Psammisia pauciflora Griseb. ex A.C.Sm.
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Authority
1932. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 28(2): 394.
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Family
Ericaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type: Peru. Puno: San Gován, Jul 1854 (fl), Lechler 2386 (holotype, K-Herb. Hook., photo ACS neg. 107; isotypes, K, P, S).
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Description
Species Description - Epiphytic shrub, subscandent to 6 m long and with branches to 10 cm diam., essentially glabrous; stem and twigs terete to subterete, sometimes bluntly complanate, striate, nitid. Leaves chartaceous to coriaceous, elliptic-oblong, 20-31 x 7-11 cm, base broadly cuneate and slightly unequal, apex abruptly short-cuspidate to acuminate, margin entire, glabrous; 3-5-plinerved from at or near the base, midrib and inner pair of lateral nerves strongly impressed above and prominent beneath, outer pair of lateral nerves obscure, reticulate veinlets slightly raised above and obscure beneath; petiole subterete, stout, rugose, ca. 10-14 mm long and 2 mm diam., glabrous. Inflorescence axillary, often in axils of fallen leaves, congested, (fasciculate ?) or short-racemose, 6-12(-15)-flowered; rachis subterete, congested, ca. 8-10 mm long; floral bract deltate, acute,ca. 1 mm long; pedicel terete, 10-14 mm long, glabrous, but distally glandular-fimbriate; bracteoles located near the base, ovate, acute, usually < 1(-2) mm long, marginally glandular-fimbriate. Flowers with calyx ca. 5-6 mm long; hypanthium cylindric to campanulate, ca. 2-3 mm long, glabrous, but often glandular-fimbriate; limb campanulate to erecto-patent, thin-membranous, ca. 2.5-3 mm long, essentially truncate distally; lobes lacking or minutely apiculate; sinuses flat or none; corolla thinly carnose, cylindric, slightly inflated at the base, otherwise constricted near the apex, parchment thin and often inflating like a baloon when dry, (25-)28-35(-40) mm long and 8-13 mm diam., glabrous but distally glandular-fimbriate, red or orange with white lobes, the lobes spreading and reflexed, deltate, obtuse, 2.5-4(-5) mm long; stamen proportionally short with regards to corolla length, ca. 8-10 mm long; filaments essentially distinct or basally slightly connate, ca. 2.5-4.5 mm long, glabrous or puberulent distally, the connectives broader than filaments, all conspicuously spurred at apex, or alternately less prominent; anthers ca. 6-7 mm long; thecae strongly granular, ca. 3-4.5 mm long; tubules ± distinct or coherent in proximal half, ca. 2-2.8 mm long, dehiscing through clefts ca. 1.5-1.8 mm long; style long-exserted, to ca. 4 cm long. Berry not seen.
Distribution and Ecology - Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia; tropical moist, wet and rainforest, premontane wet and rainforest, lower montane rainforest, to montane rainforest, at 200-2150 m altitude. Cultivated ABG, NY.
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Discussion
Uses Ecuador: flowers edible; medicinally the leaves along with Dalbergaria picta as a contraceptive; medicinally the inflorescence as a charm for "duende" (ghost).
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Common Names
shingi panga, huilunto, flor de duende