Monographs Details:
Authority:
1952. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 8: 59.
1952. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 8: 59.
Family:
Ericaceae
Ericaceae
Description:
Species Description - Terrestrial or epiphytic shrub with lianoid branches to 7 m long, sometimes arising from lignotuber; stem and twigs terete to subterete sometimes complanate, then bluntly angled, smooth to striate, or sharply ribbed, glabrous, nitid, gray to reddish or light brown, glabrous or pale puberulent and then glabrate. Leaves thick-coriaceous, flat to somewhat bullate, ovate, elliptic-lanceolate to ovate-elliptic, rarely lanceolate, (5.5-)9.5-16 x (2-)3.5-9.5 cm, base acute or obtuse to rounded, sometimes cuneate-attenuate, apex subacute to short- or long-acuminate, margin flat or revolute proximally, entire or distally serrate, glabrous on both surfaces; 3-5-plinerved, midrib conspicuously thickened and raised in proximal 1 cm, but thin and impressed as lateral nerves distally, raised beneath, reticulate veinlets obscure, plane to weakly impressed above and slightly raised beneath; petiole subterete, broadly canaliculate dorsally, narrowly winged, rugose, stout, (4-)6-15 mm long and 4-5 mm diam., glabrous. Inflorescence axillary, racemose, (3-)6-15-flowered; rachis subterete, complanate, bluntly angled, striate to ribbed, (2-)5.5-13(-22) cm long and 3-4 mm diam., glabrous or closely pale puberulent; floral bract caducous, lanceolate, acuminate, 8-20 x 4-5 mm, glabrous, but marginally glandular-fimbriate; pedicel subterete or more commonly strongly flattened, striate to ribbed, 13-50(-75) mm long, glabrous but distally with short, stout glandular fimbriae at point of "articulation" with calyx; bracteoles caducous, located above middle, rarely at apex of pedicel, subopposite, ovate-lanceolate, acute-acuminate, 5-8(-13) x 2-4 mm, glabrous, but marginally glandular-fimbriate. Flowers with calyx continuous with pedicel, (25-)35-45 mm long and 15-25 mm diam. distally, glabrous to puberulent; hypanthium ± cylindric, conspicuously winged from base to sinuses, 8-11 mm long, the wings conspicuous, to 6 mm broad at the base, narrowed at both ends, the base sometimes extending below articulation as a shallow lobe, deep crimson to red; limb erect, usually irregularly split and sometimes these segments (lobes) irregularly fused, 15-21+ mm long, glabrous without and sometimes puberulent within; lobes triangular, acuminate, (10-)15-20 mm long; sinuses acute; corolla thick-carnose (ca 1 mm at base and 6 mm at base of lobes), cylindric but obscurely pentagonal, 45-55 mm long and 10--12 mm diam. at base gradually expanding to ca. 16 mm at throat, glabrous or puberulent and then glabrate, deep crimson to red, the lobes wide-spreading and recurved at anthesis, lanceolate, acuminate, 20-25 mm long and 6 mm broad and 5 mm thick at base, sometimes puberulent within; stamen 10, alternately slightly unequal, nearly equalling the corolla, to 49 mm long; filaments connate, 7-12 mm long, glabrous or puberulent within; anthers about equal, 40-45 mm long; thecae essentially equal, longer than tubules, 16-24 mm long; tubules alternately slightly unequal, distinct to base, 19-21 mm long, dehiscing by flaring, oblique, oval pores 1-1.5 mm long; style about equalling corolla, glabrous. Berry spherical, to 30 mm diam., dark purple, capped by persitent calyx limb.
Distribution and Ecology - Endemic to Ecuador; montane wet and rainforest to subpáramo at 1738-3400 m altitude. Cultivated ABG, E, NCSC, NY.
Species Description - Terrestrial or epiphytic shrub with lianoid branches to 7 m long, sometimes arising from lignotuber; stem and twigs terete to subterete sometimes complanate, then bluntly angled, smooth to striate, or sharply ribbed, glabrous, nitid, gray to reddish or light brown, glabrous or pale puberulent and then glabrate. Leaves thick-coriaceous, flat to somewhat bullate, ovate, elliptic-lanceolate to ovate-elliptic, rarely lanceolate, (5.5-)9.5-16 x (2-)3.5-9.5 cm, base acute or obtuse to rounded, sometimes cuneate-attenuate, apex subacute to short- or long-acuminate, margin flat or revolute proximally, entire or distally serrate, glabrous on both surfaces; 3-5-plinerved, midrib conspicuously thickened and raised in proximal 1 cm, but thin and impressed as lateral nerves distally, raised beneath, reticulate veinlets obscure, plane to weakly impressed above and slightly raised beneath; petiole subterete, broadly canaliculate dorsally, narrowly winged, rugose, stout, (4-)6-15 mm long and 4-5 mm diam., glabrous. Inflorescence axillary, racemose, (3-)6-15-flowered; rachis subterete, complanate, bluntly angled, striate to ribbed, (2-)5.5-13(-22) cm long and 3-4 mm diam., glabrous or closely pale puberulent; floral bract caducous, lanceolate, acuminate, 8-20 x 4-5 mm, glabrous, but marginally glandular-fimbriate; pedicel subterete or more commonly strongly flattened, striate to ribbed, 13-50(-75) mm long, glabrous but distally with short, stout glandular fimbriae at point of "articulation" with calyx; bracteoles caducous, located above middle, rarely at apex of pedicel, subopposite, ovate-lanceolate, acute-acuminate, 5-8(-13) x 2-4 mm, glabrous, but marginally glandular-fimbriate. Flowers with calyx continuous with pedicel, (25-)35-45 mm long and 15-25 mm diam. distally, glabrous to puberulent; hypanthium ± cylindric, conspicuously winged from base to sinuses, 8-11 mm long, the wings conspicuous, to 6 mm broad at the base, narrowed at both ends, the base sometimes extending below articulation as a shallow lobe, deep crimson to red; limb erect, usually irregularly split and sometimes these segments (lobes) irregularly fused, 15-21+ mm long, glabrous without and sometimes puberulent within; lobes triangular, acuminate, (10-)15-20 mm long; sinuses acute; corolla thick-carnose (ca 1 mm at base and 6 mm at base of lobes), cylindric but obscurely pentagonal, 45-55 mm long and 10--12 mm diam. at base gradually expanding to ca. 16 mm at throat, glabrous or puberulent and then glabrate, deep crimson to red, the lobes wide-spreading and recurved at anthesis, lanceolate, acuminate, 20-25 mm long and 6 mm broad and 5 mm thick at base, sometimes puberulent within; stamen 10, alternately slightly unequal, nearly equalling the corolla, to 49 mm long; filaments connate, 7-12 mm long, glabrous or puberulent within; anthers about equal, 40-45 mm long; thecae essentially equal, longer than tubules, 16-24 mm long; tubules alternately slightly unequal, distinct to base, 19-21 mm long, dehiscing by flaring, oblique, oval pores 1-1.5 mm long; style about equalling corolla, glabrous. Berry spherical, to 30 mm diam., dark purple, capped by persitent calyx limb.
Distribution and Ecology - Endemic to Ecuador; montane wet and rainforest to subpáramo at 1738-3400 m altitude. Cultivated ABG, E, NCSC, NY.
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