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:

Gaultheria psilantha A.C.Sm., Brossea rigida (Kunth) Kuntze

Description:

Species Description - Erect shrub, (0.2-)0.6-1.5(-2) m tall; stems subterete, striate, ribbed, often nitid, glabrous to puberulent or short-pilose with white hairs, lacking setae; buds ovate to fusiform, scales ovate, striate, ciliate, glabrous to densely puberulent. Leaves coriaceous, flat, generally ovate, but sometimes oblong, (3.2-)4-8(-10) × (2-)2.5-4(-6.5) cm, base truncate, rounded, or obtuse and usually subcordate to strongly cordate, apex subacute, acute, short-acuminate or obtuse to nearly rounded, apex itself a sessile, blunt, terminal gland, more or less obscurely to conspicuously serrulate, with each tooth acute or blunt and usually terminating in a tiny, often deciduous, sometimes gland-tipped seta, glabrous above and beneath or the midrib short-puberulent at base, the lamina often nitid above and blackish punctate beneath; midrib impressed above and raised beneath, lateral nerves 4-5 per side, plane or impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets weakly impressed to obscure above but conspicuous beneath; petiole terete, striate to rugose, shallowly canaliculate above, 3-5(-8) mm long, glabrous to short-puberulent. Inflorescence axillary, racemose, bracteate at base, about 10-20-flowered; rachis subterete to complanate, 3-8 cm long, glabrous or moderately to densely puberulent or short-pilose with whitish to grayish, eglandular hairs, setae lacking; pedicels subterete, striate, ca. 4-8 mm long, usually moderately to densely puberulent or short-pilose as rachis; bracteoles located along middle of pedicel or below, papyraceous, continuous with pedicel, linear-ovate, ca. 2.5-4 mm long, acuminate to aristate, ciliate, often marginally setose with eglandular (or gland-tipped setae); floral bracts subcoriaceous, concave, cucullate, often wide-spreading to reflexed, continuous with rachis or sometimes for a short distance with pedicel, broadly ovate at base to spatulate to oblong-ovate at apex, (5-)7-15(=20) × 4-6(-8) mm, ciliate and sometimes short-setose marginally (glandular-tipped), usually glabrous to short-pilose on both surfaces. Calyx glabrous to sometimes short-pilose, (3.5-)4-6 mm long, lobes ovate to triangular, (2-)3-4(-5) mm long, acute to acuminate (aristate), ciliate, often puberulent within; corolla urceolate to cylindric-urceolate, terete to bluntly 5angled, (4-)5-6.5(-7) mm long, usually glabrous without or moderately to weakly short-white-pilose, lacking setae, glabrous to rarely sparsely pilose within, white, pink, or red when fresh, lobes oblong, ca. 1-1.5 mm long, acute to obtuse; stamens with filaments ca. 2.5 mm long, glabrous or weakly pilose; anthers ca. 1-1.5 mm long, awns prominent; ovary usually glabrous or moderately short-pilose towards apex; style to 4 mm long, glabrous. Fruiting calyx to 11 mm diam., glabrous to short-pilose, blue-black. Chromosome number: In = 22 (Middleton & Wilcock, 1990b).

Discussion:

Some plants are reported to be toxic.

Gaultheria rigida is characterized by short-pilose (eglandular) indumentum of the stems and inflorescence including the rachis, pedicels, and often the calyx, and the lack of setose hairs. Lamina shape is variable but in general leaves are ovate, cordate at the base, and acute at the apex.

Gaultheria rigida is very closely related to the widespread G. erecta and may grow close to it or with it in some localities. Seemingly the only difference between them lies in the fact that G. rigida does not produce setose (multicellular, multiseriate) hairs whereas G. erecta does. The two species may hybridize or, in fact, be conspecific, but more collections and field observations of G. rigida are needed. A somewhat similar situation is also found in Mexico where G. erecta produces glandular or eglandular setose hairs while G. acuminata lacks them. (See also the discussion of indumentum variation in the Costa Rican populations of G. erecta and the basis for varietal status under G. serrata and G. sclerophylla).

Distribution:

Colombia South America| Boyacá Colombia South America| Cundinamarca Colombia South America| Meta Colombia South America| Norte de Santander Colombia South America| Santander Colombia South America| Tolima Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Mérida Venezuela South America| Táchira Venezuela South America| Ecuador South America| Loja Ecuador South America| Peru South America| Cajamarca Peru South America| Piura Peru South America| Lambayeque Peru South America|

Common Names:

reventadera, uvito, uvo falso, cimarrón, camarero