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 purpurascens Kunth, Andromeda hirta Willd., Brossaea purpurascens (Kunth) Kuntze, Pernettya purpurascens (Kunth) A.C.Sm.
Gaultheria purpurascens Kunth, Andromeda hirta Willd., Brossaea purpurascens (Kunth) Kuntze, Pernettya purpurascens (Kunth) A.C.Sm.
Description:
Species Description - Low-growing shrub to 10 cm tall with branches decumbent or semiprostrate and rooting, bisexual; twigs subterete, laxly grayish-white puberulent and densely hirsute-setulose with basally swollen, straight, multicellular, eglandular hairs 1-3.2 mm long which are purplish or reddish-brown becoming grayish. Leaves subcoriaceous, broadly to narrowly elliptic or oblong-elliptic, (6-) 10-17 × (4-)5-8 (-9) mm, base rounded to cuneate, apex acute, margin somewhat thickened and revolute, distally crenate-serrulate with 10-15 indistinct teeth per side, these each bristle-tipped with multicellular hairs (as on twigs) to 3 mm long, densely hirsute-setose on both surfaces as twigs, drying olive-green above and purplish-brown beneath; midrib plane to slightly impressed above, raised and prominent beneath, secondary veins impressed above and raised beneath but obscure; petiole 1-2 mm long, hirsute-setose as twigs. Flowers with pedicels (3-)6-9 mm long, puberulent and setose with crisped hairs, glabrate; bracts 4-6 near base of the pedicel and 1-3 scattered nearly to the apex, narrowly to broadly ovate, 1.5-2 mm long, margin ciliate; calyx lobes (4-)5, ovate, 2.5-3 mm long, acute to acuminate, glabrous but margin setulose along entire length with reddish hairs and distally white ciliate; corolla urceolate, (4-)5-6×5-6 mm, white or pinkish becoming reddish, lobes (4-)5, ca. 1-1.3 mm long; stamens (8-)10, filaments glabrous, ca. 2 mm long; ovary globose, glabrous, minutely wrinkled. Berry subglobose, 8-9 mm diam., glabrous, dark blue-black when mature.
Species Description - Low-growing shrub to 10 cm tall with branches decumbent or semiprostrate and rooting, bisexual; twigs subterete, laxly grayish-white puberulent and densely hirsute-setulose with basally swollen, straight, multicellular, eglandular hairs 1-3.2 mm long which are purplish or reddish-brown becoming grayish. Leaves subcoriaceous, broadly to narrowly elliptic or oblong-elliptic, (6-) 10-17 × (4-)5-8 (-9) mm, base rounded to cuneate, apex acute, margin somewhat thickened and revolute, distally crenate-serrulate with 10-15 indistinct teeth per side, these each bristle-tipped with multicellular hairs (as on twigs) to 3 mm long, densely hirsute-setose on both surfaces as twigs, drying olive-green above and purplish-brown beneath; midrib plane to slightly impressed above, raised and prominent beneath, secondary veins impressed above and raised beneath but obscure; petiole 1-2 mm long, hirsute-setose as twigs. Flowers with pedicels (3-)6-9 mm long, puberulent and setose with crisped hairs, glabrate; bracts 4-6 near base of the pedicel and 1-3 scattered nearly to the apex, narrowly to broadly ovate, 1.5-2 mm long, margin ciliate; calyx lobes (4-)5, ovate, 2.5-3 mm long, acute to acuminate, glabrous but margin setulose along entire length with reddish hairs and distally white ciliate; corolla urceolate, (4-)5-6×5-6 mm, white or pinkish becoming reddish, lobes (4-)5, ca. 1-1.3 mm long; stamens (8-)10, filaments glabrous, ca. 2 mm long; ovary globose, glabrous, minutely wrinkled. Berry subglobose, 8-9 mm diam., glabrous, dark blue-black when mature.
Discussion:
Pernettya hirta is characterized by its long, hispid or setulose, ferruginous hairs that densely cover the stems and leaf surfaces, and by the coloration of the leaf undersurface which is usually dark maroon or purplish even after drying. It is known only from the paramos surrounding Bogota, and its inconspicuous habit as it grows amongst mosses and other low vegetation may account for its apparent rarity. It is most closely related to P. prostrata and differs only in indumentum and leaf coloration.
Pernettya hirta is characterized by its long, hispid or setulose, ferruginous hairs that densely cover the stems and leaf surfaces, and by the coloration of the leaf undersurface which is usually dark maroon or purplish even after drying. It is known only from the paramos surrounding Bogota, and its inconspicuous habit as it grows amongst mosses and other low vegetation may account for its apparent rarity. It is most closely related to P. prostrata and differs only in indumentum and leaf coloration.
Distribution:
Colombia South America| Cundinamarca Colombia South America|
Colombia South America| Cundinamarca Colombia South America|
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