Authority:

Luteyn, James L., et al. 1995. Ericaceae, Part II. The Superior-Ovaried Genera (Monotropoideae, Pyroloideae, Rhododendroideae, and Vaccinioideae P.P.). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 66: 560. (Published by NYBG Press)

Family:

Ericaceae

Synonyms:

Bejaria grandiflora Bonpl., Bejaria caxamarcensis Kunth, Bejaria cinnamomea Lindl., Bejaria myrtifolia Herincq, Bejaria congesta B.Fedtsch. & Basil., Bejaria aestuans var. macrantha Danguy & Cherm., Bejaria albiflora Linden ex B.Fedtsch. & Basil., Bejaria tricolor Linden ex Herincq, Bejaria lehmanniana B.Fedtsch. & Basil., Bejaria weberbaueriana Mansf. & Sleumer, Bejaria peruviana Mansf. & Sleumer, Bejaria dryanderae Mansf. & Sleumer, Bejaria grisea B.Fedtsch. & Basil.

Description:

Species Description - Shrub or small tree, 0.25-6 m tall, bark fissured, glabrous, tomentose, hispid, or glandular-hispid, dark brown or gray; twigs subterete, brown or gray, often hispid (glandular-hispid). Leaves coriaceous, flat, revolute, or rarely longitudinally curled, usually ovate to elliptic, sometimes narrowly elliptic to narrowly ovate (obovate, orbicular, or cordiform), (0.7-) 1-2.5 x 0.3-1.6 cm, base obtuse to truncate (cuneate or cordate), apex acute to acuminate (obtuse or rounded), usually bluntly mucronate, margin entire, occasionally ciliate (glandular ciliate), both surfaces usually glabrous, sometimes tomentose or hispid (glandular-hispid), midvein usually hispid (glabrous, tomentose, or glandular-hispid). Inflorescence terminal, rarely axillary, racemose, (3-)5-12(-22)-flowered; rachis 1-3.6 cm long and 13-24 mm diam., brown or dark brown, tomentose and usually hispid (glandular-hispid); pedicels ascending, 10-18 mm long and 0.6-1.6 mm diam., usually hispid, occasionally glandular-hispid, glabrous or tomentose; bracteoles usually inserted on basal 1/2 of pedicel (often at the very base), narrowly ovate to narrowly obovate or oblong, sometimes narrowly elliptic to elliptic, flat or often involute, 1.9-6.6 x 0.4-2.1 mm, base truncate, apex obtuse to acute to acuminate, margin usually ciliate, occasionally glandular-ciliate, both surfaces glabrous or tomentose; floral bracts narrowly ovate to ovate or elliptic (narrowly obovate), flat, revolute, involute, or longitudinally curled, 2.3-12.5 x 0.8-2.5 mm, base cuneate, apex acute to acuminate, margin entire, adaxial surface glabrous to tomentose, sometimes hispid or glandular-hispid, abaxial surface usually hispid, sometimes glabrous or tomentose (glandular-hispid). Flowers 7-merous; calyx 3.6-9 mm long, tube 1-4 mm long and 2.5-6.5 mm diam., brown or reddish-brown, glabrous, tomentose, hispid, or glandular-hispid, lobes ovate, occasionally narrowly ovate or elliptic (deltoid), 2.8-5.9(-7.5) × 1.5-4.9 mm, longest lobe 3.8-7.5 mm, apex acute to obtuse, occasionally acuminate (caudate or mucronate), margin entire, ciliolate or ciliate, occasionally glandular-ciliate, abaxial surface glabrous, tomentose, hispid, or glandular-hispid; corolla tubular or fusiform, red to purple, occasionally pink or white, petals often undulate, narrowly obovate, (16.5-)20-40 x 4-10 mm, margin entire or distally ciliate, distally slightly to densely tomentose; stamens subequal to corolla or slightly exserted, (16-) 19-47 mm long, filaments tomentose, anthers 1.6-3.7 mm long and 0.8-1.9 mm diam., glabrous; ovary glabrous, style exserted, 23-56 mm long, stigma capitate. Capsules depressed globose, 5.5-9 mm long and 9.2-11 mm diam., brown, exocarp not separating from the valves; seeds 1.2-1.6 mm long, 0.30.7 mm diam.

Discussion:

I have chosen the LINN specimen as the lectotype because Linné filius probably had this specimen in his possession when he published the name.

It is used in Colombia (Cundinamarca) for fly paper (Haught 5633), hence the names matamosca and pegamosca (fly killer and fly sticker). In Ecuador (Azuay) and Peru (Cajamarca) it is used medicinally: in Ecuador “for wounds [and] sprains cook the leaves and put the crude crushed leaves over the wound, also used as a purgative. . . . [For] heart attacks cook the flowers and drink the infusion” (Steyermark 53329)\ in Peru it is “considered the strongest medicine for respiratory ailments. Cooked and mixed with miel de palo” (Davis & Turner 703).

Bejaria resinosa is characterized by its large, red, tubular or spindle-shaped corollas, its long calyx lobes, its short, thick pedicels, and its ovate, short-petioled leaves with acute to acuminate apices and obtuse or rounded bases. Melampy (1987) found that a variety of hummingbirds and insects visit the flowers in Colombia; most apparently play no role in the pollination but are after the nectar; however, three hummingbird species (Chlorostilbon mellisu-gus, Colibri coruscans, and Aglaiocercus ? kingi) were probably pollinators as well as Bombas (Bom-bias) robustus Smith. He found three other hummingbird species that had pollen on their beaks. Others have reported hummingbirds and rove beetles (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) visiting B. resinosa flowers (Dr. Fernando Ortiz pers, com., pers, obs., and collection label for Callejas P. et al. 961). The flowers are raided by flower piercers as demonstrated by the numerous small holes frequently present at the bases of corollas.

Bejaria resinosa is closely related to B. mathewsii and B. ledifolia, which share the large, red, tubular or fusiform corollas and long calyx lobes. Most closely related is B. ledifolia, a species endemic to the coastal cordillera of Venezuela. It differs from B. resinosa in having shorter petals 13-23 mm long [(16.5)—20—40 mm long in B. resinosa], in the longitudinally-curled leaves (only occasional in B. resinosa), and in the shorter pedicels and smaller capsules.

Separating B. resinosa from B. mathewsii is a very difficult problem inasmuch as the two species are sympatric throughout much of their range and they show some overlap in key characters. The two species can usually be separated using leaf shape, leaf length, and petiole length (Table V), although a combination of these characters may be needed in some instances. In addition, it usually occurs at higher elevations than B. mathewsii.

Bejaria aestuans is easily separated from B. resinosa by corolla shape, leaf size, petiole length, pedicel length, leaf shape, and altitude at which they grow (usually less than 3000 m for B. aestuans and usually more than 3000 m for B. resinosa). Although these two species are very divergent, they apparently hybridize in southern Ecuador, giving rise to a species (B. subsessilis) and a hybrid swarm (see the treatment of B. subsessilis).

Several populations are apparently ‘fixed’ for different characters and have been recognized as species in past treatments. Mansfeld and Sleumer (1935) recognized six species in addition to B. resinosa: B. congesta, B. grisea, B. dryanderae, B. grandiflora, B. cinnamomea, and B. peruviana. Although these taxa can be recognized, the characters used-namely, indumentum and position of the indumentum on various organs and, to a lesser degree, leaf shape and apex shape- have been shown elsewhere in the genus not to have much taxonomic utility. Table VI summarizes the characteristic differences between these taxa. Because there are intermediates, and because some of these taxa are distinguished by characters which I do not find useful (i.e., hair type), I am not recognizing them as distinct species.

Distribution:

Colombia South America| Antioquia Colombia South America| Arauca Colombia South America| Boyacá Colombia South America| Cauca Colombia South America| Cundinamarca Colombia South America| Norte de Santander Colombia South America| Santander Colombia South America| Valle Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Apure Venezuela South America| Táchira Venezuela South America| Ecuador South America| Azuay Ecuador South America| Morona-Santiago Ecuador South America| El Oro Ecuador South America| Loja Ecuador South America| Pichincha Ecuador South America| Peru South America| Amazonas Peru South America| Cajamarca Peru South America| La Libertad Peru South America| Piura Peru South America|

Common Names:

pegajosa, pegamosca, pegamosco, matamosca, carbonero, azalea del monte, pegapega, angucha, angucho, angujo, payama, payana, pegapega, purun rosa