Ceratostema lanigerum (Sleumer) Luteyn
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Authority
1984. Syst. Bot. 9(3): 367.
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Family
Ericaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type: Ecuador. Pastaza: Río Negro, 1200 m, 16 Jun 1938 (fl), Schultze-Rhonhof 2509 (holotype, B?; lectotype, designated by Luteyn (1984), K leaf fragment ex B, photo NY neg. 10627).
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Description
Species Description - Epiphytic shrub with lianoid branches to 3 m long, densely hirsute on all parts (except style) with whitish hairs 1.5-3 mm long; stem terete and striate to complanate, and bluntly angled, older stems glabrate. Leaves coriaceous, weakly to strongly amplexicaul, often bullate, ovate, (4-)5-12 x (2-)2.3-5 cm, base cordate, auriculate, the lobes incurved and not overlapping when fresh, but slightly overlapping or separate when dry, the sinus about as deep as the petiole is long, apically acute to short- or long-acuminate, hirsute along nerves above but all over beneath; weakly 5(-7)-plinerved with 2-3 pairs of lateral nerves arising from near base, midrib slightly thickened and raised above in proximal 1 cm, impressed distally, raised beneath, lateral nerves weakly impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets plane to slightly raised but very inconspicuous above, raised beneath; petiole terete, rugose, (2-)3-6 mm long. Inflorescence axillary, subfasciculate to short-racemose, 3-7-flowered; rachis coarsely angled, striate, congested, 9-20 mm long; floral bract ovate-lanceolate, constricted at base, acute to acuminate, 4-9 x ca. 2-2.5 mm; pedicel subterete, striate, 15-25 mm long; bracteoles medial to nearly basal, ovate, acute-acuminate, 2-6 mm long. Flowers with calyx articulate, 6-8 mm long; hypanthium cylindric-obconic, terete to obscurely and bluntly 10-costate, truncate basally, 3-4 mm long; limb campanulate-spreading, almost perpendicular to axis of calyx at anthesis, 2-4 mm long; lobes broadly triangular, acuminate, 1-2.5 mm long; sinuses broadly rounded, becoming acute by fissure; corolla thick-carnose, cylindric-urceolate, terete, basally ventricose, 29-35 mm long and 10-18 mm basal diam., red, the lobes wide-spreading, narrowly linear- triangular, 12-14 mm long, dark blue-black within; stamen 10, alternately slightly unequal, 27-33 mm long; filaments distinct, about equal, 5-8.2 mm long, glabrous; anthers alternately slightly unequal, 22-25 mm long; thecae alternately slightly unequal, 7-11 mm long; tubules about equal, distinct to base and there papillate, longer than thecae, 13-17 mm long, appearing to arise from dorsal surface of thecae, dehiscing by short, oblique, somewhat flaring pores 0.8-1.2 mm long; style shortly exserted, to 37 mm long, glabrous. Berry not seen.
Distribution and Ecology - Endemic to Ecuador; riverine forest and rainforest at 800-1600 m altitude. Cultivated ABG, NCSC.