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:
Gaultheria howellii (Sleumer) D.J.Middleton
Gaultheria howellii (Sleumer) D.J.Middleton
Description:
Species Description - Prostrate or erect shrub, 10-30(-50) cm tall, apparently dioecious; branches subterete, puberulent and strigose with reddish, straight, eglandular hairs ca. 1.5 mm long. Leaves subcoriaceous, ovate, ovate-elliptic, ovate-oblong, or elliptic-oblong, (2.5-)4-10 × (2-)2.5-6 mm, base rounded or cuneate-attenuate, apex acute to acuminate with midrib extended into a short, persistent, achlorophyllous mucro, 0.7-1 mm long, margin inconspicuously revolute and thickened, subserrate-crenulate with 49 teeth per side, these each bristle-tipped with caducous, gland-tipped hairs to 0.4 mm long, glabrous or with a few appressed setae at base of midrib beneath, nitid above; midrib plane or slightly impressed above and raised and prominent beneath, secondary veins usually obscure; petiole 0.5-1 (-2) mm long, glabrous. Flowers with pedicels 3-4(-7) mm long in anthesis lengthening to 7(-11) mm long in fruit, puberulent and short-setose with ferruginous, eglandular, multicellular, crisped hairs; floral bracts and bracteoles 4-5, indistinguishable, basal or scattered along length of pedicel, bracts ovate, 1.5-2.3 mm long, acuminate, glabrous; calyx glabrous, lobes subovate or triangular, 1.3-2.2(-2.6) mm long, acuminate; corolla cylindric-urceolate, 3-4.5(-5) mm long, 2.5 mm diam., white, lobes 11.5 mm long; stamens (8-)10, 1.6-2.4 mm long; filaments glabrous, ca. 1 mm long; ovary depressed-globose, glabrous, style 1.2-1.5 mm long, glabrous. Berry globose, 4-5(-6) mm diam., white or often pinkish (red?) when mature.
Species Description - Prostrate or erect shrub, 10-30(-50) cm tall, apparently dioecious; branches subterete, puberulent and strigose with reddish, straight, eglandular hairs ca. 1.5 mm long. Leaves subcoriaceous, ovate, ovate-elliptic, ovate-oblong, or elliptic-oblong, (2.5-)4-10 × (2-)2.5-6 mm, base rounded or cuneate-attenuate, apex acute to acuminate with midrib extended into a short, persistent, achlorophyllous mucro, 0.7-1 mm long, margin inconspicuously revolute and thickened, subserrate-crenulate with 49 teeth per side, these each bristle-tipped with caducous, gland-tipped hairs to 0.4 mm long, glabrous or with a few appressed setae at base of midrib beneath, nitid above; midrib plane or slightly impressed above and raised and prominent beneath, secondary veins usually obscure; petiole 0.5-1 (-2) mm long, glabrous. Flowers with pedicels 3-4(-7) mm long in anthesis lengthening to 7(-11) mm long in fruit, puberulent and short-setose with ferruginous, eglandular, multicellular, crisped hairs; floral bracts and bracteoles 4-5, indistinguishable, basal or scattered along length of pedicel, bracts ovate, 1.5-2.3 mm long, acuminate, glabrous; calyx glabrous, lobes subovate or triangular, 1.3-2.2(-2.6) mm long, acuminate; corolla cylindric-urceolate, 3-4.5(-5) mm long, 2.5 mm diam., white, lobes 11.5 mm long; stamens (8-)10, 1.6-2.4 mm long; filaments glabrous, ca. 1 mm long; ovary depressed-globose, glabrous, style 1.2-1.5 mm long, glabrous. Berry globose, 4-5(-6) mm diam., white or often pinkish (red?) when mature.
Discussion:
Pernettya howellii is characterized by its small, mucronate-tipped leaves; it is restricted to the low volcanic mountains of two islands in the Galapagos archipelago. Based only on the examination of herbarium specimens, Sleumer (1985) stated that P. howellii is dioecious. Careful field observations are needed to clarify this statement and to determine its relationships with the dioecious, mucronate-leaved P. mucronata found in Chile and Argentina. Mucronate-leaved populations of P. prostrata from Costa Rica are also very similar to P. howellii, the differences given in the key overemphasizing this distinctness.
Pernettya howellii is characterized by its small, mucronate-tipped leaves; it is restricted to the low volcanic mountains of two islands in the Galapagos archipelago. Based only on the examination of herbarium specimens, Sleumer (1985) stated that P. howellii is dioecious. Careful field observations are needed to clarify this statement and to determine its relationships with the dioecious, mucronate-leaved P. mucronata found in Chile and Argentina. Mucronate-leaved populations of P. prostrata from Costa Rica are also very similar to P. howellii, the differences given in the key overemphasizing this distinctness.
Distribution:
Ecuador South America| Galápagos Islands Ecuador South America|
Ecuador South America| Galápagos Islands Ecuador South America|
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