Monographs Details:
Authority:
1996. Fl. Ecuador. 54: 137, figs. 9A-D.
1996. Fl. Ecuador. 54: 137, figs. 9A-D.
Family:
Ericaceae
Ericaceae
Description:
Species Description - Terrestrial shrub with branches to 4 m long; stem subterete, complanate, bluntly winged, glabrous; bark gray, cracking longitudinally; twigs subterete, striate, glandular-fimbriate, strongly and bluntly to sharply winged from each node downwards through 1-2 nodes, the wing to 3 mm broad where it starts. Leaves subcoriaceous, usually bullate, sometimes flat, ovate to elliptic-ovate, (5.5-)6-11 x (2-)2.5-5 cm, base obtuse to broadly cuneate, sometimes short-attenuate, apex narrowly acuminate, margin flat, glabrous but moderately densely glandular-fimbriate on both surfaces with brownish hairs 0.1-0.2 mm long; 5(-7)-plinerved with the inner (distal) pair of lateral nerves usually subopposite, midrib thickened and raised in the proximal 1.5-2.5 cm then distally plane to slightly or strongly impressed above, raised and conspicuous beneath, lateral nerves raised to plane or strongly impressed above, raised beneath, reticulate veinlets slightly raised to impressed above, raised and ± conspicuous beneath; petiole subterete, usually flattened above, rugose, 2-3 mm long, puberulent, glabrate. Inflorescence axillary, solitary, fasciculate, (1-)2-4-flowered; floral bract ovate, acute, 1-1.5 x 0.8-1 mm, glabrous, margin with few glandular fimbriae; pedicel subterete, angled and/or ribbed, 9-14(-18) mm long, glabrous but with scattered, reddish, glandular fimbriae; bracteoles basal, similar to floral bract. Flowers with calyx weakly articulate or seemingly continuous with pedicel, 8-13 mm long, glabrous but glandular-fimbriate with reddish hairs; hypanthium long-prismatic, winged entire length but not extended distally beyond the limb, 6-10 mm long; limb spreading-campanulate, 2-4 mm long; lobes apiculate, deltate, acute, 1-1.5 mm long; sinuses broadly rounded; corolla cylindric, terete, 20-23 mm long and 7-8 mm diam., glabrous without but densely white pilose at throat within, also with scattered glandular fimbriae without, red to orange-red, the lobes ovate-elliptic, acute to obtuse, 2-3 mm long; stamen 7.5-12 mm long; filaments connate into a tube, 5-6 mm long, glabrous, the connectives alternately shouldered; anthers 8.3-8.5 mm long; thecae 4.3-4.5 mm long; tubules fused into one, ca. 4 mm long, dehiscing by a single cleft, ca. 3 mm long; style slightly exserted, 21-26 mm long, glabrous. Berry not seen.
Distribution and Ecology - Endemic to Ecuador; cloud forest at 2050 m altitude.
Species Description - Terrestrial shrub with branches to 4 m long; stem subterete, complanate, bluntly winged, glabrous; bark gray, cracking longitudinally; twigs subterete, striate, glandular-fimbriate, strongly and bluntly to sharply winged from each node downwards through 1-2 nodes, the wing to 3 mm broad where it starts. Leaves subcoriaceous, usually bullate, sometimes flat, ovate to elliptic-ovate, (5.5-)6-11 x (2-)2.5-5 cm, base obtuse to broadly cuneate, sometimes short-attenuate, apex narrowly acuminate, margin flat, glabrous but moderately densely glandular-fimbriate on both surfaces with brownish hairs 0.1-0.2 mm long; 5(-7)-plinerved with the inner (distal) pair of lateral nerves usually subopposite, midrib thickened and raised in the proximal 1.5-2.5 cm then distally plane to slightly or strongly impressed above, raised and conspicuous beneath, lateral nerves raised to plane or strongly impressed above, raised beneath, reticulate veinlets slightly raised to impressed above, raised and ± conspicuous beneath; petiole subterete, usually flattened above, rugose, 2-3 mm long, puberulent, glabrate. Inflorescence axillary, solitary, fasciculate, (1-)2-4-flowered; floral bract ovate, acute, 1-1.5 x 0.8-1 mm, glabrous, margin with few glandular fimbriae; pedicel subterete, angled and/or ribbed, 9-14(-18) mm long, glabrous but with scattered, reddish, glandular fimbriae; bracteoles basal, similar to floral bract. Flowers with calyx weakly articulate or seemingly continuous with pedicel, 8-13 mm long, glabrous but glandular-fimbriate with reddish hairs; hypanthium long-prismatic, winged entire length but not extended distally beyond the limb, 6-10 mm long; limb spreading-campanulate, 2-4 mm long; lobes apiculate, deltate, acute, 1-1.5 mm long; sinuses broadly rounded; corolla cylindric, terete, 20-23 mm long and 7-8 mm diam., glabrous without but densely white pilose at throat within, also with scattered glandular fimbriae without, red to orange-red, the lobes ovate-elliptic, acute to obtuse, 2-3 mm long; stamen 7.5-12 mm long; filaments connate into a tube, 5-6 mm long, glabrous, the connectives alternately shouldered; anthers 8.3-8.5 mm long; thecae 4.3-4.5 mm long; tubules fused into one, ca. 4 mm long, dehiscing by a single cleft, ca. 3 mm long; style slightly exserted, 21-26 mm long, glabrous. Berry not seen.
Distribution and Ecology - Endemic to Ecuador; cloud forest at 2050 m altitude.
Discussion:
Conservation status: Rare and endangered.
Conservation status: Rare and endangered.
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