Monographs Details:
Authority:
Pedraza-Peñalosa, Paola & Luteyn, James L. 2011. Andean (Ericaceae: Vaccinieae): Seven new species from South America. Brittonia. 63 (2): 257-275.
Pedraza-Peñalosa, Paola & Luteyn, James L. 2011. Andean
Family:
Ericaceae
Ericaceae
Description:
Latin Diagnosis - A Vaccinio saxatili perulis supra-axillaribus, incon-spicuis, 0.5-0.8 mm longis (non axillaribus, conspi-cuis, 1.5-3.2 mm longis), foliis nisi in specimine exsiccato brevius revolutis (non valde revolutis), floribus 4-meris (non 5-meris), corolla alba vel virella, 1.5-2 mm longa (non miniata, ut minimum 7 mm longa) differt.
Description - Epiphytic shrubs, the branches long-pendent, to 0.5-1.2 m long. Twigs subterete, densely pubescent, the hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular, the mature stems subterete or some angulate, pubescent to glabrate, the bark exfoliating in long, thin strips; buds supra-axillary, prophylls 2, opposite, valvate, ovate, inconspicuous, 0.5-0.8 mm long, apically acute, pubescent and marginally ciliolate, the hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular. Leaves alternate, imbricate, adpressed, subsessile; petioles twisted ca. 180°, subterete, 1-2 mm long, pubescent with hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular; blades coriaceous, succulent, drying wrinkled, elliptic to lanceolate, 3.24.8 x 0.8-1.5 cm, basally attenuate, marginally entire, eciliate, not revolute when fresh, but sometimes slightly revolute at base when dry, apically acuminate or sometimes short-acuminate, densely pubescent on both sides (especially in young leaves), but hairs caducous adaxially, the hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular; venation mostly obscure although suggested in dry specimens (especially in younger leaves), the midrib and two pairs of basal lateral nerves slightly elevated above (5-plinerved). Inflorescences axillary, 2-4-flow-ered fascicles or flowers solitary, flowers subsessile, obscured by leaves; all bracts undifferentiated, chartaceous, ovate, gradually varying in size, 0.4-0.75 x 0.2-0.5 mm, marginally ciliate or ciliolate with hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular, apically subacute, glabrous; pedicels subterete, 0.5-0.8(-l) mm long, articulate with calyx, glabrescent; brac-teoles 2, persistent, opposite, inserted near middle of pedicel, lanceolate, carinate, ca. 0.75 x 0.5 mm, marginally ciliate with hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular, apically acute, glabrous. Flowers 4-merous, diplostem-onous. Calyx aestivation valvate, obconic overall, 2.8-4 mm long, densely pubescent with hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular; tube obconic, terete, the base rounded, 1.5-2 mm long; limb erect, 0.5 mm long; lobes deflate, 0.8-1 x 1.3-1.5 mm, marginally ciliolate with hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular, apically acute; sinuses acute to subacute. Corolla aestivation valvate, white to greenish-white, campanulate, 1.5-2 mm long, ca. 2 mm diam., glabrous within and without; lobes ovate, deep, 1-1.5 x 2 mm, apically subacute, slightly reflexed. Stamens 8, equal, included, 1.62 mm long; filaments equal, distinct, long-ligulate, slightly incurved, 0.9-1.5 mm long, glabrous; anthers equal, distinct, 0.9-1.25 mm long; thecae 0.5-0.75 mm long, slightly papillose near base; tubules 2, distinct to base, 0.40.5 mm long, dehiscing by oblique pores, 0.20.3 mm long. Ovary 4-locular, placentation axile; nectariferous disc pulvinate, glabrous; style filiform, terete, 1.5 mm long, glabrous; stigma simple. Berry apparently immature, blue-black, spherical, to 4 mm diam., puberulous; seeds immature, apparently one per locule.
Latin Diagnosis - A Vaccinio saxatili perulis supra-axillaribus, incon-spicuis, 0.5-0.8 mm longis (non axillaribus, conspi-cuis, 1.5-3.2 mm longis), foliis nisi in specimine exsiccato brevius revolutis (non valde revolutis), floribus 4-meris (non 5-meris), corolla alba vel virella, 1.5-2 mm longa (non miniata, ut minimum 7 mm longa) differt.
Description - Epiphytic shrubs, the branches long-pendent, to 0.5-1.2 m long. Twigs subterete, densely pubescent, the hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular, the mature stems subterete or some angulate, pubescent to glabrate, the bark exfoliating in long, thin strips; buds supra-axillary, prophylls 2, opposite, valvate, ovate, inconspicuous, 0.5-0.8 mm long, apically acute, pubescent and marginally ciliolate, the hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular. Leaves alternate, imbricate, adpressed, subsessile; petioles twisted ca. 180°, subterete, 1-2 mm long, pubescent with hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular; blades coriaceous, succulent, drying wrinkled, elliptic to lanceolate, 3.24.8 x 0.8-1.5 cm, basally attenuate, marginally entire, eciliate, not revolute when fresh, but sometimes slightly revolute at base when dry, apically acuminate or sometimes short-acuminate, densely pubescent on both sides (especially in young leaves), but hairs caducous adaxially, the hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular; venation mostly obscure although suggested in dry specimens (especially in younger leaves), the midrib and two pairs of basal lateral nerves slightly elevated above (5-plinerved). Inflorescences axillary, 2-4-flow-ered fascicles or flowers solitary, flowers subsessile, obscured by leaves; all bracts undifferentiated, chartaceous, ovate, gradually varying in size, 0.4-0.75 x 0.2-0.5 mm, marginally ciliate or ciliolate with hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular, apically subacute, glabrous; pedicels subterete, 0.5-0.8(-l) mm long, articulate with calyx, glabrescent; brac-teoles 2, persistent, opposite, inserted near middle of pedicel, lanceolate, carinate, ca. 0.75 x 0.5 mm, marginally ciliate with hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular, apically acute, glabrous. Flowers 4-merous, diplostem-onous. Calyx aestivation valvate, obconic overall, 2.8-4 mm long, densely pubescent with hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular; tube obconic, terete, the base rounded, 1.5-2 mm long; limb erect, 0.5 mm long; lobes deflate, 0.8-1 x 1.3-1.5 mm, marginally ciliolate with hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular, apically acute; sinuses acute to subacute. Corolla aestivation valvate, white to greenish-white, campanulate, 1.5-2 mm long, ca. 2 mm diam., glabrous within and without; lobes ovate, deep, 1-1.5 x 2 mm, apically subacute, slightly reflexed. Stamens 8, equal, included, 1.62 mm long; filaments equal, distinct, long-ligulate, slightly incurved, 0.9-1.5 mm long, glabrous; anthers equal, distinct, 0.9-1.25 mm long; thecae 0.5-0.75 mm long, slightly papillose near base; tubules 2, distinct to base, 0.40.5 mm long, dehiscing by oblique pores, 0.20.3 mm long. Ovary 4-locular, placentation axile; nectariferous disc pulvinate, glabrous; style filiform, terete, 1.5 mm long, glabrous; stigma simple. Berry apparently immature, blue-black, spherical, to 4 mm diam., puberulous; seeds immature, apparently one per locule.
Discussion:
Phenology.-Flowering specimens have been collected in January and May-October; fruiting in January and June-October.
Etymology.-The species is named for Edgardo Ortiz Valencia, knowledgeable Peruvian student of Ericaceae.
Vaccinium ortizii is characterized by having supra-axillary buds; succulent, elliptic to lanceolate leaves that are apically acuminate and densely pubescent on both sides; flowers obscured by the leaves; obconic and densely pubescent calyces; short (1.5-2 mm long) and white to greenish campanulate corollas; small (1.6-2 mm long) stamens dehiscing by oblique pores; and blue-black berries. Vaccinium ortizii is morphologically similar to V. saxatilis, V. continuum, and V urubambensis, also epiphytic species herein described, all of which are characterized by pendent branches, imbricate and adpressed leaves with blades marginally entire and often lanceolate, and with petioles twisted 180°. Besides these characters, V. ortizii and V saxatilis have in common subsessile and diplostemonous flowers (obscured by the leaves in V ortizii) with the calyx articulate with the pedicel; their many differences are summarized in Table II.