Cavendishia grossa 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 grossa Luteyn

Type

Type. Colombia. Antioquia: Yarumal-Valdivia rd., km 122, ca. 10 km N of Yarumal, 2160 m, 22 Mar 1979 (fl), Luteyn, Lebrón-Luteyn & Camargo 7050 (holotype, COL, photo NY neg. 10858; isotypes, E, HUA, L, MO, NY-2 sheets, US).

Description

Latin Diagnosis - A C. nitida calycibus bracteisque floralibus glandulis aureis obsitis nec eglan-dulosis, calycibus 6-7 mm nec (6-)8-10 mm longis e basi sursum patentibus et distributione geographica differt.

Species Description - Arching, terrestrial shrub to 3 m tall, glabrous (except filaments); mature branches terete, smooth, reddish-brown; twigs subterete, complanate and bluntly angled, striate, reddish-brown. Leaves slightly bullate, brittle when fresh, elliptic, obovate to oblong, or the distal ones ovate, (2.8-)6-13 x (2-)3-6 cm, basally slightly narrowed and rounded or obtuse, apically broadly rounded or obtuse, rarely bluntly cuspidate; 3-5(-7)-plinerved from near base, midrib conspicuously thickened and raised through proximal 1 cm otherwise impressed above and prominently raised below, lateral nerves impressed above and prominently raised beneath, veinlets weakly impressed above and obscure beneath, proximal portions of veins red when fresh; petiole subterete, flattened adaxially, coarsely rugose, (2-)6-8 mm long and 3-4 mm diam., red when fresh. Inflorescence nodding, globose, 15-20-flowered; rachis coarsely subterete, bluntly angled, conspicuously thickened at each node, ca. 4 cm long and 4-5 mm diam. at anthesis, becoming 14 mm diam. in fruit; floral bracts erect and appressed, at anthesis covering all but distal ¼ of corolla, obovate, 30-35 x 15-20 mm, red when fresh, apically rounded, marginally scarious, dorsally covered with short-stipitate, spherical-headed glandular fimbriae which are bright yellow when fresh and slightly sunken into bract surface; pedicels terete, striate, 10-14 mm long and 1.2-1.7 mm diam. at anthesis, becoming 5 mm diam. in fruit; bracteoles oblong or lanceolate, 2.5-3 X 0.8 mm, marginally with 4-6 short-stipitate, spherical-headed glandular fimbriae. Flowers: calyx 6-7 mm long, rose-red when fresh, sparsely provided with subsessile, spherical-headed glandular fimbriae which are bright yellow when fresh; hypanthium subcylindric, bluntly 5-10-ribbed, 2.5-3 mm long, basally swollen and apophysate, the apophysis slightly flaring when dry; limb erectopatent or campanulate, 3.5-4.5 mm long; lobes deltoid-triangular, 1.5—2 mm long, tardily connivent after anthesis, margins provided with sessile to subsessile, spherical to somewhat oblong glands these sometimes fusing laterally towards lobe tips; sinus rounded or obtuse; corolla cylindric, 20-25 mm long and 6-8 mm diam., lower 3/4 red and upper ¼ white when fresh, lobes triangular, 1.5 mm long, white when fresh; stamens 16.518 mm long; filaments moderately pilose ventrally, alternately 4-4.5 mm and 67 mm long; anthers alternately 14-15 mm and 12.5-13.5 mm; thecae 7-7.5 mm long; style subequal to corolla. Immature berry ca. 16 mm diam.

Discussion

Cavendishia grossa is a strikingly beautiful species characterized by racemes of large, red and white flowers, dark green leaves which are brittle, bullate, oblong, elliptic to obovate and proximally red-veined, and by bright yellow, viscid, spherical-headed glandular fimbriae on the calyces, floral bracts, and bracteoles.

Distribution

Known only from the type locality, where it was a locally abundant, tall (to 3 m), arching, terrestrial shrub which, with numerous scattered seedlings, was rooted in the rocky soil of a steep roadside slope at 2160 m elevation. Flowering and fruiting in March.

Antioquia Colombia South America| Colombia South America|