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
Synonyms:
Leucothoe cordifolia Meisn., Agarista cordifolia (Meisn.) Hook.f. ex Nied., Leucothoe pulchella var. cordifolia (Meisn.) Sleumer
Leucothoe cordifolia Meisn., Agarista cordifolia (Meisn.) Hook.f. ex Nied., Leucothoe pulchella var. cordifolia (Meisn.) Sleumer
Description:
Variety Description - Shrub to 1.5 m tall; twigs moderately to densely pubescent. Leaves with petiole 1.5-3 mm long; blade 0.5-3.5 × 0.4-2 cm, margin often clearly undulate; adaxial and abaxial surfaces ± sparsely pubescent on midvein. Inflorescences axillary racemes to (1.5-)2-5.5 cm long; rachis densely pubescent. Flowers with corolla 6.5-10 × 3.5-5.5 mm; filaments 4-4.5(?) mm long. Capsules 2.5-5 × 4.5-8 mm, placentae usually subapical; seeds ca. 0.8-1.7 mm long.
Variety Description - Shrub to 1.5 m tall; twigs moderately to densely pubescent. Leaves with petiole 1.5-3 mm long; blade 0.5-3.5 × 0.4-2 cm, margin often clearly undulate; adaxial and abaxial surfaces ± sparsely pubescent on midvein. Inflorescences axillary racemes to (1.5-)2-5.5 cm long; rachis densely pubescent. Flowers with corolla 6.5-10 × 3.5-5.5 mm; filaments 4-4.5(?) mm long. Capsules 2.5-5 × 4.5-8 mm, placentae usually subapical; seeds ca. 0.8-1.7 mm long.
Discussion:
Agarista pulchella probably is most closely related to A. minensis and A. oleifolia. It can be distinguished from the former by its longer inflorescences and by the length/width quotient (usually 1.6-3 vs. 3-6) and the bases (cordate vs. cuneate to truncate) of its leaves; and from the latter, by its often shorter, more consistently ovate, cordate-based leaves with often shorter petioles. These species are more or less geographically isolated, except for var. cordifolia, which occurs sympatrically with A. oleifolia. Variety cordifolia is easily separable from A. oleifolia by the characters given above and by its subapical placentae.Populations of Agarista pulchella are divisible into two geographically separated varieties [see illustration of var. pulchella in Marques and Klein (1975: pl. 7), and of var. cordifolia in Meisner (1863: t. 60, fig. 2)]. Variety pulchella has been widely collected in Parana and Santa Catarina, while var. cordifolia seems to be uncommon and limited to a small portion of Minas Gerais and adjacent São Paulo (Fig. 5B). Sleumer (1959) first recognized the close relationship between these two taxa. Although the capsules of A. pulchella var. pulchella usually have central placentae, plants with subapical placentae (e.g., Jonsson 224a, S)-the typical condition in var. cordifolia- are known.Agarista pulchella var. pulchella is quite variable in the shape and the length/width quotient of its leaves. At one extreme are plants with short, rather broad, clearly cordate-based leaves, and at the other are those with longer, narrower, and only slightly cordate ones. The former plants are vegetatively rather similar to var. cordifolia and have often been identified as such, while the latter are easily confused with A. minensis.
Agarista pulchella probably is most closely related to A. minensis and A. oleifolia. It can be distinguished from the former by its longer inflorescences and by the length/width quotient (usually 1.6-3 vs. 3-6) and the bases (cordate vs. cuneate to truncate) of its leaves; and from the latter, by its often shorter, more consistently ovate, cordate-based leaves with often shorter petioles. These species are more or less geographically isolated, except for var. cordifolia, which occurs sympatrically with A. oleifolia. Variety cordifolia is easily separable from A. oleifolia by the characters given above and by its subapical placentae.Populations of Agarista pulchella are divisible into two geographically separated varieties [see illustration of var. pulchella in Marques and Klein (1975: pl. 7), and of var. cordifolia in Meisner (1863: t. 60, fig. 2)]. Variety pulchella has been widely collected in Parana and Santa Catarina, while var. cordifolia seems to be uncommon and limited to a small portion of Minas Gerais and adjacent São Paulo (Fig. 5B). Sleumer (1959) first recognized the close relationship between these two taxa. Although the capsules of A. pulchella var. pulchella usually have central placentae, plants with subapical placentae (e.g., Jonsson 224a, S)-the typical condition in var. cordifolia- are known.Agarista pulchella var. pulchella is quite variable in the shape and the length/width quotient of its leaves. At one extreme are plants with short, rather broad, clearly cordate-based leaves, and at the other are those with longer, narrower, and only slightly cordate ones. The former plants are vegetatively rather similar to var. cordifolia and have often been identified as such, while the latter are easily confused with A. minensis.
Distribution:
Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America|
Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America|