Agarista albiflora (B.Fedtsch. & Basil.) Judd

Description

Description: Shrub to 3 m tall; twigs with or without scattered gland-headed hairs, otherwise moderately pubescent, with ± nonchambered pith; buds to ca. 1.5 mm long, leaves revolute. Leaves coriaceous, ovate to elliptic, (0.9-)1.6-7 x (0.4-) 0.8-2.7 cm, base widely cuneate to cordate, apex acute- to rounded-mucronate, margin entire (slightly undulate), plane to very slightly (strongly) revolute, adaxial surface with or without gland-headed hairs on midvein, otherwise sparsely to moderately pubescent on midvein (also sparsely pubescent on lamina and along margin), abaxial surface with or without gland-headed hairs on midvein, otherwise very sparsely to moderately pubescent on midvein, usually with few to many inconspicuous glandular dots along midvein; petiole 2-8 mm long. Inflorescences axillary racemes to 3-10 cm long; rachis with or without scattered gland-headed hairs, otherwise sparsely to moderately pubescent; pedicels 2-7.5 mm long, with or without gland-headed hairs, otherwise moderately pubescent; bracteoles 2, opposite to subopposite, basal or nearly so, narrowly triangular, to ca. 0.8 mm long; floral bracts to 1 mm long. Flowers with triangular calyx lobes, with acuminate apices, 0.7-1.8 x 0.6-1.1 mm, abaxial surface sparsely to moderately pubescent; corolla cylindrical to urceolate-cylindrical, white (red tinged at tip, or red), 4-9 x 2-3.5 mm, glabrous; filaments 2.5-5 mm long; anthers 1-1.5 mm long; ovary sparsely to densely pubescent. Capsules subglobose to short-ovoid, 3-5.5 x 4-7.5 mm, placentae subapical; seeds 1.5-2 mm long.

Distribution: Northern Andes from Venezuela and Colombia south to Peru. Moist montane forests, dwarf forests, rocky areas with scattered shrubs; 1800-2500 m alt. Flowering April to September.

Illustration: Judd (1995), fig. 3.

Type: Colombia. Boyacá: Nr. Soatá, Apr 1843, Linden 1322 (holotype, LE, n.v.; isotypes, BR, n.v., F, G, n.v., K, NY, P, US, W, n.v.).

Literature: Judd, W. J. 1995. Agarista. In: Luteyn, J. L., W. S. Judd, S. E. Clemants, G. M. Diggs, P.D. Sørensen, L. J. Dorr & G. D. Wallace. Ericaceae. Part II. The superior-ovaried genera (Monotropoideae, Pyroloideae, Rhododendroideae, and Vaccinioideae p.p.). Fl. Neotrop. 66: 1-560.