Cavendishia martii (Meisn.) A.C.Sm.

  • Family

    Ericaceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Cavendishia martii (Meisn.) A.C.Sm.

  • Primary Citation

    Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 63: 313. 1936

  • Basionym

    Thibaudia martii Meisn.

  • Common Names

    monte frutilla

  • Description

    Description: Terrestrial shrub (sometimes scrambling or somewhat scandent) to 4 m tall; stems terete to subterete, often hollow when dry, large pith to wood ratio, smooth to striate, glabrous or densely short white pilose to glabrate. Leaves ovate or ovate-oblong, 9-20 x 4-9.5 cm, basally rounded or subcordate, apically acute to long-acuminate, margins often thin and then becoming revolute when dry, glabrous to short-pilose along nerves above, glabrous, puberulent, or sparsely pilose on lamina and dense along nerves beneath, usually glandular-fimbriate on both surfaces but more persistent and noticeable beneath, sometimes fimbriae recessed and after breaking off the leaves appear punctate; 5-7-plinerved from near base or with inner pair of lateral nerves arising to 1.5 cm up, midrib, lateral and reticulate veins usually impressed above (often deeply thus leaves somewhat bullate) and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets rarely raised on both surfaces; axillary buds often with outer perulae narrowly ovate and long-acuminate thus giving the appearance of stipules; petioles subterete often flattened and narrowly winged dorsally, rugose, glabrous to densely short-pilose, 5-11 mm long and 2-4 mm diam. Inflorescence paniculate, 50-175-flowered, panicles (3-)5-7(-9)-branched, encircled at base by numerous caducous broadly ovate, apiculate, marginally glandular-fimbriate bracts to 8 mm long and broad; rachis and lateral branches subterete, angled, glabrous, the primary axis 8-30(-33) cm long and to 4-5 mm in diam., secondary lateral branches 3-17 cm long, tertiary lateral branches sometimes present and to 6 cm long; floral bracts caducous, oblong, 6-11 x 3-4.5 mm, marginally glandular-fimbriate, green suffused with red when fresh, the bracts at base of primary rachis and subtending lateral branches oblong-lanceolate, 17-22 x 6 mm; pedicels subterete, angled or striate, glabrous, 5-13 mm long (to 20 mm after anthesis) and ca. 1 mm diam., glandular-fimbriate at articulation with calyx; bracteoles membranaceous, ovate, 3-4 x 2-2.5 mm, basally clasping, apically acuminate, marginally glandular-fimbriate. Flowers: calyx glabrous (rarely short-pilose) ca. 5 mm long, green when fresh; hypanthium subcylindric, 10-ribbed, 1.5-2.5 mm long, basally apophysate; limb spreading to campanulate, 2-3 mm long; lobes ovate to oblong-obvate, apiculate, 1-1.8 x 2.5-2.8 mm, erect after anthesis, margins irregularly thickened and lacerate-glandular, red when fresh; corolla subcylindric to bottle-shaped, glabrous, 8-12.5 mm long and to 8 mm diam., green becoming yellowish-green distally, lobes deltoid, ca. 1 mm along, tinged with red within in late anthesis; stamens alternately 8-9.2 mm and 8.3-9.5 mm long; filaments densely short-pilose ventrally in middle, alternately 1.9-2 mm and 2.6-2.8 mm long; anthers alternately 7.2-8 mm and 6.6-7.5 mm long; thecae ca. 2.5-3.5 mm long; style ca. 8-12 m long. Mature berry not seen.

    Distribution: Northcentral Peru to N Bolivia, in the eastern cordilleras, in humid lower montane to montane subtropical forest, open woods and on roadbanks, and along river banks, at elevations of 750-3000 m. Although the type collection is said to be from Brazil (location unknown), the species has not been collected there in recent times and I would not expect it there. The flowers of Luteyn & Lebrón-Luteyn 6368 were visited by the black, hovering trigonid bee Trigona (Trigona) hyalinata var. amazonensis (Ducke) (determination kindly provided by M. Favreau, American Mus. Nat. Hist.), which was apparently collecting nectar through holes at the base of the corollas.

    Local name: Peru: monte frutilla (Cuzco).

    Type: Brazil. Location unknown, Martius s.n. (holotype: M, photo F neg. 20044).

  • Floras and Monographs

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