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 ovata DC., Gaultheria nitida Benth., Gaultheria laevigata M.Martens & Galeotti, Gaultheria acuminata var. lancifolia Schltdl., Gaultheria nelsonii Small, Gaultheria pringlei Camp, Gaultheria chiapensis Small, Gaultheria acuminata var. rekoi Camp, Brossea acuminata (Schltdl. & Cham.) Kuntze, Brossea ovata (DC.) Kuntze, Brossea nitida (Benth.) Kuntze, Gaultheria acuminata var. nitida (Benth.) Camp
Gaultheria ovata DC., Gaultheria nitida Benth., Gaultheria laevigata M.Martens & Galeotti, Gaultheria acuminata var. lancifolia Schltdl., Gaultheria nelsonii Small, Gaultheria pringlei Camp, Gaultheria chiapensis Small, Gaultheria acuminata var. rekoi Camp, Brossea acuminata (Schltdl. & Cham.) Kuntze, Brossea ovata (DC.) Kuntze, Brossea nitida (Benth.) Kuntze, Gaultheria acuminata var. nitida (Benth.) Camp
Description:
Species Description - Erect, usually arching shrub or small tree 0.5-7 m tall; mature stem terete to subterete, bluntly angled and/or striate, glabrous or occasionally with remnants of setae, sometimes glaucous, with odor of wintergreen when broken; bark thin, shredding in longitudinal strips; twigs subterete to complanate, striate to bluntly angled, glabrous to puberulent, without setose hairs; newly flushing stems and leaves sometimes with glandular setae leaving punctae after they fall. Leaves coriaceous, ovate to elliptic (or very rarely oblong or slightly obovate), (2.3-)8-15 × (1.3-)2.2-6(-7) cm, base cuneate or obtuse to rounded (or truncate to subcordate), apex acute to long-acuminate, rarely obtuse, serrulate, with each tooth terminating in a deciduous, basally swollen hair, glabrous above or puberulent along veins, glandular-fimbriate beneath becoming punctate (or glabrous) after these fall, with odor of wintergreen when cut; midrib conspicuous and impressed above, lateral nerves 3-4 per side, impressed or slightly raised above, reticulate veinlets raised above, all veins raised beneath; petiole subterete, flattened to broadly canaliculate above, rugose, 39(14) × 1-2.2 mm, glabrous to puberulent, sometimes glandular setose. Inflorescence axillary, racemose, to 38-flowered; rachis bluntly angled, 3-14(-21) cm long, glabrous or usually puberulent to densely short-pilose with white hairs (or very rarely with scattered glandular or eglandular setae); pedicels 4-9(-14) mm long, glabrous to densely short-pilose (or with few gland-tipped hairs); bracteoles located near base of pedicel or more usually above the middle, opposite to more often subopposite, striate, linear to ovate, 2-5 × 0.3-1.3 mm, glabrous or sometimes puberulent, ciliate but sometimes also with gland-tipped hairs along margin; floral bract striate, cochleariform, ovate to obovate, or oblanceolate, (3-)5.6-12.8(-13.3) × 3-4 mm, usually glabrous (or puberulent), ciliate. Calyx 2.3-4 mm long, usually glabrous or sometimes short-pilose especially at base (but then lobes essentially glabrous within), lobes narrowly to broadly triangular or ovate, 1.2-3.3 (-3.8) x 1-2.3 mm, acute to acuminate, glabrous (or very rarely with a few gland-tipped setae on lamina), ciliate; corolla urceolate, 3.8-6.5(-7.8) × 3.5-5 mm, white or suffused with pink to dark pink when fresh, glabrous or sparsely to densely short-pilose without (or very rarely also with scattered gland-tipped or eglandular setae), usually puberulent within, lobes triangular, 0.5-1.2 mm long, obtuse, sometimes ciliolate; stamens 2-4.5(-4.8) mm long; filaments (1.2-) 1.5-2.8(-3.3) mm long, densely short-pilose; anthers 1-2.2(-3) mm long, awns prominent, 0.3-1 mm long; ovary densely short-pilose; style 3.2-4 mm long, glabrous (or very rarely short-pilose). Fruiting calyx 4-12 mm diam., blue-black.
Species Description - Erect, usually arching shrub or small tree 0.5-7 m tall; mature stem terete to subterete, bluntly angled and/or striate, glabrous or occasionally with remnants of setae, sometimes glaucous, with odor of wintergreen when broken; bark thin, shredding in longitudinal strips; twigs subterete to complanate, striate to bluntly angled, glabrous to puberulent, without setose hairs; newly flushing stems and leaves sometimes with glandular setae leaving punctae after they fall. Leaves coriaceous, ovate to elliptic (or very rarely oblong or slightly obovate), (2.3-)8-15 × (1.3-)2.2-6(-7) cm, base cuneate or obtuse to rounded (or truncate to subcordate), apex acute to long-acuminate, rarely obtuse, serrulate, with each tooth terminating in a deciduous, basally swollen hair, glabrous above or puberulent along veins, glandular-fimbriate beneath becoming punctate (or glabrous) after these fall, with odor of wintergreen when cut; midrib conspicuous and impressed above, lateral nerves 3-4 per side, impressed or slightly raised above, reticulate veinlets raised above, all veins raised beneath; petiole subterete, flattened to broadly canaliculate above, rugose, 39(14) × 1-2.2 mm, glabrous to puberulent, sometimes glandular setose. Inflorescence axillary, racemose, to 38-flowered; rachis bluntly angled, 3-14(-21) cm long, glabrous or usually puberulent to densely short-pilose with white hairs (or very rarely with scattered glandular or eglandular setae); pedicels 4-9(-14) mm long, glabrous to densely short-pilose (or with few gland-tipped hairs); bracteoles located near base of pedicel or more usually above the middle, opposite to more often subopposite, striate, linear to ovate, 2-5 × 0.3-1.3 mm, glabrous or sometimes puberulent, ciliate but sometimes also with gland-tipped hairs along margin; floral bract striate, cochleariform, ovate to obovate, or oblanceolate, (3-)5.6-12.8(-13.3) × 3-4 mm, usually glabrous (or puberulent), ciliate. Calyx 2.3-4 mm long, usually glabrous or sometimes short-pilose especially at base (but then lobes essentially glabrous within), lobes narrowly to broadly triangular or ovate, 1.2-3.3 (-3.8) x 1-2.3 mm, acute to acuminate, glabrous (or very rarely with a few gland-tipped setae on lamina), ciliate; corolla urceolate, 3.8-6.5(-7.8) × 3.5-5 mm, white or suffused with pink to dark pink when fresh, glabrous or sparsely to densely short-pilose without (or very rarely also with scattered gland-tipped or eglandular setae), usually puberulent within, lobes triangular, 0.5-1.2 mm long, obtuse, sometimes ciliolate; stamens 2-4.5(-4.8) mm long; filaments (1.2-) 1.5-2.8(-3.3) mm long, densely short-pilose; anthers 1-2.2(-3) mm long, awns prominent, 0.3-1 mm long; ovary densely short-pilose; style 3.2-4 mm long, glabrous (or very rarely short-pilose). Fruiting calyx 4-12 mm diam., blue-black.
Discussion:
Used as decoration and as a bath for fever (Velazquez 73) in Veracruz. The fruits are eaten by the Mazatec Indians in Oaxaca (Schultes, 1941).Gaultheria acuminata is characterized by generally large, ovate to elliptic, nitid leaves; it is glabrous or short-pilose, but essentially lacks setose hairs. The stems and leaves have the odor of wintergreen when cut.A surprisingly large number of species and varietial names have been applied to this species, which is, however, relatively easy to recognize. Those names have been given to populations that vary in indumentum, leaf shape or color, or even calyx lobe shape- all highly variable characters in many gaultherias and neither correlating with other morphological characters or with ecology. Furthermore, many of the names were based on only one or two specimens. Those populations with setose hairs or glandular indumentum on the stems or inflorescences and with leaves which are often cordate, are probably stabilized hybrid swarms between G. acuminata and members of the G. erecta- complex with which it frequently occurs throughout its range. Thus, Camp (1939a) described three new taxa based on such variations: Gaultheria acuminata var. rekoi Camp, described from a single specimen and characterized by scattered glandular hairs on the twigs, rachis, and floral bracts; G. pringlei Camp, described from several specimens (of one gathering) and distinguished by glandular hairs on the rachis and corollas only; and G. chiapensis Camp, again described from several sheets, bearing puberulent rachises and corollas with eglandular, crisped hairs. None of Camp’s distinguishing characters are constant even within the type material. Corcoran (1981), in her dissertation, placed all three names in synonymy under G. acuminata, with which I agree. Therefore, I have annotated specimens with intermediate characters (such as those with setose hairs) as G. acuminata (or a possible hybrid with G. erecta) when the general facies is that of G. acuminata, or as G. erecta (or as a possible hybrid with G. acuminata) when the general facies is that of G. erecta, especially when the leaf base is cordate and the calyx lobes are internally pilose. The collection Matuda 1159 is such an example. Camp (1939a) divided this collection into G. acuminata numbers 1159 and 1159A for the sheets without glandular hairs and G. pringlei number 1159B for the sheets with glandular setae on the rachis. Actually, the specimen 1159 (NY) has some glandular hairs on the rachis and corolla. I consider this collection was made from a population of G. acuminata with probable introgression from G. erecta. Many sheets from Honduras and El Salvador have few setose hairs and I consider them hybrids with G. erecta. The fact that so few collections of "pure" G. acuminata have been made in El Salvador and Honduras (and none yet in Guatemala) may indicate that G. acuminata once had a distribution further south but has not been able to compete with G. erecta.There are two sheets of Schiede 581 at HAL, where Schlechtendal’s herbarium is located. Corcoran (1981) selected the best specimen as the lectotype of G. acuminata, with which I agree, and it is herein designated as such.Gaultheria acuminata is most closely related to G. erecta and differs primarily in its lack of setose hairs, its consistent wintergreen odor, and its leaves which are nitid, basally more cuneate and not cordate, and the rather consistent ovate or elliptic-ovate shape.
Used as decoration and as a bath for fever (Velazquez 73) in Veracruz. The fruits are eaten by the Mazatec Indians in Oaxaca (Schultes, 1941).Gaultheria acuminata is characterized by generally large, ovate to elliptic, nitid leaves; it is glabrous or short-pilose, but essentially lacks setose hairs. The stems and leaves have the odor of wintergreen when cut.A surprisingly large number of species and varietial names have been applied to this species, which is, however, relatively easy to recognize. Those names have been given to populations that vary in indumentum, leaf shape or color, or even calyx lobe shape- all highly variable characters in many gaultherias and neither correlating with other morphological characters or with ecology. Furthermore, many of the names were based on only one or two specimens. Those populations with setose hairs or glandular indumentum on the stems or inflorescences and with leaves which are often cordate, are probably stabilized hybrid swarms between G. acuminata and members of the G. erecta- complex with which it frequently occurs throughout its range. Thus, Camp (1939a) described three new taxa based on such variations: Gaultheria acuminata var. rekoi Camp, described from a single specimen and characterized by scattered glandular hairs on the twigs, rachis, and floral bracts; G. pringlei Camp, described from several specimens (of one gathering) and distinguished by glandular hairs on the rachis and corollas only; and G. chiapensis Camp, again described from several sheets, bearing puberulent rachises and corollas with eglandular, crisped hairs. None of Camp’s distinguishing characters are constant even within the type material. Corcoran (1981), in her dissertation, placed all three names in synonymy under G. acuminata, with which I agree. Therefore, I have annotated specimens with intermediate characters (such as those with setose hairs) as G. acuminata (or a possible hybrid with G. erecta) when the general facies is that of G. acuminata, or as G. erecta (or as a possible hybrid with G. acuminata) when the general facies is that of G. erecta, especially when the leaf base is cordate and the calyx lobes are internally pilose. The collection Matuda 1159 is such an example. Camp (1939a) divided this collection into G. acuminata numbers 1159 and 1159A for the sheets without glandular hairs and G. pringlei number 1159B for the sheets with glandular setae on the rachis. Actually, the specimen 1159 (NY) has some glandular hairs on the rachis and corolla. I consider this collection was made from a population of G. acuminata with probable introgression from G. erecta. Many sheets from Honduras and El Salvador have few setose hairs and I consider them hybrids with G. erecta. The fact that so few collections of "pure" G. acuminata have been made in El Salvador and Honduras (and none yet in Guatemala) may indicate that G. acuminata once had a distribution further south but has not been able to compete with G. erecta.There are two sheets of Schiede 581 at HAL, where Schlechtendal’s herbarium is located. Corcoran (1981) selected the best specimen as the lectotype of G. acuminata, with which I agree, and it is herein designated as such.Gaultheria acuminata is most closely related to G. erecta and differs primarily in its lack of setose hairs, its consistent wintergreen odor, and its leaves which are nitid, basally more cuneate and not cordate, and the rather consistent ovate or elliptic-ovate shape.
Distribution:
Mexico North America| Chiapas Mexico North America| Hidalgo Mexico North America| Oaxaca Mexico North America| Puebla Mexico North America| Veracruz Mexico North America| Honduras Central America| Comayagua Honduras Central America| Cortés Honduras Central America| Lempira Honduras Central America| El Salvador Central America| Santa Ana El Salvador Central America|
Mexico North America| Chiapas Mexico North America| Hidalgo Mexico North America| Oaxaca Mexico North America| Puebla Mexico North America| Veracruz Mexico North America| Honduras Central America| Comayagua Honduras Central America| Cortés Honduras Central America| Lempira Honduras Central America| El Salvador Central America| Santa Ana El Salvador Central America|
Common Names:
axocopaque, ya-to-skwa-ree, to-skwa, astringosol, axocopani, achocopa, arryan, ashocopa, pipicho
axocopaque, ya-to-skwa-ree, to-skwa, astringosol, axocopani, achocopa, arryan, ashocopa, pipicho
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