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 to ca. 2 m tall, with grayish(?), longitudinally furrowed bark; twigs moderately angled, slender, sparsely to moderately lepidote, otherwise densely to sparsely pubescent; buds ovoid, 0.7-1.8 × 0.5-1.1 mm. Leaf blades ovate to slightly obovate or nearly orbicular, 0.9-4.5(-6) × 0.4-3(-3.5) cm, ± flat or strongly recurved, often strongly coriaceous, ca. 0.35-0.55 mm thick; base cuneate to rounded or slightly cordate; apex rounded or truncate to obtuse or acute; margin plane to very strongly revolute, apical portion entire to sinuous, basal portion entire; venation brochidodromous, 3° veins ± reticulate; adaxial surface lepidote but scales usually quickly deciduous, densely to sparsely pubescent on midvein, especially basal portion, the 2° and higher-order veins visible to obscure, the 2° veins slightly raised to strongly depressed; abaxial surface moderately lepidote, otherwise usually densely pubescent (sparsely pubescent near margin or apex), the 3° and higher-order veins ± flat or nearly so, slightly and laxly reticulate to obscure, the 2° veins slightly raised to obscure; scales rust colored, often becoming whitish with age, deciduous or persistent, ca. 0.12-0.37 mm in diam., erose to entire, sometimes of 2 distinct types; petiole 1.5-7.5 mm long, lepidote, otherwise pubescent all around or less commonly only adaxially; flower buds ± intermixed with vegetative buds. Inflorescences fasciculate, ca. 1-10-flowered; pedicels clearly to only weakly articulated with calyx, slender, 4-15(-20) mm long, lepidote, with scales orange to deeply orange-red or brownish, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent; bracteoles subopposite to alternate, basal or nearly so, narrowly triangular, 0.4-1.5 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 2 mm long. Flowers (4-)5(-6)-merous; calyx lobes triangular, with acuminate to acute apices, l-3(-4) × 0.8-2 mm, adaxial side often sparsely lepidote near margins, otherwise sparsely pubescent, especially near apex, abaxial side moderately to densely lepidote, otherwise glabrous to sparsely pubescent, especially near base; corolla long-urceolate, white to pink, especially toward mouth, 3.5-8 × 3-4.7 mm, abaxially ± densely lepidote, causing flowers to appear yellowish or golden; filaments roughened, 2-4 mm long, usually with very short spurs near anther-filament junction; anthers 1-1.6 mm long; ovary lepidote, otherwise pubescent, placentae ± subapical. Capsules ovoid, usually with straight-sided valves, 4-9 × 4-7 mm, lepidote, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent, especially near base or on sutures, the pale, very thick sutures separating as unit from adjacent valves; seeds 2-2.7 mm long.
Species Description - Evergreen shrub to ca. 2 m tall, with grayish(?), longitudinally furrowed bark; twigs moderately angled, slender, sparsely to moderately lepidote, otherwise densely to sparsely pubescent; buds ovoid, 0.7-1.8 × 0.5-1.1 mm. Leaf blades ovate to slightly obovate or nearly orbicular, 0.9-4.5(-6) × 0.4-3(-3.5) cm, ± flat or strongly recurved, often strongly coriaceous, ca. 0.35-0.55 mm thick; base cuneate to rounded or slightly cordate; apex rounded or truncate to obtuse or acute; margin plane to very strongly revolute, apical portion entire to sinuous, basal portion entire; venation brochidodromous, 3° veins ± reticulate; adaxial surface lepidote but scales usually quickly deciduous, densely to sparsely pubescent on midvein, especially basal portion, the 2° and higher-order veins visible to obscure, the 2° veins slightly raised to strongly depressed; abaxial surface moderately lepidote, otherwise usually densely pubescent (sparsely pubescent near margin or apex), the 3° and higher-order veins ± flat or nearly so, slightly and laxly reticulate to obscure, the 2° veins slightly raised to obscure; scales rust colored, often becoming whitish with age, deciduous or persistent, ca. 0.12-0.37 mm in diam., erose to entire, sometimes of 2 distinct types; petiole 1.5-7.5 mm long, lepidote, otherwise pubescent all around or less commonly only adaxially; flower buds ± intermixed with vegetative buds. Inflorescences fasciculate, ca. 1-10-flowered; pedicels clearly to only weakly articulated with calyx, slender, 4-15(-20) mm long, lepidote, with scales orange to deeply orange-red or brownish, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent; bracteoles subopposite to alternate, basal or nearly so, narrowly triangular, 0.4-1.5 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 2 mm long. Flowers (4-)5(-6)-merous; calyx lobes triangular, with acuminate to acute apices, l-3(-4) × 0.8-2 mm, adaxial side often sparsely lepidote near margins, otherwise sparsely pubescent, especially near apex, abaxial side moderately to densely lepidote, otherwise glabrous to sparsely pubescent, especially near base; corolla long-urceolate, white to pink, especially toward mouth, 3.5-8 × 3-4.7 mm, abaxially ± densely lepidote, causing flowers to appear yellowish or golden; filaments roughened, 2-4 mm long, usually with very short spurs near anther-filament junction; anthers 1-1.6 mm long; ovary lepidote, otherwise pubescent, placentae ± subapical. Capsules ovoid, usually with straight-sided valves, 4-9 × 4-7 mm, lepidote, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent, especially near base or on sutures, the pale, very thick sutures separating as unit from adjacent valves; seeds 2-2.7 mm long.
Distribution:
Cuba South America|
Cuba South America|