Cavendishia wercklei Hoerold

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Ericaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Cavendishia wercklei Hoerold

  • Type

    Type. Costa Rica. San José: CR Hwy. 220, La Palma, 1460 m, 16 May 1973 (fl), Luteyn 3604 (neotype, NY; isoneotypes, DUKE, F). The holotype deposited at B was destroyed but is represented by fragments (NY) and in photo (F neg. 4684).

  • Description

    Species Description - Epiphytic and terrestrial shrub to 2 m tall; stem base 2-13 cm in diam.; mature branches terete to subterete, minutely striate, usually glabrous but sometimes scattered spreading hirsute, reddish-brown to tan; twigs subterete to flattened, minutely striate, glabrous or densely spreading hirsute usually glabrate, frequently with reddish, clavate, subsessile glands. Leaves lanceolate, lance-elliptic, oblong, or rarely ovate, (4-)7-12(-15) X (1-)2-4(-5) cm, basally rounded, cuneate, or obtuse, apically long-acuminate, weakly pilose along nerves and lamina base when young usually glabrate, but often persisting along nerves on abaxial surface; 3-5-plinerved, midrib, lateral nerves, and sometimes primary veinlets impressed above thus sometimes causing leaves to be bullate, veinlets often plane or slightly raised distally above, all nerves raised and conspicuous beneath; petioles subterete, rugose, rarely minutely papillate, (5-)6-11 (-12) mm long and 1-2 mm in diam., densely short-pilose adaxially, sparsely so abaxially and occasionally becoming totally glabrous. Inflorescence (6-)9-12(-19)-flowered, cylindric in bud, lowest one or two nodes often sterile, rachis long-tapering, bluntly angled or flattened, striate, glabrous, viscid, (3-)5-7(-9) cm long and 2-4 mm in diam., pink to rose-pink, densely covered by tiny, sessile to subsessile, globular or clavate, reddish glands ca. 0.2 mm in length; floral bracts usually caducous, smooth when fresh but usually conspicuously nerved when dry, oblong to obovate, (15-)20-30(-35) X 10-20 mm, basally narrowed to a truncate base, apically obtuse to rounded and rarely apiculate, glabrous, rose to pinkish-purple, abaxially with minute subsessile clavate reddish glands; pedicels swollen at both ends, smooth to coarsely striate or ribbed, viscid, glabrous, (9-) 11-18 mm long and (0.5-)1(-1.5) mm in diam., pink to cream-colored, usually provided with reddish, sessile and round, or subsessile and clavate glands over entire length or only basally, rarely eglandular; bracteoles keeled, often conspicuously (l-)3-5-nerved, ovate or oblong-lanceolate, 2-4.5(-5) X (0.5-) 1.5-2.5(-3.5) mm, apically acute and glandular-callose. Flowers: calyx glabrous, 6-9(-11) mm long, viscid; hypanthium cylindric, coarsely ribbed, 2-3.5(-5) mm long and (3.5-)4-6(-7) mm in diam., basally apophysate with apophysis undulate to shallowly lobed, equal to or extending below articulation often basally wide-spreading, rose to violet at anthesis but turning green; limb cylindric to campanulate, smooth when fresh, but usually drying conspicuously ribbed, rarely minutely papillate, (3.5-)4-6(-6.5) mm long, rose to rose-violet at anthesis but becoming pale green, whitish or pinkish; lobes triangular, obtuse or acute, 1.5-2 X 2-2.5 mm, erect after anthesis, completely glandular-callose and this extending onto limb surface, dark rose-purple at anthesis but becoming dark green; sinus obtuse, broadly rounded, or rarely flat; corolla somewhat constricted basally, narrowed to throat, viscid, (25-)31-38 mm long and 68 mm in diam., short-pilose for distal 2/3 or sometimes velutinous, whitish to purplish-rose, lobes oblong, obtuse, 1.5-2 mm long; stamens 26-34 mm long; filaments alternately 3.5-5.5 mm and 8-11.5 mm long, long ones pilose distally, short ones subglabrous with a cluster of short, retrorse hairs at distal tip; anthers alternately 25.5-31 mm and 20.5-24 mm long; thecae 5.5-10.5 mm long; style 30-37 mm long. Berry ca. 13 mm in diam.

  • Discussion

    No additional specimens have been seen since those cited in Luteyn (1976).

    Cavendishia wercklei is characterized by a stout rachis, large usually caducous floral bracts, glandular-fimbriate rachis and pedicels, undulate apophysis base, and whitish to pinkish-rose, distally short-pilose corolla. The geographical and morphological ranges given by Smith (1932) were based on a much broader concept of the species than was circumscribed by me (Luteyn, 1976) and are discussed in greater detail in that paper. The relationship of C. wercklei to C. melastomoides is discussed with that species. Cavendishia wercklei also shows similarities to C. callista, the differences of which are mentioned in the key.

    Distribution and Ecology: Very infrequent species endemic to the Central Valley of Costa Rica where it is found in disturbed cloud forest areas in Alajuela and San Jose Provs. at elevations of 1000-1500 m. Flowering specimens have been collected in May and June, and fruiting in July. No additional specimens have been seen since those cited in Luteyn (1976).

  • Distribution

    Costa Rica South America| San José Costa Rica Central America| Alajuela Costa Rica Central America|