Authority:

Luteyn, James L. 1983. Ericaceae--part I. Cavendishia. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 35: 1-290. (Published by NYBG Press)

Family:

Ericaceae

Synonyms:

Cavendishia mutisiana Cuatrec.

Description:

Species Description - Terrestrial or epiphytic (sometimes rather scandent) shrub; mature branches complanate and bluntly angled, striate, glabrous, brownish; twigs coarsely flattened, striate, glabrous, brownish. Leaves lanceolate, ovate, oblong, or elliptic, 10.5-21 X 4-7 cm, basally cuneate, obtuse, rounded, or slightly subcordate, apically long- to short-acuminate, essentially glabrous; 5(-7)-plinerved from near base, midrib thickened and raised through proximal 5—10 mm otherwise impressed above and raised beneath, lateral nerves impressed above and raised beneath, veinlets slightly raised or impressed above but obscure beneath; petioles subterete, rugose, 5-6.8 mm long and 1.8-2.5 mm diam., glabrous or sparsely pilose. Inflorescence 6-12-flowered; rachis stout, nodes congested, subterete, glabrous, 0.6-1.5 cm long and ca. 4 mm diam.; floral bracts smooth, oblong or ovate, 25-40 X 15-22 mm, apically rounded, marginally scarious, glabrous, "red" when fresh; pedicels cylindric but coarsely angled, striate, glabrous, 5-10 mm long, with scattered glandular fimbriae along length; bracteoles basal, oblong or ovate, 3-7 x 1.5 mm, apically obtuse or acute, marginally scarious and glandular-fimbriate. Flowers: calyx 8-11 mm long; hypanthium subcylindric, ± pentagonal, 3-5 mm long and ca. 3-4 mm diam., basally truncate, or slightly and inconspicuously apophysate, puberulent; limb erect or campanulate, 4.5-7 mm long, puberulent, with or without glandular fimbriae; lobes narrowly lanceolate or oblong-triangular, 3-4.5 X 1.5-2 mm, curling or twisting around base of the style after anthesis, marginally glandular-fimbriate; sinus obtuse; corolla cylindric, glabrous or puberulent, (19-)21-29 mm long and 4-6 mm diam., "white" or "rose" when fresh, lobes triangular, obtuse, ca. 1 mm long; stamens ca. 22-23 mm long; filaments puberulous ventrally, alternately (1.5-)3-3.5 mm and 5-7 mm long; anthers alternately 20-21 mm and 16-17.3 mm long; thecae 5-6 mm long; style subequal to corolla. Berry not seen.

Discussion:

Cavendishia macrocephala is characterized by basically lanceolate, sometimes ovate to oblong-elliptic leaves, elongate calyx limb, the lobes of which curl around the style-base after anthesis, elongate calyx lobes, nonapophysate hypanthium; and stout rachis.

Within ser. Cavendishiae, C. macrocephala is related to C. cuatrecasasii and C. copeensis. The three are collectively characterized by conspicuously elongate calyx limbs with long triangular to oblong-lanceolate lobes, hypanthia basally rounded, truncate, or only inconspicuously apophysate, and large, coarse leaves. Cavendishia macrocephala and C. copeensis are, in turn, more closely related to each other than to C. cuatrecasasii by reason of their glabrous (not ± pilose) habit, more lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate (not oblong to elliptic-oblong) leaves, calyx lobes twisting (not erect) after anthesis, corollas 19-29 mm not 24-35 mm, and more northern distribution. Cavendishia copeensis does, however, resemble C. cuatrecasasii in its often persistent vegetative bracts, and elongate, stout petioles and pedicels. The three are easily separated by the features given in the key.

Distribution:

Colombia South America| Quindío Colombia South America| Risaralda Colombia South America| Tolima Colombia South America|

Common Names:

uvito