Gaultheria reticulata Kunth
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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)
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Family
Ericaceae
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Scientific Name
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Synonyms
Brossea reticulata (Kunth) Kuntze, Gaultheria glabra DC., Gaultheria glabra f. brachyphylla Herzog, Brossea glabra (DC.) Kuntze
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Description
Species Description - Erect shrub, (0. l-)0.5-2(-6) m tall; mature stems terete, glabrous; bark reddish-brown, thin, cracking into longitudinal strips; twigs subterete, sulcate, striate, angled, glabrous or puberulent, sometimes with inconspicuous, short (0.1 mm long), basally swollen, minutely gland-tipped hairs, reddish-brown; buds ovate to 3 mm long, scales ovate, glabrous but ciliate. Leaves coriaceous, elliptic to oblong, 1.5-5.5(-7) × 0.8-2(-3) cm, base broadly cuneate, obtuse, or rounded, apex acute to rounded and often shortly and bluntly mucronate, margin serrate-crenate, with each tooth terminating in a minute gland ca. 0.1 mm long, glabrous on both surfaces but conspicuously reddish- to blackish-punctate especially beneath; midrib, lateral nerves (2-5 per side), and reticulate veinlets usually conspicuous and slightly raised on both surfaces; petiole subterete, shallowly canaliculate above, 2-3(-4.5) mm long, glabrous or puberulent above, reddish-brown. Inflorescences clustered at branch tips, axillary, racemose, 12-20-flowered; rachis subterete, striate, bluntly angled, (3.5-)5.5-8.5 cm long, weakly to densely white puberulent (densely short-pilose and sometimes also weakly short-hirsute with basally swollen, minutely gland-tipped, ferruginous hairs to 0.4 mm long), surrounded at base by a series of ovate to oblong, striate, glabrous, ciliate bracts to 4 mm long; pedicels subterete, striate, 3-8(-13) mm long, elongating to 20 mm after anthesis, puberulent (densely short-pilose), usually weakly to conspicuously short-hirsute as on rachis but with hairs only to 0.2 mm long; bracteoles nearly basal, membranous, striate, ovate, 2-3 × 0.75-1.5 mm, acute to long-acuminate, ± glabrous (or short-pilose), ciliate and marginally glandular-fimbriate; floral bract membranous, striate, oblanceolate to oblong, (3-)5-6(—8) × 1-2 mm, obtuse, glabrous or short-pilose, ciliate and marginally glandular-fimbriate. Flowers usually nodding at anthesis; calyx 3-3.5(-4.3) mm long, lobes ovate, 2-2.5(-3) × 1.6-2 mm, short-acuminate, glabrous without (or weakly short-pilose at base), usually puberulent within, ciliate; corolla urceolate, terete, 5-6.5 × 5-7 mm, glabrous without (or weakly puberulent), short-pilose within, white to cream-colored when fresh, lobes ovate, 1-1.5 mm long, obtuse; stamens 3-4.5 mm long; filaments 2.2-3.3 mm long, villous; anthers (0.8-) 1.5-2 mm long, awns conspicuous; ovary densely short-pilose; style 3-4 mm long, glabrous or short-pilose basally. Fruiting calyx ca. 7-8 mm diam., glabrous, white to reddish. Chromosome number: 2n = 44 (Middleton & Wilcock, 1990b).
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Discussion
Bees were noted collecting nectar from the flowers of Luteyn & Lebrón-Luteyn 5547. Gaultheria reticulata is characterized by relatively small and conspicuously reticulate, oblong to elliptic leaves; numerous nodding white flowers on long racemes; glabrous corollas and calyces; and white to reddish fruiting calyces. There is some noticeable variation in leaf size with plants from Ecuador and northern Peru usually less than 4 × 2 cm and those from central Peru to Bolivia generally larger, i.e., 4-5.5(-7) × 3 cm.
Apparently hybridization with G. erecta occurs in disturbed sites. Numerous collections have been made of these putative hybrids including:ECUADOR. Azuay: Páramo de Carboncillo, Camp 281 (NY); N of Sevilla de Oro, Camp 4545 (NY), 4546 (NY), 4547 (NY), 4548 (NY), 4549 (NY). Loja: Cerro Villanaco, Camp 157 (NY), 678 (NY), 680 (NY), 681 (NY).This hybridization is manifested by the leaves being more cordate-ovate, the floral bracts longer than the pedicels, the calyces and/or corollas being hairy, and generally a much greater density of glandular indumentum throughout the inflorescence than in G. reticulata.With regard to Camp 4545-4549, the collections have a note attached by Camp (to sheet Camp 4545):"This type of plant very common on the open slopes of the quebrada within sight of the village of Sevilla de Oro. While it is likely that the previous day on a ridge slightly to the north and represented among #’s 4520-4532, the primary species, several hybrids, segregates and even polyploid material may be found, the bulk of the material in this area and represented by this number behaves in the field much like a reasonably stable allopolyploid. Both of the two putative parental species are present, the smallleaved white-flowered one being more abundant than the large-leaved red-flowered one; this material is well set off from both and may be distinguished from either in nearly all stages of development."The small-leaved white-flowered one is G. reticulata and the large-leaved red-flowered one G. erecta. I have annotated these sheets (as well as Camp 157, 281, 678, 680, and 681) as "Gaultheria erecta × G. reticulata" because all this material looks more similar to G. erecta. Camp 157 showed pollen grains slightly misshapen and 100% inviable when treated with cotton-blue plus lactophenol.A similar situation is found in Hutchison et al. 5936 from Prov. Huánuco (Carpish area), Peru, but this specimen has been annotated as "? Gaultheria reticulata × G. erecta" because it looks more like a large-leaved G. reticulata.Intergeneric hybridization with Pernettya prostrata has been documented by Middleton (1991a) in Ecuador from populations along the road between Gualaceo and Limon and from the Paramos de Tinajillas (both Prov. Azuay). These plants were intermediate between the parental types, both of which were found in the area. The putative hybrids had intermediate leaf size and shape, irregularly clustered, terminal aggregations of single flowers as well as racemes found on the one plant, pedicels which were often multibracteolate, often baccate fruits with fleshy calyces, and some collections more largely in viable (70-100%) based on staining with cotton- blue plus lactophenol.Gaultheria reticulata is morphologically most similar to G. serrata from SE Brazil having in common puberulent to short-pilose rachises and pedicels, these also with hirsute gland-tipped hairs; nitid stems; leaves oblong to elliptic with prominent venation; corollas pilose to villose within; and styles frequently pilose at the base. Their salient differences are mentioned in the key. Middleton (1991b), however, placed G. reticulata in ser. Reticulatae (sect. Brossaea) and G. serrata in ser. Domingenses (sect. Brossaea). As I have stated in "Infrageneric Relationships," I consider the species placed in ser. Reticulatae to be somewhat heterogeneous. Perhaps the overall similarities of G. reticulata and G. serrata could be due to convergent or parallel evolution, i.e., G. reticulata from G. erecta in the Andes and G. serrata from G. erecta in Brazil. -
Common Names
monte pespita, supaybasundi, mulacis, maique de burro
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Objects
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Distribution
Commonly found from central Ecuador to north-central Bolivia in physiognomically drier sites than most Ericaceae. Habitats include montane cloud forest, cloud forest-páramo ecotone, open grassy páramo, shrubby slopes, seasonally dry secondary scrub, and ceja de la montana at (1525-)2000-3200(-3900) m elev. Flowering and fruiting occur throughout the year.
Ecuador South America| Azuay Ecuador South America| Cañar Ecuador South America| El Oro Ecuador South America| Loja Ecuador South America| Morona-Santiago Ecuador South America| Peru South America| Amazonas Peru South America| Ayacucho Peru South America| Cajamarca Peru South America| Cusco Peru South America| Huancavelica Peru South America| Huánuco Peru South America| Junín Peru South America| Lambayeque Peru South America| Piura Peru South America| Puno Peru South America| Bolivia South America| Cochabamba Bolivia South America| La Paz Bolivia South America|