Cavendishia amplexa Luteyn

  • Family

    Ericaceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Cavendishia amplexa Luteyn

  • Primary Citation

    Brittonia 32: 188. 1980

  • Type Specimens

    Specimen 1: Isotype -- J. L. Luteyn 7318

  • Description

    Description: Terrestrial shrub to 2 m tall; mature branches terete, striate, glabrous, reddish-brown; twigs subterete, striate, densely pilose with white hairs 1-1.5 mm long or glabrate. Leaves elliptic, lanceolate or somewhat ovate-lanceolate, (7-)9-12 x 1.5-4.5 cm, basally obtuse or broadly cuneate, apically caudate-acuminate, essentially glabrous above but densely appressed pilose with hairs to 0.8 mm long beneath; 3-5-plinerved with lateral nerves arising near base, midrib and lateral nerves impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets obscure; petioles subterete, rugose, 5-7 mm long and 2-3 mm in diam., densely appressed pilose as leaves. Inflorescence 3-5-flowered; rachis subterete with the nodes overlapping, glabrous, ca. 1-2 cm long and 4 mm diam; floral bracts subcoriaceous, oblong-elliptic but tightly involute around and concealing the pedicel, calyx and lower half of the corolla, 22-25 x ca. 15 mm, glabrous, pink to red when fresh; pedicels terete, swollen distally, glabrous, ca. 3-4 mm long and in diam.; bracteoles atttached at base of pedicel and completely concealing pedicel and calyx, subcoriaceous, appressed to flowers, oblong-elliptic, 15-18 x ca. 10 mm, apically rounded and slightly emarginate, marginally seemingly eglandular, glabrous. Flowers: calyx glabrous, 10-11 mm long, translucent green to whitish-green when fresh; hypanthium cylindric, smooth, 4-5 mm long, basally truncate; limb cylindric, 6-7 mm long; lobes oblong, oblong-ovate, 3.8-4 x 2.5-3 mm, erect after anthesis, apically rounded and apiculate, marginally imbricate in basal half, distal half with thin, somewhat scarious-looking glandular border; corolla tubular, glabrous, 18-19 mm long, rose-red basal 3/4 and white distal 1/4 when fresh, lobes triangular, ca. 1 mm long; stamens slightly unequal, 15.5-16 mm long; anthers alternately ca. 15 mm and 11-12 mm long; thecae 6.5-7 mm long; tubules dehiscing by clefts nearly the length of the tubule; style 22 mm long. Berry not seen.

    Distribution: Endemic to Colombia, and known only from the type collection, the plants of which were terrestrial along disturbed forest edge.

    Conservation Status: Rare and endangered.

    Type: Colombia. Chocó: Ansermanuevo-San José del Palmar rd., 2-5 km E of San José del Palmar, 1200-1500 m, 20 Apr 1979 (fl), Luteyn et al. 7318 (holotype, COL, photo NY neg. 10606; isotypes, CAS, E, L, MEXU, MICH, MO, NY, US).

  • Floras and Monographs

    Cavendishia amplexa Luteyn: [Article] Luteyn, James L. 1983. Ericaceae--part I. Cavendishia. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 35: 1-290.