Cavendishia panamensis Luteyn

  • Family

    Ericaceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Cavendishia panamensis Luteyn

  • Primary Citation

    Brittonia 28: 47. 1976

  • Type Specimens

    Specimen 1: Isotype -- J. L. Luteyn 3056

  • Description

    Description: Erect, often arching, terrestrial shrub, 2.5-3 m tall; stem base ca. 2.5 cm in diam.; mature branches terete, glabrous, ca. 1 cm in diam.; bark yellowish-brown; immature branches and twigs of the new growth bluntly angled or ribbed, minutely striate, glabrous. Leaves elliptic, lance-elliptic to ovate-lanceolate, 9-16 x 3-6 cm, basally acute to narrowly obtuse, rarely rounded, apically acuminate to somewhat caudate acuminate, olive-green to grayish-green above and tannish-green beneath when dry, glabrous but with scattered, elevated, reddish globular glands, the glands 0.1-0.2 mm in diam. along the upper leaf surface, often caducous usually leaving a reddish or blackish papillate scar; 5(-7)-plinerved, the innermost lateral nerves often arising 2-3 cm above the base, the midrib impressed above, raised and conspicuous beneath, the lateral nerves impressed above becoming plane to slightly elevated distally with the outer lateral nerves often obscure beyond the middle, raised and conspicuous beneath, the veinlets raised and usually conspicuous above, obscure to slightly raised beneath; petioles terete, slightly flattened adaxially, rugose, (2.5-)6-8(-10) mm long and 2-2.5(-3.5) mm in diam., glabrous or infrequently puberulent, golden-tan. Inflorescence viscid, 11-21(-37)-flowered, often the several lowest nodes sterile; rachis flattened, gradually tapering and often flexuous distally, conspicuously ribbed and minutely striate, glabrous or rarely puberulent, (3-)8-17 cm long, to 5 mm in diameter at the base, pink to dark pink when fresh with minute, peltate, globular reddish glands along its length and especially at the base; floral bracts glabrous or sparsely ciliate along the distal 1/3 if the margin, oblong to oblanceolate, rarely obovate, narrowed to a slightly clasping base, apically rounded or narrowly obtuse to acute, (2-)3-5 x (0.6-)1-2 cm, pink, marginally with 7-23 dark red, globular, peltate or sessile glands ca. 0.7 mm in diam.; pedicels subterete, swollen distally, striate, glabrous (11-)15-19 mm long and 1-1.5 mm in diam., pink, with few, scattered, globular, reddish glands; bracteoles ovate to lanceolate, 1.5-2(-4) x 1-2 mm, pink with few, scattered, dark red, globular glands marginally and apically. Flowers with the calyx glabrous, 4-6 mm long; hypanthium cylindric or spreading, rugose to strongly ribbed, 1.5-2 mm long and 2.5 mm in diam., not basally enlarged, green, usually with dark red, globular to disc-shaped, peltate glands obscuring the surface; limb cylindric campanulate, smooth (2.5-)3-3.5 mm long including lobes, pale green to pinkish with scattered, globular to disc-shaped, peltate glands; lobes triangular, obtuse, 1-1.5 x 1.5 mm, erect after anthesis, marginally glandular callose thickened with the glands contiguous at the lobe apices, pinkish-green with dark pink margins; sinuses broadly rounded; corolla constricted basally, narrowed to the throat, 2.5-3.5 cm long and 8-10 mm in diam., glabrous, or pilose and glabrous at the constricted base, white, the lobes triangular, obtuse, 1-2 mm long; stamens 27-30 mm long; filaments slightly coherent basally, strigose distally, alternately 4-6 mm and 10-13.5 mm long, white; anthers including the tubules alternately 17-20.5 mm and 25-27 mm long, yellow; thecae 7.5-11 mm long; style 25-31 mm long. Berry not seen.

    Distribution: Endemic to W Panama. Flowering material has been collected January, May, and June.

    Conservation Status: Rare and endangered.

    Type: Panama. Chiriquí: Boquete District, Bajo Chorro Trail, 2155 m, 31 May 1972 (fl), Luteyn 3056 (holotype: DUKE; isotypes: F, GH, LL, MICH, MO, NY, PMA, US, photo NY neg. 9812).

  • Floras and Monographs

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

    Cavendishia panamensis Luteyn: [Article] Luteyn, James L. 1976. A revision of the Mexican Central American species of Cavendishia (Vacciniaceae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 28 (3): 1-138.