Pernettya howellii Sleumer

  • 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

    Pernettya howellii Sleumer

  • Type

    Type. Ecuador. Galapagos Islands, Santa Cruz (Indefatigable Isl.), summit of Mt. Crocker, 9 May 1932 (fl, fr), Howell 9215 (holotype, CAS; isotypes, B, K, NY, US).

  • Synonyms

    Gaultheria howellii (Sleumer) D.J.Middleton

  • Description

    Species Description - Prostrate or erect shrub, 10-30(-50) cm tall, apparently dioecious; branches subterete, puberulent and strigose with reddish, straight, eglandular hairs ca. 1.5 mm long. Leaves subcoriaceous, ovate, ovate-elliptic, ovate-oblong, or elliptic-oblong, (2.5-)4-10 × (2-)2.5-6 mm, base rounded or cuneate-attenuate, apex acute to acuminate with midrib extended into a short, persistent, achlorophyllous mucro, 0.7-1 mm long, margin inconspicuously revolute and thickened, subserrate-crenulate with 49 teeth per side, these each bristle-tipped with caducous, gland-tipped hairs to 0.4 mm long, glabrous or with a few appressed setae at base of midrib beneath, nitid above; midrib plane or slightly impressed above and raised and prominent beneath, secondary veins usually obscure; petiole 0.5-1 (-2) mm long, glabrous. Flowers with pedicels 3-4(-7) mm long in anthesis lengthening to 7(-11) mm long in fruit, puberulent and short-setose with ferruginous, eglandular, multicellular, crisped hairs; floral bracts and bracteoles 4-5, indistinguishable, basal or scattered along length of pedicel, bracts ovate, 1.5-2.3 mm long, acuminate, glabrous; calyx glabrous, lobes subovate or triangular, 1.3-2.2(-2.6) mm long, acuminate; corolla cylindric-urceolate, 3-4.5(-5) mm long, 2.5 mm diam., white, lobes 11.5 mm long; stamens (8-)10, 1.6-2.4 mm long; filaments glabrous, ca. 1 mm long; ovary depressed-globose, glabrous, style 1.2-1.5 mm long, glabrous. Berry globose, 4-5(-6) mm diam., white or often pinkish (red?) when mature.

  • Discussion

    Pernettya howellii is characterized by its small, mucronate-tipped leaves; it is restricted to the low volcanic mountains of two islands in the Galapagos archipelago. Based only on the examination of herbarium specimens, Sleumer (1985) stated that P. howellii is dioecious. Careful field observations are needed to clarify this statement and to determine its relationships with the dioecious, mucronate-leaved P. mucronata found in Chile and Argentina. Mucronate-leaved populations of P. prostrata from Costa Rica are also very similar to P. howellii, the differences given in the key overemphasizing this distinctness.

  • Objects

    Specimen - 10283, J. T. Howell 9215, Pernettya howellii Sleumer, Ericaceae (261.0), Magnoliophyta, isotype; South America, Ecuador, Galápagos

  • Distribution

    Endemic to the Galápagos Islands where it is known only from Isabela and Santa Cruz (Indefatigable Isl.). Found on mountain slopes, in grassy areas, wet depressions, Sphagnum-bogs, ridges and bases of cliffs at 650-1040 m elev. Flowering Feb-Jun and Sep-Oct; fruiting Feb-Jun.

    Ecuador South America| Galápagos Islands Ecuador South America|