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 glomerata Cav., Gaultheria brachybotrys DC., Gaultheria pichinchensis Benth., Gaultheria petraea Wedd., Gaultheria brachybotrys DC. var. Griseb. [sic!] Wedd., Brossea brachybotrys (DC.) Kuntze, Gaultheria epigeoides Wedd. ex Dombey

Description:

Species Description - Prostrate, decumbent and spreading, rhizomatous subshrub to erect shrub 0.3-1 (-1.5) m tall; mature stems and twigs terete, striate, short-pilose with white hairs and often extremely densely hirsute to appressed subsetose with golden to ferruginous, eglandular hairs 2-4 mm long; bark reddish-brown; buds terete, ovate, scales ovate, obtuse, striate, ciliolate, reddish-brown. Leaves coriaceous, ovate, narrowly to broadly ovate, elliptic-ovate to oblong, rarely suborbicular, (1-)2-5.5(-6.5) × (-0.8)1.5-3(-4.3) cm, base rounded to less frequently subcordate, apex acute to short-acuminate or rounded, bluntly apiculate, margin inconspicuously crenate with each tooth terminating in a deciduous, basally swollen hair to 2 mm long, young leaves usually densely strigose to hirsute with golden to ferruginous, basally swollen, eglandular hairs which obscure surfaces, but when mature the upper surface is appressed subsetose and glabrate, and also sometimes short-pilose at base and along midvein with white hairs, lower surface densely and usually persistently hirsute to subsetose (glabrate); midrib usually impressed and conspicuous above and raised beneath, lateral nerves (3-4 per side) plane to impressed above but usually obscure, raised beneath, reticulate veinlets slightly impressed but usually obscure above, raised beneath; petiole subterete to canaliculate above, 2.5-4(-5.5) mm long, puberulent and strigose to hirsute. Inflorescence axillary, racemose, congested at anthesis, the 7-15 flowers usually overlapping broadly, often partially hidden beneath leaves, usually about as long as or slightly shorter (or longer) than the leaves; rachis subterete, bluntly angled, (1.2-)2-3(-3.5) cm long at anthesis, somewhat elongating after anthesis, densely short-pilose with white hairs and also often weakly to very densely hirsute (so as to obscure surface) with straight to distally crisped, golden to ferruginous, eglandular to minutely gland-tipped hairs to ca. 2 mm long, at base circumscribed by a series of ovate, obtuse, striate, ciliolate bracts 1-6 mm long; pedicels subterete, (3.5-)4-8 mm long at anthesis, pubescent as rachis or sometimes only pilose; bracteoles nearly basal, chartaceous, narrowly ovate to linear-ovate, (2.5-)3-4 × 0.8-1 (-1.2) mm, acuminate, ciliolate and rarely marginally weakly subset ose; floral bract subcoriaceous, concave to cochleariform, striate, ovate to obovate, 5-8(-10) × 3-4 mm, acute to obtuse, ciliolate (weakly subsetose or pilose dorsally), often subclasping the fruits. Flowers with calyx 3.5-4.5(-5) mm long, glabrous, lobes ovate-triangular, (2-)2.7-3(-3.4) × (1.7-)2-2.2 mm, acute to acuminate, ciliolate; corolla urceolate, subterete, bluntly 5-angled, (4-)4.2-6(-7) × 3-4(-5) mm, glabrous, short-pilose at base with white hairs, or distally golden- to rufous-strigose only along angles opposite lobes (both weakly pilose at base and strigose at apex), never densely strigose all over, white, pink, or rose-red when fresh, lobes triangular, ca. 1 mm long, obtuse; stamens 3-4 mm long; filaments 2.6-3.3 mm long, glabrous; anthers 1-1.2 mm long, awns conspicuous; dehiscence by relatively long slits; ovary globose, basically glabrous or sometimes very weakly short-pilose distally; style 3-4 mm long, glabrous. Fruiting calyx 6-9 mm diam., blue-black. Chromosome number: 2n = 22 (Callan, 1941; Middleton & Wilcock, 1990b); n = 11, 2n = 22 (Luteyn et al. 8006, 8790, and 11109).

Discussion:

The fruits are said to be edible (Boeke 5042, Dillon 2787) and "very sweet" (Holm-Nielsen et al. 28999). Fruits are eaten by birds and also used as a "remedy for rage. . . . Fruit made into juice in a small glass and taken before eating in the morning" (Franquemont 220).

Gaultheria glomerata is a very distinct, easily recognizable species characterized by its usually prostrate to suberect, rhizomatous habit (it sometimes forms extensive mats); congested, often glomerate inflorescences, usually more or less "hidden" beneath the leaves which they about equal in length; and especially the golden to ferruginous, strigose to hirsute indumentum which is extremely dense on young branches, leaves, rachises, and pedicels so as to obscure these surfaces, and then usually persists on twigs, rachises, and leaf undersurfaces. The calyx, ovary, staminal filaments, and corolla are usually glabrous, although throughout the range specimens may be found in which the corollas have short, white, pilose hairs at base and/or golden to ferruginous strigose hairs at apex. The indumentum is essentially eglandular although sometimes rachis hairs and often young vegetative bracts along with first-flush twigs have minutely gland-tipped hairs. Regional trends include sometimes "looser" inflorescences in Peru and Bolivia (vs. ones so very congested that the flowers obscure the rachises in Venezuela and Colombia), and more weakly ferruginous indumentum in Bolivia (vs. more densely ferruginous indumentum in Venezuela and Colombia).

The taxonomic history of Cavanilles’s Andromeda glomerata has been one of confusion and misunderstanding brought about in part by a mix-up of labels and plants. The details of the resurrection of the name and its subsequent recognition are excellently outlined by Sleumer (1935a: 283), who studied the specimens at Madrid in the early 1930s. Based on his subsequent herbarium studies (1982-dated annotation labels and pers, comm.), Sleumer later concluded that G. glomerata was a synonym of G. bracteata. Although the two species are closely related, in this treatment I maintain them as distinct as outlined in the key and in the following discussion of G. bracteata. Discussion of possible hybridization between the two species is also included there.

Gaultheria pichinchensis and G. petraea fit the type of A. glomerata exactly. The name G. brachybotrys has been used for Peruvian and Bolivian populations which usually also fit the concept of A. glomerata, although very rarely some of those plants may show minutely gland-tipped hairs on the rachises or pedicels.

Distribution:

Colombia South America| Antioquia Colombia South America| Cauca Colombia South America| Magdalena Colombia South America| Nariño Colombia South America| Norte de Santander Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Distrito Federal Venezuela South America| Lara Venezuela South America| Mérida Venezuela South America| Táchira Venezuela South America| Trujillo Venezuela South America| Ecuador South America| Azuay Ecuador South America| Bolívar Ecuador South America| Cañar Ecuador South America| Carchi Ecuador South America| Chimborazo Ecuador South America| Cotopaxi Ecuador South America| Imbabura Ecuador South America| Napo Ecuador South America| Pichincha Ecuador South America| Tungurahua Ecuador South America| Peru South America| Amazonas Peru South America| Ancash Peru South America| Apurímac Peru South America| Ayacucho Peru South America| Cajamarca Peru South America| Cusco Peru South America| Huánuco Peru South America| La Libertad Peru South America| Pasco Peru South America| Puno Peru South America| San Martín Peru South America| Bolivia South America| Cochabamba Bolivia South America| La Paz Bolivia South America|

Common Names:

pata de gallo, cachuito, borrachera, rapadara que mada, pasa, Ruun’ccoto, pampa macho macha, mullaca negra, mullaca