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 and terrestrial shrubs to 2 m tall; stem base 2-13 cm in diameter. Mature branches terete to subterete, minutely striate, usually glabrous but sometimes scattered spreading hirsute, green when fresh and often suffused with red above, but drying reddish-brown to tan; immature branches and twigs of new growth subterete to flattened, minutely striate, glabrous or densely spreading hirsute, usually glabrate, frequendy with reddish, clavate, subsessUe glands. Petioles subterete, rugose, rarely minutely papillate, (5-)6-11(-12) mm long and 1-2 mm in diameter, densely short pUose adaxially, sparsely so abaxially and occasionally becoming totally glabrous, reddish-brown when dry. Leaves lanceolate, lance-elliptic, oblong, rarely ovate, (4-)7-12(-15) cm long and (1-)2-4(-5) cm broad, basally rounded, cuneate or obtuse, apically long acuminate, tan, olive-brown, or grayish-brown when dry, weakly pilose along the nerves and lamina-base when young, usuaUy glabrate, but often persisting along the nerves on the abaxial surface; 3-5-plinerved, midrib, lateral nerves and sometimes primary veinlets impressed above, sometimes causing the leaves to be bullate, veinlets often plane or slightiy raised distally above, aU nerves raised and conspicuous beneath. Infiorescence (6-)9-12(- 19) flowered, lowest one or two nodes often sterUe, cylindric in bud; rachis long tapering, bluntiy angled or flattened, striate, glabrous, viscid, (3-)5-7(-9) cm long and 2-4 mm in diameter at base, pink to rose-pink, densely covered by tiny, sessile to subsessile, globular or clavate, reddish glands, about 0.2 mm in length. Floral bracts usua11y soon caducous, glabrous, smooth w h e n fresh but usually conspicuously nerved when dry, oblong to obovate, basally narrowed to a truncate base, apically obtuse to rounded and rarely apiculate, (1.5-)2-3(-3.5) cm long and 1-2 cm broad, rose to pinkish-purple, abaxially with minute, subsessile, clavate, reddish glands. Pedicels swoHen at both ends, smooth to coarsely striate or ribbed, viscid, glabrous, (9-)11-18 mm long and (0.5-)1(-1.5) mm in diameter, pink to cream colored, usually provided with reddish, sessile and round, or subsessile and clavate glands over entire length or only basally, rarely eglandular. Bracteoles keeled, often conspicuously (1-)3-5 nerved, ovate, oblonglanceolate, 2-4.5(-5) mm long and (0.5-)1.5-2.5(-3.5) mm broad, apically acute, glandular callose-thickened. Calyx glabrous, 6-9(-11) mm long, viscid; tube cylindric, coarsely ribbed, 2-3.5(-5) mm long and (3.5-)4-6(-7) mm in diameter, apophysis undulate to shallowly lobed, equal to or extending below point of articulation, often basally wide-spreading, rose to violet at anthesis, but turning green; limb cylindric to campanulate, smooth when fresh, but usuaUy drying conspicuously ribbed, rarely minutely papillate, (3.5-)4-6(-6.5) mm long including lobes, rose to rose-violet at anthesis, but becoming pale green, whitish or pinkish; lobes triangular, obtuse or acute, 1.5-2 mm long and 2-2.5 mm broad, erect after anthesis, completely glandular callose-thickened, this extending onto limb surface, dark rose-purple at anthesis but becoming dark green; sinus obtuse, broadly rounded or rarely flat. Corolla somewhat constricted basally, narrowed to throat, viscid, (25-)31-38 mm long and 6-8 mm in diameter, short pilose for distal two-thirds, sometimes velutinous, whitish-to purplish-rose; lobes oblong, obtuse, 1.5-2 mm long. Stamens 26-34 mm long; filaments alternately either 3.5-5.5 mm or 8-11.5 mm long, long filaments pilose distally, short filaments subglabrous with a cluster of short, retrorse hairs at distal tip; anthers including tubules alternately either 20.5-24 mm or 25.5-31 mm long; thecae 5.5-10.5 mm long. Style 30-37 mm long. Berries about 13 mm in diameter. Phenology: Flowering May-June, and fruiting July-August.
The geographical range of Cavendishia wercklei was stated by A. C. Smith (1932) to include Costa Rica and western Panama. Only three collections were then cited-the type (Werckle 63) from La Palma, Costa Rica and two Panamanian collections {Pittier 3206 and Maxon 5446) both from Volcan Chiriqui. Since the type specimen was in such poor condition, Smith based his description of the species o n the two Panamanian collections which he believed illustrated the plant's habit, although their leaf morphology differed slightly from that of the type.
As a result of extensive field work in both Costa Rica and Panama, it now seems certain that C. wercklei is endemic to the mountains bordering the central valley of Costa Rica. The Panamanian specimens cited by Smith which formed the basis of much of his description of C. wercklei represent a new species, C. megabracteata, endemic to the Chiriqui region of western Panama.
Since the publication of Smith's (1932) monograph, numerous additional specimens identified as C wercklei have been collected in the vicinity of Volcan Chiriqui. These specimens are now variously referred to the following taxa: C. megabracteata, C. panamensis, C. subfasciculata, and C. atroviolacea.
Cavendishia wercklei, as it is now recognized, is endemic to the central valley of Costa Rica having been collected only at La Palma de San Jose (the type locality) a nd in the vicinity of Vara Blanca (Alajuela Province). I have not seen the type (Werckle 53) which is presumed to have been destroyed at Berlin. However, fragments and photos of the type collection are available. The extant collections from La Palma and Vara Blanca resemble very closely these fragments and photos, as well as the original description.
Cavendishia wercklei has been infrequently collected and more specimens are needed before a proper assessment ofthe variation within the taxon can be made. Those few collections available are very similar morphologically, although the pubescence of the twigs and leaves is quite variable.
Cavendishia wercklei is closely related to C. callista and C. atroviolacea but may be separated from those two taxa by the glandular rachis and pedicels, the usually conspicuously 3-5-nerved bracteoles, and by the merely undulate (not deeply lobed) apophysis. Characters of coloration, particularly with reference to the corollas and floral bracts, also serve to distinguish the three taxa.
Type: Costa Rica: Province of San Jose. La Palma, Werckle 53 (Holotype: B, not seen, presumably destroyed, fragments and photo of type NY! photo only DUKE! US!).
Costa Rica South America|