Luteyn, James L. 1976. A revision of the Mexican Central American species of Cavendishia (Vacciniaceae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 28 (3): 1-138.
Ericaceae
Species Description - Epiphytic liana (according to label data). Mature branches terete, minutely striate, puberulent, brown w h e n dry; bark reddish-brown; immature branches and twigs of new growth subterete to bluntly angled, minutely striate, puberulent, brown. Petioles subterete, rugose, 2-3.5 mm long and 1-2 mm in diameter, densely puberulent, dark brown. Leaves linear-lanceolate to linear-elliptic, 9-14 cm long and 1-1.5 cm broad, basally broadly obtuse or rounded, slightly cordate, apically long-attenuate, acute, olive-green above and reddish-brown beneath when dry, glabrous, margins strongly revolute; 3(-5)-plinerved, midrib deeply impressed above, raised and conspicuous beneath, lateral nerves and veinlets raised and conspicuous above, slightly raised but obscure beneath. Infiorescence 12-14 flowered with lowest nodes sterile; rachis long tapering, bluntly angled, minutely striate, glabrous, 5-10 cm long and about 1-1.5 mm in diameter, with few globular glands scattered along the rachis. Floral bracts often somewhat ribbed, short ciliate apically, oblong or oval-elliptic, basally narrowed and rounded, apically obtuse or acute, 13-19 mm long and 5-7 mm broad, pink (according to label data), margins provided with sessile, globular glands to 0.2 mm in diameter, 3-7 per side. Pedicels subterete, 1 mm long and in diameter (but immature), glabrous, provided with few, globular glands. Bracteoles oblong, oblong-elliptic or oval, 8-10 mm long and 4-5.5 mm broad, basally rounded, apically broadly rounded, glabrous, located above middle of pedicel, and completely enveloping floral buds, marginally with few, sessile, globular glands. Calyx immature, glabrous; tube one-fifth total length of calyx, appearing non-apophysate, surface obscured from view by peltate subsessile, globular glands; limb appearing campanulate; lobes triangular, margins conspicuously glandular callose-thickened, the thickenings nearly contiguous at lobe apex; sinus obtuse. Corolla immature. Berry not seen. Phenology: In bud in April.
Although mature calyces and corollas are lacking, I have no reservations in describing this plant as new. Even in bud the stamens (both filaments and anthers) exhibit their dimorphic nature, and the floral bracts are large and conspicuous, indicating that it is certainly a Cavendishia.
The leaves of C. pseudostenophylla are about nine times longer than wide and are very reminiscent of the Panamanian C. stenophylla. A closer examination of the leaves of the new species however, shows them to be plinerved and apically acute, in contrast to the obscurely pinnately nerved, apically obtuse leaves of C. Stenophylla. Cavendishia pseudostenophylla shares its most recent common ancestor with C. lactiviscida, although it is phenetically most similar to two other species from the Chiriqui highlands-viz., C. chiriquiensis and C. panamensis. Cavendishia pseudostenophylla shares the following characters with C. chiriquiensis and C. panamensis: globular glands scattered on the rachises, pedicels, calyx tube, and along the margins of the floral bracts and bracteoles; nonapophysate or only slightly apophysate calyx tubes; and simUar callose-thickened calyx lobes. I feel that the calyx tubes of C. pseudostenophylla will be nonapophysate or only slightiy apophysate when mature, since all ofthe other species which possess apophysate calyx tubes show this character already in the bud stages.
The characters which distinguish C. pseudostenophylla from its two allies are summarized in Table VI. The type collection (Kirkbride & Duke 779) represents the only material available at this time.
Type: Panama. Province of Bocas del Toro. Chiriqui Trail, between Criollo and Quebrada Higueron, Kirkbride & Duke 779 (Holotype: NY! photo of type DUKE! isotype: MO!).
Panama Central America|