Monographs Details:
Authority:
1985. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club. 112(4): 449, Fig. 1J-F.
1985. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club. 112(4): 449, Fig. 1J-F.
Family:
Ericaceae
Ericaceae
Description:
Species Description - Epiphytic shrub; mature stems terete, glabrous, reddish- to grayish-brown when dry; young twigs terete, puberulent, reddish-brown when dry. Leaves coriaceous, ovate, 3-3.5(-4.5) x 2-2.5 cm, basally obtuse or rounded, apically short-acuminate with apex itself blunt, marginally inconspicuously crenate, puberulous above, and glabrous beneath but with scattered glandular fimbriae; 3-5(-7)-plinerved, the nerves anastoming distally, midrib conspicuous, impressed above and raised beneath, lateral nerves plane to impressed above and raised and conspicuous beneath, veinlets obscure above but raised and conspicuous beneath; petiole terete, smooth, puberulous, 2-3 mm long, reddish-brown when dry. Inflorescence apparently cauliflorous, a cluster of 1-several peduncles, each peduncle ca. 1-1.5 mm long and bearing 1 fertile flower; rachis terete, glabrous, 1.5-2.5 mm long; floral bracts narrowly ovate, acuminate, marginally glandular-fimbriate, ca. 1 mm long; pedicels subterete, angled, striate, glabrous, continuous with the calyx, 4-5 mm long; bracteoles basal, similar to floral bracts but up to 0.75 mm long. Flowers with calyx maroon-red to brownish-green when fresh, glabrous, 3-4 mm long; hypanthium obpyramidal, strongly angled below the sinuses, slightly rugose, 1.5-2.5 mm long; limb spreading-campanulate, 1.5 mm long including the lobes; lobes triangular, apiculate, 0.5 mm long; sinuses flat to broadly rounded; corolla subcylindric, glabrous without but scattered-pilose within especially towards the mouth, 9-10 mm long, red to scarlet when fresh, the lobes deltate, acute, 1.3 mm long, white when fresh; stamens 10, equal, 7 mm long; filaments distinct, glabrous, 2.5 mm long; anthers 5 mm long including the tubules, incurved at the base; thecae strongly papillose, 3 mm long, dehiscing by lateral clefts nearly the length of the tubules; style 8 mm long; ovary 5-locular; disc glabrous. Fruit not seen.
Distribution and Ecology - Endemic to Venezuela (Sucre: Peninsula de Paria), and known from only two collections; cloud forest, at 1250-1275 m.
Species Description - Epiphytic shrub; mature stems terete, glabrous, reddish- to grayish-brown when dry; young twigs terete, puberulent, reddish-brown when dry. Leaves coriaceous, ovate, 3-3.5(-4.5) x 2-2.5 cm, basally obtuse or rounded, apically short-acuminate with apex itself blunt, marginally inconspicuously crenate, puberulous above, and glabrous beneath but with scattered glandular fimbriae; 3-5(-7)-plinerved, the nerves anastoming distally, midrib conspicuous, impressed above and raised beneath, lateral nerves plane to impressed above and raised and conspicuous beneath, veinlets obscure above but raised and conspicuous beneath; petiole terete, smooth, puberulous, 2-3 mm long, reddish-brown when dry. Inflorescence apparently cauliflorous, a cluster of 1-several peduncles, each peduncle ca. 1-1.5 mm long and bearing 1 fertile flower; rachis terete, glabrous, 1.5-2.5 mm long; floral bracts narrowly ovate, acuminate, marginally glandular-fimbriate, ca. 1 mm long; pedicels subterete, angled, striate, glabrous, continuous with the calyx, 4-5 mm long; bracteoles basal, similar to floral bracts but up to 0.75 mm long. Flowers with calyx maroon-red to brownish-green when fresh, glabrous, 3-4 mm long; hypanthium obpyramidal, strongly angled below the sinuses, slightly rugose, 1.5-2.5 mm long; limb spreading-campanulate, 1.5 mm long including the lobes; lobes triangular, apiculate, 0.5 mm long; sinuses flat to broadly rounded; corolla subcylindric, glabrous without but scattered-pilose within especially towards the mouth, 9-10 mm long, red to scarlet when fresh, the lobes deltate, acute, 1.3 mm long, white when fresh; stamens 10, equal, 7 mm long; filaments distinct, glabrous, 2.5 mm long; anthers 5 mm long including the tubules, incurved at the base; thecae strongly papillose, 3 mm long, dehiscing by lateral clefts nearly the length of the tubules; style 8 mm long; ovary 5-locular; disc glabrous. Fruit not seen.
Distribution and Ecology - Endemic to Venezuela (Sucre: Peninsula de Paria), and known from only two collections; cloud forest, at 1250-1275 m.
Discussion:
Conservation status: Rare and endangered.
Conservation status: Rare and endangered.
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