Monographs Details:
Authority:
1996. Fl. Ecuador. 54: 221.
1996. Fl. Ecuador. 54: 221.
Family:
Ericaceae
Ericaceae
Description:
Species Description - Epiphytic shrub arising from lignotuber; stem terete to subterete, bluntly ribbed, glabrous, the bark cracking longitudinally; twigs subterete, complanate and bluntly angled, striate, glabrous; bud scales narrowly ovate, acuminate, 2-2.5 mm long, glabrous. Leaves subcoriaceous, elliptic to oblong-elliptic, (2.6-)4-6 x (-0.5)1-2 cm, base obtuse to broadly cuneate and short-attenuate, apex acuminate or acute, margin slightly revolute, glabrous; pinnately-nerved with 2-3 pairs of ascending-arcuate nerves, midrib impressed above and raised beneath, lateral nerves inconspicuous, slightly raised on both surfaces, reticulate veinlets unnoticed above and obscurely slightly raised beneath; petiole subterete, slightly winged, rugose, 3-10 mm long, glabrous. Inflorescence solitary, axillary, racemose, (1-)2-4(-5)-flowered, surrounded at base by few, ovate, acute, glabrous bracts ca. 2 mm long; rachis subterete, striate to ribbed, 1-1.5(-4) cm long, glabrous; floral bract ovate, acute to acuminate, 2-5 mm long, margin ciliolate and glandular-fimbriate; pedicel subterete, ribbed, 17-25 mm long, glabrous; bracteoles nearly basal, similar to floral bract but 2-4 mm long. Flowers with calyx articulate, 28-35 mm long at anthesis, glabrous; hypanthium somewhat campanulate, sharply 5-winged, 5-6 mm long; limb erect-spreading, strongly veined, rugose, 23-30 mm long; lobes triangular, long-acuminate, 19-25 x ca. 7 mm, eglandular; sinuses acute; corolla cylindric, expanding slightly distally, apparently terete, 40-45 mm long and 6-8 basal diam., glabrous, red (fide label), the lobes triangular, acute, 8-9 mm long, the margin pale red (fide label); stamens (from corolla 40 mm long) 10, alternately slightly unequal, 36.5-37.5 mm long; filaments distinct, ca. 4 mm long, glabrous; anthers nearly equal, 34.5-35 mm long; thecae alternately slightly unequal, 10-11.5 mm long; tubules connate in proximal half, longer than thecae, ca. 25 mm long, dehiscing by oblique pores ca. 1 mm long; style shortly exserted, glabrous. Berry not seen.
Distribution and Ecology - Endemic to Ecuador, and known only from five collections; disturbed montane cloud forest and dry scrub at 2700-2950 m altitude. Rare and probably endangered.
Species Description - Epiphytic shrub arising from lignotuber; stem terete to subterete, bluntly ribbed, glabrous, the bark cracking longitudinally; twigs subterete, complanate and bluntly angled, striate, glabrous; bud scales narrowly ovate, acuminate, 2-2.5 mm long, glabrous. Leaves subcoriaceous, elliptic to oblong-elliptic, (2.6-)4-6 x (-0.5)1-2 cm, base obtuse to broadly cuneate and short-attenuate, apex acuminate or acute, margin slightly revolute, glabrous; pinnately-nerved with 2-3 pairs of ascending-arcuate nerves, midrib impressed above and raised beneath, lateral nerves inconspicuous, slightly raised on both surfaces, reticulate veinlets unnoticed above and obscurely slightly raised beneath; petiole subterete, slightly winged, rugose, 3-10 mm long, glabrous. Inflorescence solitary, axillary, racemose, (1-)2-4(-5)-flowered, surrounded at base by few, ovate, acute, glabrous bracts ca. 2 mm long; rachis subterete, striate to ribbed, 1-1.5(-4) cm long, glabrous; floral bract ovate, acute to acuminate, 2-5 mm long, margin ciliolate and glandular-fimbriate; pedicel subterete, ribbed, 17-25 mm long, glabrous; bracteoles nearly basal, similar to floral bract but 2-4 mm long. Flowers with calyx articulate, 28-35 mm long at anthesis, glabrous; hypanthium somewhat campanulate, sharply 5-winged, 5-6 mm long; limb erect-spreading, strongly veined, rugose, 23-30 mm long; lobes triangular, long-acuminate, 19-25 x ca. 7 mm, eglandular; sinuses acute; corolla cylindric, expanding slightly distally, apparently terete, 40-45 mm long and 6-8 basal diam., glabrous, red (fide label), the lobes triangular, acute, 8-9 mm long, the margin pale red (fide label); stamens (from corolla 40 mm long) 10, alternately slightly unequal, 36.5-37.5 mm long; filaments distinct, ca. 4 mm long, glabrous; anthers nearly equal, 34.5-35 mm long; thecae alternately slightly unequal, 10-11.5 mm long; tubules connate in proximal half, longer than thecae, ca. 25 mm long, dehiscing by oblique pores ca. 1 mm long; style shortly exserted, glabrous. Berry not seen.
Distribution and Ecology - Endemic to Ecuador, and known only from five collections; disturbed montane cloud forest and dry scrub at 2700-2950 m altitude. Rare and probably endangered.
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