Agarista virgata Judd

  • 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

  • Scientific Name

    Agarista virgata Judd

  • Type

    Type. Brazil. Minas Gerais: Serra do Cipo, km 140, 22 Jun 1964, Duarte 8098 (holotype, F; isotypes, L, S).

  • Description

    Species Description - Erectly branched shrub to ca. 1 m tall; twigs with scattered gland-headed hairs, otherwise glabrous, with nonchambered pith; buds to ca. 2.8 mm long, leaves re volute. Leaves coriaceous, ovate to elliptic, 0.7-1.8 × 0.4-1.3 cm, base cordate to rounded, apex acute- to obtuse-mucronate to short-acuminate, margin entire or serrulate due to gland-headed hairs, plane, adaxial surface with gland-headed hairs, otherwise very sparsely pubescent on extreme basal portion of midvein, abaxial surface with glandheaded hairs, especially on mid vein, otherwise glabrous, usually with few very inconspicuous glandular dots along midvein; petiole 1-2 mm long. Inflorescences axillary racemes or terminal racemes or panicles, to 5-16 cm long; rachis with scattered glandheaded hairs, otherwise glabrous; pedicels 2-7 mm long, with gland-headed hairs, otherwise glabrous; bracteoles 2, alternate to opposite, from near apex to midpoint of pedicel, narrowly triangular to ovate, to ca. 2.3 mm long; floral bracts to 5 mm long (some similar to leaves). Flowers with triangular calyx lobes, with acuminate apices, 1.4-3 × 0.6-1.6 mm, abaxial surface with gland-headed hairs, otherwise glabrous; corolla cylindrical, white, 6-7 × 2-3 mm, glabrous; filaments ca. 4 mm long; anthers ca. 1 mm long; ovary glabrous. Capsules subglobose to short-ovoid, 4-5.5 × 5.5-7.5 mm, placentae ± central; seeds 1.2-1.6 mm long.

  • Discussion

    This distinctive species is easily recognized by its rigidly ascending, wandlike branches with small, more or less flat, densely overlapping leaves. It is most easily confused with the geographically separated Agarista nummularia by its twigs, inflorescence rachis, pedicels, and ovaries that completely lack unicellular hairs, and by its capsules with more or less centrally located placentae.

    It is of interest that both known collections of this taxon have gland-headed hairs; further collecting may reveal plants lacking these hairs, since their presence is variable in all other species in which they occur.

  • Distribution

    SE Brazil, Minas Gerais, Serra do Cipo; ca. 1400 m elev. Flowering in June.

    Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America|