or slightly raised and conspicuous above, raised and conspicuous beneath, lateral nerves slightly raised and conspicuous or plane and obscure on both surfaces, veinlets slightly raised and conspicuous or obscure above, usually obscure beneath; petioles smooth, striate or more commonly rugose, subterete or flattened, 1-3(-5) mm long and 0.5-1 mm in diam., puberulent becoming glabrate. Inflorescence fasciculate, 3-6(-7)-flowered; rachis glabrous, 1-3(-7) mm long and 1-1.5 mm in diam.; floral bracts smooth or muricate, obovate, 11-14(-19) X 6.5-11 mm, basally narrowed, apically rounded, shallowly emarginate or rarely acute, glabrous, marginally scarious and sparsely glandular-fimbriate, rarely densely ciliate, purple to reddish-purple, frequently with scattered, short, thick reddish-brown glandular fimbriae along lamina; pedicels cylindric or obconic, rugose or obscurely ribbed, sometimes bluntly angled, glabrous or sparsely pilose distally, (0.5-) 1.5-2(-5) mm long and 1-1.5(-2.5) mm in diam., rarely with reddish-brown glandular fimbriae distally; bracteoles basal, oblong to oblong-elliptic, (1-)3-6(-8.5) X 1-2 mm, basally truncate, apically obtuse, marginally scarious and densely glandular-fimbriate with fimbriae to 0.8 mm long, purple. Flowers: calyx 4.5-7.5 mm long; hypanthium cylindric or barrelshaped often pentagonal, smooth or minutely rugose, 1-3 mm long and 2-3 in diam., basally slightly apophysate with a narrow rim or collar, green to purple, sometimes with scattered, reddish-brown, glandular fimbriae; limb erect, somewhat spreading or campanulate, 1.5-4 mm long, green to greenish-white; lobes triangular, obtuse to acute, 0.5-1.5 X 1.5-2 mm, erect or somewhat connivent after anthesis, marginally densely glandular-fimbriate with fimbriae to 0.2 mm long; sinus broadly rounded or obtuse rarely acute; corolla constricted basally and narrowed to throat, glabrous, 10-16 mm long and 4-5 mm in diam., basal ¼ white or pale red, middle half purple or reddish-purple, distal Vi plus lobes white, lobes triangular, obtuse, 1 mm long; stamens 9-14.5 mm long; filaments glabrous or with scattered hairs distally, alternately 1.5-3 mm and 3-6 mm long; anthers alternately 7.5-12.5 mm and 5.5-10 mm long; thecae 2-3 mm long; style (9.5-) 11-15.5 mm long. Berry 5-9 mm in diam., insipid (fide Nee & Tyson 10956, NY).
Discussion:
Cavendishia capitulata is characterized by the combination of leaves relatively small and apically obtuse or rounded, capitate inflorescences with 3-4 flowers, and corollas which are purple or reddish-purple with white tips. In floral characters the species is very stable; its leaves, however, show a high degree of variability. These leaf variations and accounts of putative hybridization with C. bracteata are discussed in more detail in Luteyn (1976).Within ser. Cavendishiae, C. capitulata is most closely related to C. pilosa and is discussed with that species. It is not, as I had earlier stated (Luteyn, 1976), closely related to C. guatapeensis, which belongs to sect. Quereme.
Cavendishia capitulata is characterized by the combination of leaves relatively small and apically obtuse or rounded, capitate inflorescences with 3-4 flowers, and corollas which are purple or reddish-purple with white tips. In floral characters the species is very stable; its leaves, however, show a high degree of variability. These leaf variations and accounts of putative hybridization with C. bracteata are discussed in more detail in Luteyn (1976).Within ser. Cavendishiae, C. capitulata is most closely related to C. pilosa and is discussed with that species. It is not, as I had earlier stated (Luteyn, 1976), closely related to C. guatapeensis, which belongs to sect. Quereme.
Distribution:
Costa Rica South America| Alajuela Costa Rica Central America| Cartago Costa Rica Central America| Heredia Costa Rica Central America| Limón Costa Rica Central America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| San José Costa Rica Central America| Panama Central America| Bocas del Toro Panamá Central America| Chiriquí Panamá Central America| Coclé Panamá Central America| Darién Panamá Central America| Panamá Panama Central America| Veraguas Panama Central America| Colombia South America| Antioquia Colombia South America|
Costa Rica South America| Alajuela Costa Rica Central America| Cartago Costa Rica Central America| Heredia Costa Rica Central America| Limón Costa Rica Central America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| San José Costa Rica Central America| Panama Central America| Bocas del Toro Panamá Central America| Chiriquí Panamá Central America| Coclé Panamá Central America| Darién Panamá Central America| Panamá Panama Central America| Veraguas Panama Central America| Colombia South America| Antioquia Colombia South America|
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