Ceratostema silvicola A.C.Sm.
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Authority
1950. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 29: 363.
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Family
Ericaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type: Ecuador. Napo: nr Archidona, 650 m, 20 Apr 1935 (fl), Mexia 7283 (holotype, US, photo NY neg. 11129; isotype, US).
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Description
Species Description - Epiphytic shrub; stem subterete, bluntly angled, sometimes sinuous, glabrous; bark peeling off in thin strips; twigs subterete, bluntly angled, striate, densely short-pilose, glabrate, with sterile bracts (almost miniature leaves) to 6 mm long scattered along length. Leaves coriaceous, amplexicaul, subsessile the petiole practically indiscernible, ovate-oblong, 9-16 x 5-8.5 cm, base conspicuously cordate with a sinus 1-1.5 cm deep and rounded auricles which are separate or imbricate, apex short- to long-acuminate or obtusely short-cuspidate, margin entire and slightly recurved, glabrous; pinnately nerved (sometimes appearing weaklly plinerved) with 3-6 lateral nerves per side, the basal ones spreading, the distal ones curved-ascending, all anastomosing towards margin, midrib thickened and slightly raised in the proximal 1-5 cm, then distally slightly raised to slightly impressed above, raised and very prominent beneath, lateral nerves slightly raised or impressed above but sharply raised beneath, reticulate veinlets impressed above and raised beneath; petiole subterete, flattened above, rugose, 3-5 mm long and in diam. densely puberulent, glabrate. Inflorescences axillary toward apices of branchlets, racemose, usually 3-8-flowered; rachis slender, angled, striate, 0.9-4 cm long, short white pilose; floral bract membranous, ovate, acute to acuminate, ca. 2-3 x 2 mm, puberulent, persistent after anthesis; pedicel thin, terete, striate, 22-35(-40) mm long and ca. 1 mm middle diam. at anthesis, gradually swelling distally and swollen to the diam. of the calyx hypanthium at anthesis, short white pilose; bracteoles located somewhat below the middle, rarely nearly basal, similar to floral bract but 1-2 x ca. 1 mm. Flowers with the calyx articulate, 5 mm long, densely short-pilose with white hairs; hypanthium subterete, weakly to obscurely 10-costate, ca. 3 mm long and 4 mm diam., the base truncate; limb membranous, spreading, 2-3 mm long, less densely white pilose; lobes broadly deltate, acute, ca. 1.5 x 3.5 mm, perpendicular to calyx axis or reflexed at anthesis; sinuses acute to flat or broadly obtuse; corolla thick carnose when fresh, subcylindric-urceolate, terete to bluntly and broadly 5-angled, basally ventricose, narrowed distally, 27-38 mm long and 10-17 mm diam. near base, crimson, short-pilose, deeply 5-lobed to near middle, the lobes reflexed, subulate, acute, ca. 13-15 mm long and 3-5 mm broad at base, dark blue-black; stamen 10, alternately slightly unequal, shorter than the corolla, 24-33 mm long; filaments distinct, 6-8 mm long, glabrous; anthers 19-28 mm long; thecae strongly granular, 7-11 mm long, the bases of alternate thecae mucronate; tubules distinct to base, very thin and appearing to arise from dorsal side of thecae, smooth, 11-18.5 mm long, dehiscing by flaring oval pores ca. 1 mm long; style 28-36 mm long, glabrous. Berry not seen.
Distribution and Ecology - Endemic to Ecuador, and known only from 7 collections; tropical wet forest to premontane moist forest at 450-650 m altitude.
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Common Names
sagalita