Monographs Details:
Authority:

1932. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 28: 373.
Family:

Ericaceae
Scientific Name:

Macleania crassa A.C.Sm.
Description:

Species Description - Stout shrub; stems stout, angled, glabrous. Leaves oblong, 10-25 x 4-9 cm, basally rounded or cuneate, apically acute or obtuse, marginally entire and slightly revolute, glabrous, sparsely punctate above; pinnately nerved, midrib stout, slightly raised above, very prominent and raised beneath, lateral nerves (4-5 per side) arcuate-ascending, slightly impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets plane above and slightly raised beneath; petiole rugose, 12-20 mm long and to 5 mm diam., glabrous, narrowly winged above. Inflorescence terminal or axillary, racemose; rachis stout, subterete, 10-25 cm long and to 7 mm diam., glabrous; floral bract sometimes leaf-like and to 8 cm long; pedicel subterete, 12-25 mm long and ca. 3 mm diam., glabrous; bracteoles medial, ovate, rounded, to 4 mm long. Flowers with calyx 10-11 mm long; hypanthium short-cylindric, ca. 4 mm long, 5 mm diam., glabrous; limb spreading, 6-7 mm long including lobes; lobes ovate, acute, thick-margined except at the apiculate tip, 4-5 mm long, sometimes partially fused; corolla thick-carnose, cylindric-urceolate, 18-25 mm long and 7-10 mm diam. at base, glabrous, the lobes triangular, acute, 2-3 mm long; stamens equal, 14-15 mm long; filaments distinct, thick, 2-3 mm long, glabrous; thecae strongly granular, stout, 7-9 mm long; tubules 2, laterally connate, 5-6.5 mm long, dehiscing by frequently fused clefts more than half their length; style stout, up to 1 mm diam., shorter than corolla; stigma truncate. Berry not seen.

Distribution and Ecology - Endemic to Colombia.

Discussion:

N Y 10210 & 10211 annotated as Type by A. C. Smith, 1931, and as Isotype by J. L. Luteyn , 2007.