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

Synonyms:

Andromeda fasciculata Sw., Andromeda jamaicensis Sw., Cassandra jamaicensis (Sw.) Nied., Leucothoe jamaicensis (Sw.) Ettingsh., Andromeda fasciculata Sw., Lyonia fasciculata (Sw.) G.Don, Xolisma fasciculata (Sw.) Small

Description:

Species Description - Evergreen, erect shrub to moderate-sized tree to 7(-10) m tall, with brownish to gray, longitudinally furrowed bark; twigs moderately ridged, slender, sparsely lepidote, otherwise densely to sparsely pubescent; buds ovoid, 0.6-2.5 × 0.5-1.5 mm. Leaf blades elliptic to slightly ovate or obovate, 2.5-8.5(-11) × 1-3(-5.5) cm, ± flat, coriaceous, ca. 0.27-0.34 mm thick; base narrowly cuneate to rounded; apex acute to acuminate, rounded, or truncate; margin plane to slightly re volute, apical portion entire to very obscurely toothed, basal portion entire; venation brochidodromous, 3° veins ± reticulate; adaxial surface lepidote but scales usually quickly deciduous, densely pubescent on mid vein, especially basal portion, 3° and higher-order veins faintly visible, 2° veins visible but usually not depressed; abaxial surface moderately lepidote, otherwise glabrous, the 3° and higher-order veins ± flat or nearly so, often laxly reticulate, the 2° veins slightly raised to occasionally obscure; scales rust colored, becoming whitish with age, persistent, ca. 0.09-0.25 mm in diam., erose to nearly entire; petiole 3-14 mm long, lepidote, otherwise pubescent adaxially or all around; flower buds above or intermixed with vegetative buds. Inflorescences fasciculate, ca. 5-15-flowered; pedicels clearly articulated with calyx, slender, 411 mm long, lepidote, otherwise glabrous to sparsely pubescent; bracteoles opposite to subopposite, basal or nearly so, narrowly triangular, 0.8-1.4 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 2.5 mm long. Flowers (4-)5 (-6)-merous; calyx lobes triangular, with acuminate apices, 1-2 × 0.6-1.3 mm, abaxial side sparsely pubescent, especially near apex, abaxial side lepidote, otherwise glabrous (sparsely pubescent near junction with pedicel); corolla cylindrical to less commonly long-urceolate, white, (4-)4.5-7 × (2-)2.5-4.5 mm, abaxially sparsely lepidote; filaments roughened, 3-4 mm long, essentially unappendaged; anthers 0.8-1.1 mm long; ovary lepidote, otherwise pubescent, placentae ± subapical. Capsules ellipsoid to ovoid, 4-6(-7) × 3-4 mm, slightly lepidote, otherwise sparsely to moderately pubescent, especially near base, the pale, very thick sutures sep-arating as unit from adjacent valves; seeds 2-3 mm long.

Discussion:

The evolutionary relationships of Lyonia jamaicensis are somewhat problematic (Figs. 2 & 3); the species may be related to L. octandra, from which it is fairly easily distinguished by its 5-merous (vs. 4-merous) flowers with larger corollas, its longer capsules, its longer pedicels, its more densely pubescent twigs, and its less shredding bark. It may be confused with some forms of L. stahlii var. stahlii, from which it differs in the dense covering of unicellular hairs on its twigs, its leaves usually more than twice as long as wide and with less prominent secondary veins, and its slightly larger corollas. This species is elevationally and ecologically isolated from L. octandra, occurring chiefly in the dry forest of the southern slopes of the Blue Mountains up to approximately 1300 m, while L. octandra is found only at higher elevations (1450-2250 m) in cloud forests or thickets.

Seedlings tend to have smaller, narrower, and usually more acute or acuminate leaves than mature plants, and these leaves are borne on strongly ascending branches.

Distribution and Ecology: (Fig. 16B). Jamaica, chiefly S slopes of Blue Mountains. Dry forests and thickets, (150-) 300-1300 m elev. Common in much-disturbed, open, shrubby communities, ca. 500-1300 m, i.e., "dry slope forest" of Grubb and Tanner (1976) or "montane sclerophyll" of Asprey and Robbins (1953). Locally common near 1200 m, in "dry, evergreen thickets" of Asprey and Robbins (1953), where vegetation is lush and where species characteristic of “montane mist forest” at higher elevations are mixed with those of dryer thickets below. [For extensive discussion of these vegetation types and lists of characteristic species, see Asprey and Robbins (1953) and Grubb and Tanner (1976).] Flowering chiefly late May through early August.

Distribution:

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