Authority:

Pedraza-Peñalosa, Paola & Luteyn, James L. 2010. New species of Ericaceae (Vaccinieae) from the Andes of Bolivia and Peru. Brittonia. 62 (1): 39-56.

Family:

Ericaceae

Description:

Description - Epiphytic shrubs, scrambling 2-2.5 m. Twigs and mature branches subterete, bluntly angled, glabrous, the bark of mature branches striate, reddish-brown, somewhat exfoliating; prophylls 2, opposite, valvate, lanceolate, 2- 3.5 mm long, the apex acuminate. Leaves alternate, spirally arranged; petioles subterete, flattened above, (4-)6-8(-10) mm long, glabrous; blades coriaceous, lanceolate, 9- 17x(2- )3- 5.5 cm, the base cunéate, the margin entire and eciliate, the apex acuminate, glabrous on both surfaces; venation pinnate, the midrib thickened and raised in proximal 0.7-2 cm, then impressed distally above, conspicuously raised beneath over entire length, the secondary nerves 2-5 per side, anastomosing near margin, conspicuously to slightly raised above, raised beneath, the tertiary nerves reticulate, conspicuously to slightly raised above, inconspicuously raised beneath. Inflorescences axillary, solitary, racemes, 2-4(-5)-flowered, ramiflorous racemes also sometimes present; bracts 4-8, persistent, ovate, 2-4 mm long, the margin ciliolate with few deciduous hairs, the hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular, the apex acuminate, glabrous on both surfaces; rachises subterete, angled, 1.5-4.5 cm long, glabrous; floral bract ovate, 1.5^.5 mm long, the margin ciliolate with few, deciduous, simple and multicellular hairs, the apex acuminate, glabrous on both surfaces; pedicels articulate with calyx, 2.6-4.1 cm long, increasing in diameter distally, 1-1.5 mm diam. at base, 4 mm diam. at apex (pedicels shrinking in diameter in dried specimens although the distal swelling still noticeable), glabrous; bracteoles 2, distinct, persistent, nearly basal, subopposite, ovate, 1.5-4.5x0.7 mm, the margin ciliolate with few, deciduous, simple and multicellular hairs, the apex acuminate, glabrous on both surfaces. Flowers 5 (-6) merous, diplostemonous. Calyx campanulate overall, terete, 8-11 mm long, green, glabrous, the aestivation valvate; tube cylindric and basally truncate, 4-6 mm long, minutely rugose; limb 4-6 mm long, thinner in texture at margins; lobes reduced to just a tip, 1 x 4- 5.5 mm, the margin eciliate, the apex apiculate; sinuses broadly rounded. Corolla bistratose, very fleshy (up to 3 mm thick distally and 1 mm basally), rose to red with the lobes white, urceolate, inflated at base, 0.8-1.5 cm long, 1-2.2 cm diam. (0.4-1 cm in dried specimens), glabrous without, shortly tomentose within above the throat, the hairs simple, unicellular and wavy, the aestivation valvate; lobes ovate, 3-3.5x3.5-4 mm, the apex acute. Stamens 10, included, alternating in length, 10.5-10.8 and 11-12 mm long; filaments connate into a tube, alternating in length, 4.5-5.5 and 5-6 mm long, glabrous; anthers equal, distinct, 6.3-7.5 mm long; thecae 4.3-5 mm long, prognathous, with or without basal appendage, sometimes with few minute unicellular hairs arising from appendage, otherwise smooth with cells shaped like jigsaw-puzzle pieces; tubules 2, distinct, 2- 3 mm long, smooth, dehiscing by latrorse slits running from tip of tubules into lower half of thecae, 4-4.5 mm long. Ovary 5-locular, placentation axile; style included, 1.4-1.6 cm long. Immature berry, spherical, at least 1 2 mm diam., red.

Discussion:

Phenology- Flowering specimens have been collected from June-August and in November, and immature fruits in November.

Etymology. - Orthaea madidiensis is named after the Madidi region in northern Bolivia, from which many new Ericaceae have recently been collected.

Orthaea madidiensis is characterized by pinnately-veined, lanceolate leaves that are apically acuminate; long pedicels; carnose corollas that are short, 0.8-1.5x1-2.2 cm, urceolate, and pubescent within above the throat; stamens that are shorter than the corollas, alternately 10.5-10.8 and 11- 12 mm long; and anther thecae that are 4.3- 5 mm long, smooth with cells shaped like jigsaw-puzzle pieces, and with a few short hairs arising from the base. Because Orthaea is a polyphyletic genus and its species are poorly understood, it is impossible to suggest phylogenetic relationships for this species. However, based on its external vegetative morphology, O. madidiensis is more similar to O. pinnatinervia Mansfeld than to any to other Orthaea from Bolivia, because they both share pinnate venation. Nevertheless, these species can be easily differentiated because O. pinnatinervia has shorter and narrower leaves (4-7x1.5-2 cm vs. 9-1 7 x [2-J3-5.5 cm in O. madidiensis) and rela- tively longer corollas (1.5-1.8 cm long vs. 0.8-1.5 cm long).

Distribution:

Bolivia South America|