Pedraza-Peñalosa, Paola & Luteyn, James L. 2010. New species of Ericaceae (Vaccinieae) from the Andes of Bolivia and Peru. Brittonia. 62 (1): 39-56.
Ericaceae
Description - Terrestrial shrubs, 2 m tall. Twigs subterete, flattened, puberulous, the hairs simple, unicellular, and eglandualar; mature branches terete, the bark fissured, glabrescent, the hairs simple, unicellular, and eglandular; prophylls 2, opposite, valvate, ovate, 1-1.2 mm long, the apex obtuse. Leaves alternate, spirally arranged; petioles subterete, 2.5 - 3mm long, puberulous, the hairs simple, unicellular, and eglandular; blades coriaceous, ovate or elliptic, 1.6 - 2.6 x 0.8 -1.2 cm, the base obtuse, the margin entire, slightly revolute towards base in dried material, ciliolate at apex of young leaves, the hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular, the apex acute and apiculate, glaberscent above with inconspicuous simple haris of two types, unicellular and elgandular and multicellular and glandular, glaberscent beneath with hairs simple, multicellular and glandular; venation 3-plinervate, impressed above, although the secondary nerves often inconspicuous, completely obscured beneath. Axillary solitary flowers; bracts 2-3, persistent, cucullate, ovate 1-1.6 mm long, the margin exiliate, the apex obtuse, glabrous on both surfaces; floral bract similar to other bracts, but 1.9 -2 mm long; pedicels continuous with calyx, 4-8mm long, glabrescent with inconspicuous simple hairs, some unicellular and elgandular, others multi-cellular and glandular' bracteoles 1 (apparently with two costae), persistent, inserted towards middle of pedicel, amplexicaul, ovate, 3-3.5 x 3.5 -5 mm, the margin sometimes apically ciliolate with the hairs simple, unicellualr and eglandular, the apex obtuse and usually torn, algbrous on both surfaces. flowers 4 - merous, diplostemonous. Caylx obconic overall, shortly winged, 8-8.5 mm long, green, glabrescent with minute simple, unicellular and eglandular hairs, along with simple, multicellular and glandular hairs, the aestivation valvate; tube obconic, 4-4.3 mm long; limb 4-4.2 mm long; lobes triangular, 2-3 x 2.5 - 3.1 mm, the margine eciliate, the apex acute; sinuses acute (V shaped). Corolla bistratose, red, urceolate, inflated at base, 1.1 - 1.3 cm long, 4-5 mm diam., externally glabrous except for few inconspicuous simple, unicellular and elgandular hairs, internally glabrate with similar hairs, the aestivation valvate; lobes triangular, 1.3 x 1,.5 mm, the apex acute. Stamens 8, equal, included, 9.6 -12 mm long; filaments distinct , equal, more or less linear, prominently geniculate often folding over, 6-7 mm long, glabrescent on both surfaces with hairs simple, unicellular and elgandular; anthers equal, 5.5-6 mm long; thecae 2.6 - 3mm long, papillate, with a not too prominent basal appendage, cells with polygonal shape; tubules 2, distinct 2.8 -3.2 mm long, smooth, dehiscing by introrse slits, 1.5 - 1.6 mm long. Ovary 4-locular, placentation axile; style exserted, 1-1.1 cm long. Fruit uknown.
Phenology - The type was flowering in August
Etymology- Themistoclesia geniculata calls attention to the peculliar shape of the staminal filaments
Themistoclesia geniculata is charcterized by its apocally acute and apiculate leaves, solitary flowers, single and amplexicaul bracteole, 4 - merous perianth, winged calyx, and geniculate staminal filaments. Themistoclesia geniculata and T. woytkowskii are similar in having calyces winged and continous with the pedicel, and flowers solitary with red corollas. However, they are easily differentiated because T. geniculata has less prominent calyx wings and shorter pedicels that are obscured by (only ) one large bracteole (pedicels 4-8 mm long, bracteole 3-3.5 mm long), while T. woytkowskii has more conspicuous calyx wings and a conspicuously long pedicel that bears two small bracteoles (pedicels 1-1.6 cm long, bracteole 1.0 - 1.6 mm long). Additionally, the corolla of T, geniculata is larger, 11-13 mm vs 7.3 -9(-10) mm long, and the stamens longer, 9.6-12 mm vs 6.3 - 6.5 mm long, than in T. woytkowskii.
Yungas Bolivia South America|