Authority:

Luteyn, James L., et al. 1995. Ericaceae, Part II. The Superior-Ovaried Genera (Monotropoideae, Pyroloideae, Rhododendroideae, and Vaccinioideae P.P.). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 66: 560. (Published by NYBG Press)

Family:

Ericaceae

Description:

Species Description - Evergreen, erect shrub to medium-sized tree to ca. 6 m tall, with gray, longitudinally furrowed, somewhat shredding bark; twigs slightly angled, slender, sparsely to moderately lepidote, otherwise glabrous; buds ovoid, 1.2-3.5 × 1-2.5 mm. Leaf blades elliptic to ovate, (2.5-)3.5-10(-14) × 2-7(-9) cm, ± flat, coriaceous, ca. 0.25-0.45 mm thick; base rounded to narrowly cuneate; apex acute or acuminate to rounded; margin plane to slightly re volute, apical portion irregularly sinuous to obscurely and irregularly toothed, basal portion sinuous to entire; venation brochidodromous, 3° veins percurrent to reticulate; adaxial surface lepidote but scales usually quickly deciduous, glabrous on midvein, with all veins clearly slightly depressed; abaxial surface moderately to densely lepidote, otherwise densely pubescent, with all veins prominently raised and forming conspicuous network; scales rust colored, deciduous to persistent, ca. 0.08-0.34 mm in diam., erose to nearly entire; petiole 5-13 mm long, lepidote, otherwise glabrous; flower buds ± intermixed with vegetative buds. Inflorescences shortly racemose to fasciculate, 4-10-flowered; pedicels clearly articulated with calyx, stout, 4-13(-25) mm long, lepidote, otherwise glabrous or less commonly sparsely pubescent; bracteoles opposite or subopposite, basal or nearly so, narrowly triangular, 1.5-3 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 5 mm long, usually caducous. Flowers (5-)6(-7)-merous; calyx lobes triangular, with acute to acuminate apices, 2.5-4.5 × 1.5-2.5 mm, adaxial side sparsely pubescent near margins, abaxial side densely lepidote, otherwise sparsely or moderately pubescent; corolla carnose, widely urceolate to campanulate, white, 6-10 × 7-11 mm, abaxially densely to moderately lepidote; filaments roughened, 3.5-5 mm long, unappendaged or with poorly developed spurs to ca. 0.2 mm long near junction with anthers; anthers 1.5-2 mm long; ovary lepidote, otherwise pubescent, placentae subapical. Capsules subglobose to short-ovoid, (3-)3.5-6 × 5.5-9 mm, lepidote, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent, the pale, very thick sutures separating as unit from adjacent valves; seeds 2-3.5 mm long.

Discussion:

Lyonia buchii is a very distinct species that can be confused only with its close relative, L. heptamera for comparison see discussion under the latter. Plants producing some cordate leaves and occasional ± urceolate flowers (e.g., Judd 1196, 5107) have been collected near the upper limits of the elevational range of L. buchii and possibly indicate some hybridization with L. heptamera. These two taxa, however, have not as yet been found growing together.

The size of leaves in otherwise identical plants can vary greatly with the vigor of the shrub and its habitat. Small- and large-leaved plants can sometimes occur together, and herbarium specimens of such small-leaved plants (see Judd, 1981) can cause problems in identification.

Distribution:

Dominican Republic South America| Haiti South America|

Common Names:

palo de reina