Cavendishia angustifolia Mansf.

  • Family

    Ericaceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Cavendishia angustifolia Mansf.

  • Primary Citation

    Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin-Dahlem 9: 439. 1925

  • Type Specimens

    Specimen 1: Isotype -- W. Kalbreyer 1624

    Remarks: Fragment.

  • Description

    Description: Epiphyte or terrestrial shrub to 2 m tall; mature branches terete, glabrous, grayish; bark cracking longitudinally; twigs subterete, striate, densely short-pilose, reddish-brown. Leaves lanceolate, ovate-elliptic, oblong-elliptic, oblanceolate, or linear-lanceolate, (1.5-)3-6(-8) x (0.4-)0.6-1.4(2.5) cm, basally rounded to narrowly obtuse and subcordate, apically short- to long-acuminate, apex itself sharply acute or blunt, margins entire or rarely irregularly crenate, basically glabrous on both surfaces although extreme distal margins usually persistently ciliate with translucent hairs 0.5-0.7 mm long; 3-5-plinerved with nerves impressed or elevated above and weakly raised beneath; petioles terete, rugose, 1.5-2.5 mm long and 0.5-0.8 mm in diam., densely short-pilose. Inflorescence 6-12-flowered; rachis bluntly angled, glabrous, 1-1.5 cm long and 1.5 mm in diam.; floral bracts oblanceolate, 16-18 x 8 mm, apically emarginate, glabrous, purple to purplish-violet when fresh; pedicels terete, striate, glabrous, 4-6 mm long at anthesis (elongating to 8 mm) and 0.8 m diam., with irregularly shaped, angular glands at distal tip which secrete a white, sticky latex; bracteoles located at base, succulent, ovate, 0.6-1 mm long, glabrous, glandular-callose over entire margin and distal 1/3 of blade. Flowers: calyx glabrous, 2-4.5 mm long; hypanthium cylindric, smooth, 0.5-1.5 mm long, basally apophysate with a short rim which is shallowly undulate or lobed; limb campanulate, 1.5-2.5 mm long; lobes triangular, acute, 0.75-1.5 mm long, erect after anthesis, margins glandular-callose with glands contiguous at apex; sinuses broadly rounded; corolla cylindric, glabrous or rarely puberulent in distal half, 12-14 mm long and 4.5 mm diam., lower 3/4 purple (or purplish-green), upper 1/4 white (or pale green), lobes deltoid, 1.5-2 mm long, wide-spreading at anthesis, their margins purple; stamens 11-11.5 mm long (from 12 mm corolla); filaments with the short ones pilose at distal tip, the long ones pilose medially, alternately ca. 1.5 mm and 3-3.5 mm long; anthers alternately ca. 10 mm and 8.5-9 mm long; thecae 2.5-3.5 mm long; style ca. 14 mm long. Berry 9-10 mm diam., blue-black.

    Distribution: Endemic to Colombia, where it is found in all three cordilleras, inhabiting primary forest, cloud forest, secondary forest, brushy roadside slopes, and remnant trees in pastureland, at elevations of 400-2500 m.

    Type: Colombia. Antioquia: Carolina, 1850-2300 m, 5 Mar 1880 (fl), Kalbreyer 1624 (lectotype, K, fragment NY, photos F neg. 4653, NY neg. 9437, and ACS neg. 172).

  • Floras and Monographs

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