Monographs Details:
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)
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
Ericaceae
Description:
Species Description - Evergreen shrub or small tree to ca. 3 m tall, with grayish, longitudinally furrowed bark; twigs moderately angled, slender, sparsely lepidote, otherwise glabrous to sparsely pubescent; buds ovoid, 1-2 × 0.8-1.5 mm. Leaf blades elliptic to slightly obovate, or nearly orbicular, 2.3-6(-8) × 1-3(-5) cm, ± flat to slightly recurved, quite coriaceous, ca. 0.33-0.43 mm thick; base narrowly cuneate to rounded; apex acute to rounded or truncate; margin plane to slightly re volute, apical portion ± obscurely and irregularly toothed (to clearly and irregularly toothed), basal portion entire or nearly so; venation brochidodromous, 3° veins ± reticulate; adaxial surface lepidote but scales usually quickly deciduous, sparsely pubescent on basal portion of midvein, 3° veins obscure to slightly visible (2° veins depressed); abaxial surface moderately lepidote, otherwise glabrous, the 3° and higher-order veins obscure to very slightly raised but not forming dense, fine, raised network, the 2° veins usually at least slightly raised and clearly visible; scales rust colored but becoming whitish with age, persistent to deciduous, ca. 0.07-0.14 mm in diam., entire to erose; petiole 2-9 mm long, lepidote, otherwise adaxially pubescent; flower buds ± intermixed with vegetative buds. Inflorescences fasciculate, ca. 4-12-flowered; pedicels clearly articulated with calyx, slender, 6-15 mm long, lepidote, otherwise sparsely pubescent; bracteoles ± opposite, basal, narrowly triangular, 0.8-1.5 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 1.3 mm long. Flowers (4-)5(-6)-merous; calyx lobes triangular, with acuminate apices, 1-2 × 1-2 mm, adaxial surface sparsely pubescent, especially near apex, abaxial surface lepidote, otherwise glabrous to sparsely pubescent; corolla urceolate, uniformly pink (white and pink-tinged), 3.5-4.5 × 3.5-5 mm, abaxially sparsely lepidote; filaments roughened, 23 mm long, essentially unappendaged; anthers 11.3 mm long; ovary lepidote, otherwise pubescent, placentae ± subapical. Capsules ± globose or very short-ovoid, 3-4.5 × 4-5 mm, slightly lepidote, otherwise moderately to densely pubescent, the pale, very thick sutures separating as unit from adjacent valves; seeds 1.3-2 mm long.
Species Description - Evergreen shrub or small tree to ca. 3 m tall, with grayish, longitudinally furrowed bark; twigs moderately angled, slender, sparsely lepidote, otherwise glabrous to sparsely pubescent; buds ovoid, 1-2 × 0.8-1.5 mm. Leaf blades elliptic to slightly obovate, or nearly orbicular, 2.3-6(-8) × 1-3(-5) cm, ± flat to slightly recurved, quite coriaceous, ca. 0.33-0.43 mm thick; base narrowly cuneate to rounded; apex acute to rounded or truncate; margin plane to slightly re volute, apical portion ± obscurely and irregularly toothed (to clearly and irregularly toothed), basal portion entire or nearly so; venation brochidodromous, 3° veins ± reticulate; adaxial surface lepidote but scales usually quickly deciduous, sparsely pubescent on basal portion of midvein, 3° veins obscure to slightly visible (2° veins depressed); abaxial surface moderately lepidote, otherwise glabrous, the 3° and higher-order veins obscure to very slightly raised but not forming dense, fine, raised network, the 2° veins usually at least slightly raised and clearly visible; scales rust colored but becoming whitish with age, persistent to deciduous, ca. 0.07-0.14 mm in diam., entire to erose; petiole 2-9 mm long, lepidote, otherwise adaxially pubescent; flower buds ± intermixed with vegetative buds. Inflorescences fasciculate, ca. 4-12-flowered; pedicels clearly articulated with calyx, slender, 6-15 mm long, lepidote, otherwise sparsely pubescent; bracteoles ± opposite, basal, narrowly triangular, 0.8-1.5 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 1.3 mm long. Flowers (4-)5(-6)-merous; calyx lobes triangular, with acuminate apices, 1-2 × 1-2 mm, adaxial surface sparsely pubescent, especially near apex, abaxial surface lepidote, otherwise glabrous to sparsely pubescent; corolla urceolate, uniformly pink (white and pink-tinged), 3.5-4.5 × 3.5-5 mm, abaxially sparsely lepidote; filaments roughened, 23 mm long, essentially unappendaged; anthers 11.3 mm long; ovary lepidote, otherwise pubescent, placentae ± subapical. Capsules ± globose or very short-ovoid, 3-4.5 × 4-5 mm, slightly lepidote, otherwise moderately to densely pubescent, the pale, very thick sutures separating as unit from adjacent valves; seeds 1.3-2 mm long.
Discussion:
Lyonia alainii is very similar to L. stahlii and L. tuerckheimii. It differs from both in its small, usually uniformly pink, urceolate flowers, its subglobose to very short-ovoid and often densely pubescent capsules, and its more obscurely toothed leaves. In addition, L. alainii can be distinguished from L. tuerckheimii by its more slender twigs with only a few unicellular hairs, and from L. stahlii var. costata by its more coriaceous leaves with more strongly lignified (and thickened) inner periclinal walls of the adaxial epidermis. Lyonia alainii is geographically isolated from both of the above taxa because neither occurs in the Loma de la Sal/Loma la Golondrina region or Loma la Sabrosa; it is also elevationally isolated from L. tuerckheimii.
Lyonia alainii is very similar to L. stahlii and L. tuerckheimii. It differs from both in its small, usually uniformly pink, urceolate flowers, its subglobose to very short-ovoid and often densely pubescent capsules, and its more obscurely toothed leaves. In addition, L. alainii can be distinguished from L. tuerckheimii by its more slender twigs with only a few unicellular hairs, and from L. stahlii var. costata by its more coriaceous leaves with more strongly lignified (and thickened) inner periclinal walls of the adaxial epidermis. Lyonia alainii is geographically isolated from both of the above taxa because neither occurs in the Loma de la Sal/Loma la Golondrina region or Loma la Sabrosa; it is also elevationally isolated from L. tuerckheimii.
Distribution:
Dominican Republic South America|
Dominican Republic South America|