Authority:

Pedraza-Peñalosa, Paola. 2010. (Ericaceae, Vaccinieae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 108: 1-126. (Published by NYBG Press)

Family:

Ericaceae

Synonyms:

Vaccinium pernettyoides Griseb. ex Wedd.

Description:

Species Description - Terrestrial shrubs, prostrate and decumbent, or erect, 0.1–1 m tall. Young branchlets ridged, ± smooth, puberulous, the hairs eglandular, light brown, the indumentum of the mature branches similar but glabrate. Leaves (4–)6–13 per cm, spirally arranged, ascending, diffuse, and some patent; petiole 1–1.6 mm long, glabrate, the hairs eglandular; lamina narrowly elliptic, narrowly oblong, or rarely lanceolate, 0.5–1.1 × 0.2–0.4 cm, basally obtuse, marginally crenulate and eciliate, apically acute or subacute, adaxially glabrate with eglandular hairs, abaxially glabrate with glandular hairs, the venation adaxially hyphodromous with the midvein impressed, abaxially obscure or hyphodromous with the midvein raised. Axillary solitary flowers and rarely 2-flowered fascicles; bracts 5–8, chartaceous, ovate, 0.6–2.5 × 0.7–2.5 mm, marginally eciliate, apically obtuse, abaxially glabrous; pedicel 1.5–2.4(–3) mm long, evident or at least with a portion of it not completely obscured by overlapping bracts, glabrate with eglandular hairs; differentiated apical bracteoles 2, distinct, chartaceous, enveloping entire calyx tube, covering 45–58% of calyx, ovate, elliptic, or suborbicular, 2.2–4.4 × 2.3–4.4 mm, marginally eciliate, apically obtuse, the surface smooth, abaxially and adaxially glabrous. Flowers 4-merous (rarely few corollas 5-merous). Calyx aestivation valvate, campanulate, 4.6–6.3 mm long; tube terete or slightly angled, 2–2.4 mm long, abaxially glabrate with eglandular or glandular hairs; limb 2.5–3.7 mm long, abaxially puberulous with eglandular hairs (apically), adaxially glabrous; lobes triangular, 2–3 × 1–2 mm, marginally eciliate, apically acute; sinuses acute (V-shaped). Corolla white (sometimes with pink hue under intense sunlight conditions), thin-fleshy, bistratose, campanulate, (10–)11.5–17 mm long, 7.5–10 mm diam., 5.5–8.7 mm wide at throat, abaxially glabrous or occasionally glabrate with eglandular hairs, adaxially glabrous; lobes 2.8–4 × 2.8–5.2 mm, apically acute, adaxially slightly rugose at apex. Stamens 8, 7.3–9.2 mm long, included; filaments distinct, weakly geniculate (sometimes hard to notice in pressed material), broader at base, 4.4–6 mm long, abaxially puberulous, adaxially puberulous distally; anthers distinct, papillae on both thecae and tubules; thecae 1.7–2.2 mm long, without basal appendages; tubules 2, distinct, 1.6–2 mm long, dehiscing introrsely by longitudinal slits, 0.9–1.5 mm long. Ovary 4-locular; style 7.6–11.5 mm long, included. Berry white, ± spherical, 4–10 mm diam., the persistent calyx lobes erect or spreading, becoming succulent (at least at base), same color as mature berry; embryo white.

Distribution and Ecology - Disterigma pernettyoides is restricted to the central Andes to the Depts. Cochabamba, La Paz, and Oruro, Bolivia, and to the Peruvian Regions of Cusco and Junín (Fig. 36). The species distribution could extend further north to San Martín, but unfortunately the specimens from the region, like Young 1932 (USM), are sterile and therefore D. codonanthum cannot be ruled out. This species grows at 2000–3900 m in the montane cloud forest, the yungas (páramo yungeño) of Bolivia, and in the Peruvian humid puna. It is frequently associated with Sphagnum and has been recorded growing in both primary and secondary vegetation as well as on roadsides. Flowering and fruiting year-round.

Local Names and Uses - This species is known as "tarma" or "perla-perla" in Junín (Peru), and as "winkiko" in the Bolivian yungas.

Distribution:

Peru South America| Cusco Peru South America| Junín Peru South America| Bolivia South America| Cochabamba Bolivia South America| La Paz Bolivia South America| Oruro Bolivia South America|

Common Names:

tarma, perla-perla, winkiko