Cavendishia macrocephala A.C.Sm.

  • Family

    Ericaceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Cavendishia macrocephala A.C.Sm.

  • Primary Citation

    Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 28: 475. 1932

  • Common Names

    uvito

  • Description

    Description: Terrestrial or epiphytic (sometimes rather scandent) shrub; mature branches complanate and bluntly angled, striate, glabrous, brownish; twigs coarsely flattened, striate, glabrous, brownish. Leaves lanceolate, ovate, oblong, or elliptic, 10.5-21 x 4-7 cm, basally cuneate, obtuse, rounded, or slightly subcordate, apically long- to short-acuminate, essentially glabrous; 5(-7)-plinerved from near base, midrib thickened and raised through proximal 5-10 mm otherwise impressed above and raised beneath, lateral nerves impressed above and raised beneath, veinlets slightly raised or impressed above but obscure beneath; petioles subterete, rugose, 5-6.8 mm long and 1.8-2.5 mm diam., glabrous or sparsely pilose. Inflorescence 6-12-flowered.; rachis stout, nodes congested, subterete, glabrous, 0.6-1.5 cm long and ca. 4 mm diam.; floral bracts smooth, oblong or ovate, 25-40 x 15-22 mm, apically rounded, marginally scarious, glabrous, "red" when fresh; pedicels cylindric but coarsely angled, striate, glabrous, 5-10 mm long, with scattered glandular fimbriae along length; bracteoles basal, oblong or ovate, 3-7 x 1.5 mm, apically obtuse or acute, marginally scarious and glandular-fimbriate. Flowers: calyx 8-11 mm long; hypanthium subcylindric, more or less pentagonal, 3-5 mm long and ca. 3-4 mm diam., basally truncate, or slightly and inconspicuously apophysate, puberulent; limb erect or campanulate, 4.5-7 mm long, puberulent, with or without glandular fimbriae; lobes narrowly lanceolate or oblong-triangular, 3-4.5 x 1.5-2 mm, curling or twisitng around base of the style after anthesis, marginally glandular-fimbriate; sinuses obtuse; corolla cylindric, glabrous or puberulent, (19-)21-29 mm long and 4-6 mm diam., "white" or "rose" when fresh, lobes triangular, obtuse, ca. 1 mm long; stamens ca. 22-23 mm long; filaments puberulous ventrally, alternately (1.5-)3-3.5 mm and 5-7 mm long; anthers alternately 20-21 mm and 16-17.3 mm long; thecae 5-6 mm long; style subequal to corolla. Berry not seen.

    Distribution: Endemic to Colombia, in the Cordillera Central of Quindío, Risaralda, and Tolima Depts., in forest, at elevations of 1000-3200 m.

    Conservation Status: Rare and endangered.

    Local name: uvito (Tolima).

    Type: Colombia. Tolima: La Ceja del Quindío, 3200 m, 10 Mar 1876 (fl), André 2255 (holotype: K, photo NY neg. 9057 and ACS neg. 4).

  • Floras and Monographs

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