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 or epiphytic shrub with stems to 3 m long; mature branches terete, smooth, somewhat nitid, glabrous, reddish-brown; twigs terete, subterete, or bluntly angled and ribbed, glabrous, reddish-brown; vegetative bracts subtending current season’s growth coriaceous, often persistent for several years. Leaves elliptic or oblong-elliptic, 12-20.5 X 5.5-10(-12.5) cm, basally rounded or obtuse often bluntly short-attenuate, apically acuminate or rather abruptly short-caudate-acuminate, glabrous; 3-5(-7)-plinerved from near base, midrib thickened and raised through proximal 0.5-1.5 cm otherwise impressed above and raised beneath, lateral nerves impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets impressed or plane above and raised beneath; petiole terete or sometimes adaxially flattened and slightly broadened distally, minutely rugose, 8-12(-15) mm long and 2.5-3.5(-5) mm diam. Inflorescence 3-12-flowered, encircled at base by bracts which are subcoriaceous, erect and appressed to flowers at anthesis, ovate to obovate, apically broadly rounded, 40 X 30 mm, green when fresh; rachis obscured by these bracts, congested, glabrous, 1-2 cm long and 2.5-3.5 mm diam.; floral bracts erect and appressed, oblong to obovate, 28-46 X 23-30 mm, apically rounded and emarginate, glabrous but dorsally provided with glandular fimbriae, red at anthesis; pedicels subterete, striate, glabrous, 8-15 mm long; bracteoles ± basal, oblong, 4.5-9 X 2-3 mm, marginally glandular-fimbriate with fimbriae sometimes fusing distally. Flowers: calyx glabrous, 10.5-13 mm long, translucent green when fresh; hypanthium cylindric, rugose, 4-6 mm long, basally apophysate with a rim 1-2 mm long produced below articulation thus enveloping distal portion of pedicel; limb erecto-patent to campanulate at anthesis but somewhat connivent thereafter, 6.5-7 mm long, tinged with red when fresh; lobes deltoid, 1.5-2 X 3.5 mm, subconnivent and twisting around style base after anthesis, charged with thin supramarginal undulate or irregularly oblong glands to 1.8 mm long; sinus rounded; corolla cylindric, glabrous, 33-38 mm long and 10-11 mm diam., waxy-red when fresh, lobes oblong-deltoid, ca. 1 mm long; stamens 24.5-31.5 mm long; filaments glabrous or weakly short-pilose ventrally, alternately 2.7-4.8 mm and 8.2-9 mm long; anthers alternately 22-29 mm and 17.7-23.5 mm long; thecae alternately 7.5-10.5 mm and 6.5-9.5 mm long; style 33-38 mm long. Mature berry not seen.
Species Description - Terrestrial or epiphytic shrub with stems to 3 m long; mature branches terete, smooth, somewhat nitid, glabrous, reddish-brown; twigs terete, subterete, or bluntly angled and ribbed, glabrous, reddish-brown; vegetative bracts subtending current season’s growth coriaceous, often persistent for several years. Leaves elliptic or oblong-elliptic, 12-20.5 X 5.5-10(-12.5) cm, basally rounded or obtuse often bluntly short-attenuate, apically acuminate or rather abruptly short-caudate-acuminate, glabrous; 3-5(-7)-plinerved from near base, midrib thickened and raised through proximal 0.5-1.5 cm otherwise impressed above and raised beneath, lateral nerves impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets impressed or plane above and raised beneath; petiole terete or sometimes adaxially flattened and slightly broadened distally, minutely rugose, 8-12(-15) mm long and 2.5-3.5(-5) mm diam. Inflorescence 3-12-flowered, encircled at base by bracts which are subcoriaceous, erect and appressed to flowers at anthesis, ovate to obovate, apically broadly rounded, 40 X 30 mm, green when fresh; rachis obscured by these bracts, congested, glabrous, 1-2 cm long and 2.5-3.5 mm diam.; floral bracts erect and appressed, oblong to obovate, 28-46 X 23-30 mm, apically rounded and emarginate, glabrous but dorsally provided with glandular fimbriae, red at anthesis; pedicels subterete, striate, glabrous, 8-15 mm long; bracteoles ± basal, oblong, 4.5-9 X 2-3 mm, marginally glandular-fimbriate with fimbriae sometimes fusing distally. Flowers: calyx glabrous, 10.5-13 mm long, translucent green when fresh; hypanthium cylindric, rugose, 4-6 mm long, basally apophysate with a rim 1-2 mm long produced below articulation thus enveloping distal portion of pedicel; limb erecto-patent to campanulate at anthesis but somewhat connivent thereafter, 6.5-7 mm long, tinged with red when fresh; lobes deltoid, 1.5-2 X 3.5 mm, subconnivent and twisting around style base after anthesis, charged with thin supramarginal undulate or irregularly oblong glands to 1.8 mm long; sinus rounded; corolla cylindric, glabrous, 33-38 mm long and 10-11 mm diam., waxy-red when fresh, lobes oblong-deltoid, ca. 1 mm long; stamens 24.5-31.5 mm long; filaments glabrous or weakly short-pilose ventrally, alternately 2.7-4.8 mm and 8.2-9 mm long; anthers alternately 22-29 mm and 17.7-23.5 mm long; thecae alternately 7.5-10.5 mm and 6.5-9.5 mm long; style 33-38 mm long. Mature berry not seen.
Discussion:
Cavendishia colombiana is notable for its persistent, coriaceous vegetative bracts; erect and appressed inflorescence and floral bracts; large, emarginate floral bracts; connivent-twisting calyx limb and lobes; broadly deltate calyx lobes; short, stout rachis; and large corollas. The leaves and immature fruits of the type collection (Luteyn & Lebrón-Luteyn 6995), when collected, were being eaten by the ant Acromyrmex (A.) hystrix Latr. (det. by Neal A. Weber). The leaves especially were being devoured in the typical leaf-cutter fashion (see Fig. 55E). I have seen ants eating cavendishia leaves of only one other species, C. tenella, although I previously reported ants eating the mature berries of lebroniae (Luteyn, 1979).Cavendishia colombiana is most closely related to C. tarapotana and the differences are given in the key. It bears a superficial resemblance (although not an especially close phylogenetic relationship) to cuatrecasasii in persistent vegetative bracts, elongate corollas, and floral and inflorescence bracts which remain appressed to the flowers at anthesis. The orientation of these bracts (erect and appressed in C. colombiana and C. cuatrecasasii versus spreading in C. tarapotana) gives the plants a much different appearance in their natural habit and probably influences the foraging behavior of nectar-robbing bees and birds.
Cavendishia colombiana is notable for its persistent, coriaceous vegetative bracts; erect and appressed inflorescence and floral bracts; large, emarginate floral bracts; connivent-twisting calyx limb and lobes; broadly deltate calyx lobes; short, stout rachis; and large corollas. The leaves and immature fruits of the type collection (Luteyn & Lebrón-Luteyn 6995), when collected, were being eaten by the ant Acromyrmex (A.) hystrix Latr. (det. by Neal A. Weber). The leaves especially were being devoured in the typical leaf-cutter fashion (see Fig. 55E). I have seen ants eating cavendishia leaves of only one other species, C. tenella, although I previously reported ants eating the mature berries of lebroniae (Luteyn, 1979).Cavendishia colombiana is most closely related to C. tarapotana and the differences are given in the key. It bears a superficial resemblance (although not an especially close phylogenetic relationship) to cuatrecasasii in persistent vegetative bracts, elongate corollas, and floral and inflorescence bracts which remain appressed to the flowers at anthesis. The orientation of these bracts (erect and appressed in C. colombiana and C. cuatrecasasii versus spreading in C. tarapotana) gives the plants a much different appearance in their natural habit and probably influences the foraging behavior of nectar-robbing bees and birds.
Distribution:
Colombia South America| Chocó Colombia South America| Valle Colombia South America|
Colombia South America| Chocó Colombia South America| Valle Colombia South America|
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