Cavendishia pseudopedunculata Luteyn

  • Authority

    Luteyn, James L. 1983. Ericaceae--part I. Cavendishia. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 35: 1-290. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Ericaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Cavendishia pseudopedunculata Luteyn

  • Type

    Type. Colombia. Valle: Ansermanuevo-San José del Palmar rd., km 60-62, 1870-1950 m, 19 Apr 1979 (fl), Luteyn et al. 7292 (holotype, COL; isotypes, MO, NY 2 sheets, US, photo NY neg. 10869).

  • Description

    Species Description - Epiphyte or terrestrial shrub with stems to 2 m long, totally glabrous (except filaments of stamens); branches terete or subterete and complanate, striate, reddish-brown. Leaves elliptic or oblong-elliptic, 7-15 X 2.5-4.5(-5.5) cm, basally rounded or obtuse, apically long-acuminate or somewhat caudate-acuminate (acumen then 1.5-2 cm long); (3-)5-7(-9)-plinerved from base with midrib, lateral nerves, and reticulate veinlets impressed above and raised beneath; petioles terete, rugose, 5-8 mm long and 1-2 mm in diam. Inflorescence ca. 20-flowered, the flowers restricted to distal Vi of inflorescence; rachis subterete, 4-5 cm long and 2.5 mm in basal diam. becoming ca. 4-5 mm in diam. distally; floral bracts: those of proximal ¾ of inflorescence subcoriaceous, striate, caducous so that at anthesis inflorescence appears pedunculate, oblong-lanceolate, to 25 X 10 mm, apically obtuse or subacute, the next few distal bracts subtending sterile nodes and wide-spreading to reflexed, those of distal ¼ of inflorescence subtending flowers, subcoriaceous, striate, appressed, oblong, 35 X 15 mm, apically rounded or obtuse, glandular-fimbriate near midrib; pedicels obconic, 2 mm long; bracteoles located at distal tip of pedicel, similar to distal floral bracts but ca. 30 X 10 mm. Flowers: calyx 8.5 mm long, white when fresh; hypanthium campanulate, 3.5 mm long, truncate basally; limb spreading, striate, 5 mm long; lobes triangular, 3 mm long, eglandular; sinus obtuse; corolla tubular but tapering distally, 34 mm long and 8 mm in diam., lobes triangular, 1 mm long; stamens alternately ca. 14.2 mm and 15.8 mm long; filaments connate into a tube 4 mm long, individual filaments alternately 4 mm and 5.7 mm long, the long ones basally 1.1 mm broad tapering distally to 0.3-0.4 mm and short-hirtellous medially, the short ones 1.1 mm broad throughout the length and short-hirtellous distally; anthers alternately ca. 10.5 mm and 9.3 mm long; thecae granular, rigid, 3.5 mm long; tubules dehiscing by clefts 3-4.5 mm long; style ca. 33.5 mm long. Berry not seen.

  • Discussion

    The characteristic features of C. pseudopedunculata and its relationships with C. mariae and C. pilobracteata are discussed with C. mariae.

  • Distribution

    Known only from cloud forest in the Bocas del Toro/ Chiriquí Prov, border area, and tropical wet forest (300-770 m elevation) north of Santa Fé (Veraguas Prov.), Panama. Flowering material has been collected in April and May, and buds in late October.

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