Monographs Details:
Authority:
Smith, Albert C. 1952. Plants collected in Ecuador by W. H. camp. Vaceiniaceae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 8 (1): 41-85.
Smith, Albert C. 1952. Plants collected in Ecuador by W. H. camp. Vaceiniaceae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 8 (1): 41-85.
Family:
Ericaceae
Ericaceae
Description:
Latin Diagnosis - Frutex interdum epiphyticus multiramosus, ramulis fusco-cinereis obtuse angulatis juventute minute puberulis mox glabratis; stipulis inconspicuis circiter 1 mm. longis basi pulvinatis acutis; petiolis semiteretibus 1.5-3 mm. longis supra subpuberulis; laminis papyraceis in sicco fuscis lanceolatis, 5-10 cm. longis, 1.3-3 cm. latis, basi acutis vel obtusis, in apicem gracilem ad 15 mm. longum mucronulatum gradatim angustatis, margine leviter recurvatis, supra glabris, subtus minute et dispersim glanduloso-strigillosis vel eglandulosis, costa supra insculpta subtus valde elevata, nervis secundariis utrinsecus plerumque 2 adscenderitibus inconspicuis subtus leviter prominulis, rete venularum immerso vel subtus haud prominulo; inflorescentia axillari breviter racemosa 4-8-flora bracteis numerosis ovatis acutis 1-2 mm. longis basi circumdata, rhachi gracili 3-5 mm. longa minute puberula mox glabrata, bracteis floriferis eis basi rhachis similibus caducis; pedicellis gracilibus sub anthesi et fructu juvenili 9-13 mm. longis ut rhachi minute puberulis et superne parce glandulosis medium versus bibracteolatis, bracteolis lanceolatis 1-1.5 mm. longis caducis; calyce cupuliformi sub anthesi 2.5-3 mm. longo et diametro obscure puberulo glabrato, limbo subcoriaceo erecto minute 4-denticulato (dentibus haud 0.3 mm. longis), sinibus complanatis; disco conspicuo carnoso cylindrico circiter 0.7 mm. alto glabro; corolla tenuiter carnosa cylindricosubcampanulata, sub anthesi 5-6 mm. longa glabra conspicue 4-lobata, lobis elongato-deltoideis circiter 2 mm. longis et 1.5 mm. latis acutis reflexis distaliter intus obscure papillosis; staminibus 5 corollam subaequantibus, filamentis ligulatis liberis 3-3.5 mm. longis ubique copiose breviter pilosis, antheris circiter 3 mm. longis basi obtusis, thecis quam tubulis per rimas 0.6-0.8 mm. longas dehiscentibus paullo longioribus; stylo crasso tereti leviter exserto basi disco arete cincto, stigmate minuto; fructibus immaturis ellipsoideis leviter quadrangulatis calycis limbo et disco persistentibus coronatis.
Distribution and Ecology - Azuay: "Oriente" Border, Paramo del Castillo and surrounding forested areas (crest of the eastern Cordillera on the trail between Sevilla de Oro and Mendez), 9,000-11,000 ft. elev., Oct. 30, 1944, Camp E-706 (TYPE US 1,988,992; dupl. NY) (shrub 1.5 m.; flowers white). Santiago-Zamora: Eastern slope of the cordillera, valley of the Rios Negro and Chupianza (on the trail from Sevilla de Oro to Mendez), between Hda. Chontal and Sta. Elena, 3,400-4,600 ft. elev., Camp E-792 (epiphytic shrub to 3 no; same locality, between Tambo Chontal and Tambo Consuelo, 5,700-8,000 ft. elev., Camp E-1572 (much-branched epiphyte, in clumps; leaves dark above, paler beneath, shining; fruit globular, pale).
Latin Diagnosis - Frutex interdum epiphyticus multiramosus, ramulis fusco-cinereis obtuse angulatis juventute minute puberulis mox glabratis; stipulis inconspicuis circiter 1 mm. longis basi pulvinatis acutis; petiolis semiteretibus 1.5-3 mm. longis supra subpuberulis; laminis papyraceis in sicco fuscis lanceolatis, 5-10 cm. longis, 1.3-3 cm. latis, basi acutis vel obtusis, in apicem gracilem ad 15 mm. longum mucronulatum gradatim angustatis, margine leviter recurvatis, supra glabris, subtus minute et dispersim glanduloso-strigillosis vel eglandulosis, costa supra insculpta subtus valde elevata, nervis secundariis utrinsecus plerumque 2 adscenderitibus inconspicuis subtus leviter prominulis, rete venularum immerso vel subtus haud prominulo; inflorescentia axillari breviter racemosa 4-8-flora bracteis numerosis ovatis acutis 1-2 mm. longis basi circumdata, rhachi gracili 3-5 mm. longa minute puberula mox glabrata, bracteis floriferis eis basi rhachis similibus caducis; pedicellis gracilibus sub anthesi et fructu juvenili 9-13 mm. longis ut rhachi minute puberulis et superne parce glandulosis medium versus bibracteolatis, bracteolis lanceolatis 1-1.5 mm. longis caducis; calyce cupuliformi sub anthesi 2.5-3 mm. longo et diametro obscure puberulo glabrato, limbo subcoriaceo erecto minute 4-denticulato (dentibus haud 0.3 mm. longis), sinibus complanatis; disco conspicuo carnoso cylindrico circiter 0.7 mm. alto glabro; corolla tenuiter carnosa cylindricosubcampanulata, sub anthesi 5-6 mm. longa glabra conspicue 4-lobata, lobis elongato-deltoideis circiter 2 mm. longis et 1.5 mm. latis acutis reflexis distaliter intus obscure papillosis; staminibus 5 corollam subaequantibus, filamentis ligulatis liberis 3-3.5 mm. longis ubique copiose breviter pilosis, antheris circiter 3 mm. longis basi obtusis, thecis quam tubulis per rimas 0.6-0.8 mm. longas dehiscentibus paullo longioribus; stylo crasso tereti leviter exserto basi disco arete cincto, stigmate minuto; fructibus immaturis ellipsoideis leviter quadrangulatis calycis limbo et disco persistentibus coronatis.
Distribution and Ecology - Azuay: "Oriente" Border, Paramo del Castillo and surrounding forested areas (crest of the eastern Cordillera on the trail between Sevilla de Oro and Mendez), 9,000-11,000 ft. elev., Oct. 30, 1944, Camp E-706 (TYPE US 1,988,992; dupl. NY) (shrub 1.5 m.; flowers white). Santiago-Zamora: Eastern slope of the cordillera, valley of the Rios Negro and Chupianza (on the trail from Sevilla de Oro to Mendez), between Hda. Chontal and Sta. Elena, 3,400-4,600 ft. elev., Camp E-792 (epiphytic shrub to 3 no; same locality, between Tambo Chontal and Tambo Consuelo, 5,700-8,000 ft. elev., Camp E-1572 (much-branched epiphyte, in clumps; leaves dark above, paler beneath, shining; fruit globular, pale).
Discussion:
In foliage and in calycine characters E. floribundum suggests E. octandrum (Sleumer) A. C. Smith,from which it differs in its more compact and fewer-flowered inflorescences, conspicuous cylindric disk (scarcely 0.2 mm. high in E. octandrum), slightly shorter corolla, and reduced number of stamens, with longer and copiously pilose filaments. From E. tetrandrum A. C. Smith, which similarly has a reduced number of stamens and a conspicuous disk, the new species differs in its proportionately narrower leaf-blades, its inflorescence with a shorter rachis but longer pedicels, shorter and more deeply lobed corolla, and stamens with shorter filaments and longer anthers. So far as observed at present, the stamens are uniformly 4 in E. tetrandrum and 5 in E. floribundum.
In foliage and in calycine characters E. floribundum suggests E. octandrum (Sleumer) A. C. Smith,from which it differs in its more compact and fewer-flowered inflorescences, conspicuous cylindric disk (scarcely 0.2 mm. high in E. octandrum), slightly shorter corolla, and reduced number of stamens, with longer and copiously pilose filaments. From E. tetrandrum A. C. Smith, which similarly has a reduced number of stamens and a conspicuous disk, the new species differs in its proportionately narrower leaf-blades, its inflorescence with a shorter rachis but longer pedicels, shorter and more deeply lobed corolla, and stamens with shorter filaments and longer anthers. So far as observed at present, the stamens are uniformly 4 in E. tetrandrum and 5 in E. floribundum.