Cavendishia arizonensis Luteyn
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Authority
Luteyn, James L. 1983. Ericaceae--part I. Cavendishia. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 35: 1-290. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Ericaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Panama. Veraguas: N of Santa Fé, summit of Cerro Arizona, 1430 m, 10 Sep 1978 (fl), Hammel 4733 (holotype, MO, photo NY neg. 10576).
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Description
Species Description - Shrub; mature branches subterete, striate, glabrous, yellowish-brown, with minute black stipitate globular glands ca. 0.1 mm in diam. Leaves elliptic, ovate-elliptic or sometimes obovate, 7-13.5 X 2-6 cm, basally cuneate, apically acute or short-acuminate, glabrous but with scattered reddish pustular glands 0.1 mm in diam. along upper surface; 5-plinerved with all veins arising from base, midrib and lateral nerves deeply and conspicuously impressed above, raised beneath causing leaves to be longitudinally compressed and bullate, veinlets impressed above and raised beneath; petioles subterete, flattened adaxially, rugose, ca. 7 mm long and 4 mm in diam., glabrous. Inflorescence viscid, to 82-flowered; rachis subterete, bluntly angled, glabrous, 27 cm long and 6 mm in diam., the proximal 9-10 cm densely provided with globular glands while distal portion without; floral bracts weakly ribbed, oblong, 17-22 X ca. 11 mm, basally clasping, apically rounded or cuspidate, marginally essentially glabrous although weakly ciliate at apex, provided with a few scattered globular or irregularly angular glands, pink when fresh; pedicels subterete, bluntly angled or striate, glabrous, 12-15 mm long and 1.5-2 mm in diam., with scattered globular glands 0.2-0.3 mm in diam., especially at distal tip; bracteoles basal, broadly ovate, ca. 4 X 3.5 mm, marginally glandular callose at distal tip and flanked by oblong callose glands on each side (not globular glands). Flowers: calyx glabrous, viscid, 6-6.5 mm long; hypanthium cylindric, rugose, 2.5 mm long, basally nonapophysate but obscured by globular to irregularly angular glands to 0.5 mm in diam.; limb campanulate, 3.5-4 mm long, without glands; lobes triangular, 1.5 mm long, erect after anthesis, distal 1/3 of lamina and margins glandular-callose; sinus broadly rounded; corolla immature, cylindric, ca. 18 mm long and 5-6 mm in diam., lavender, pilose distal 1/3 especially dense near tip, covered with white viscid exudate; stamens ca. 16 mm long; filaments distinct, short-pilose on ventral side the distal half, alternately ca. 2 mm and 5 mm long; anthers alternately ca. 15 mm and 12 mm long; thecae ca. 6 mm long; style ca. 17 mm long. Mature berry not seen.
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Discussion
Cavendishia arizonensis is distinguished by its combination of thick bullate leaves, elongate rachises, short lavender corollas which are distally pilose, and by the globular to angular glands along the length of the rachises, pedicels, floral bract margins, and hypanthium. It is most closely related to panamensis, resembling it in gland types, elongate inflorescences, and nonapophysate hypanthia which are obscured from view by globular or irregularly angular glands. Cavendishia arizonensis differs from C. panamensis by the characters listed in the key, and further by bracts that at anthesis cover only the pedicels and calyx and not the lower half of the corolla. Hammel & Kress 8555 note that the flowers were covered by a white, sticky latex.
Distribution and Ecology: Endemic to the top of Cerro Arizona where it occurs as an epiphyte in “heath-like terrain formed by the dense crowns of elfin forest trees packed with bromeliads, ferns, lycopodium, and mosses (Sphagnum)" (Hammel4733). It has been collected at elevations of 1400-1430 m, and flowers in April and September. Immature fruits have also been collected in September (Hammel 4733).
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Distribution
Panama Central America| Veraguas Panama Central America|