Cavendishia speciosa A.C.Sm.

  • Family

    Ericaceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Cavendishia speciosa A.C.Sm.

  • Primary Citation

    J. Arnold Arbor. 24: 467. 1943

  • Description

    Description: Epiphytic shrub (branches pendent to 2 m long) or terrestrial and 4-5 m tall; mature branches terete, glabrous, bark grayish-brown; twigs subterete, striate to muricate, hispid or glabrate, reddish-brown; vegetative bracts persistent, subcoriaceous, striate, ovate to oblanceolate, to 2 cm long, long-ciliate. Leaves drying thick coriaceous, oblong to oblong-lanceolate or elliptic to lance-elliptic, (4.5-)8-17 x (1.2-)2-7 cm, basally rounded, obtuse or cuneate, apically long-acuminate, margins of proximal 1/4 blade revolute, essentially glabrous on both surfaces (weakly hispid at very base of midrib), or glabrous above and densely hispid beneath with hairs to 1.5 mm long, often glaucous above when dry; 3-5-plinerved from at or near base with nerves impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets obscure; petiole terete, rugose, hispid, 5-8 mm long and 2-3 mm in diam. Inflorescence ca. 20-25-flowered, the flowers restricted to distal 1/4 of inflorescence, lower nodes widely spaced and sterile, encircled at base by numerous, persistenyt, striate, ovate to oblanceolate bracts to 2 cm long; rachis 3-4 cm long and 2.5-3 mm in basal diam. but becoming 5-6 mm in diam. distally, glabrous or pilose, provided at nodes with minute sessile spherical glands 0.1-0.2 mm in diam.; floral bracts conspicuously reticulately veined, concave, obovate, oblanceolate, (20-)25-40 x (12-)23-30 mm, apically rounded, emarginate with tip usually curved inwardly and often split or bifid, glabrous but dorsally bearing minute sessile spherical or globular glands ca. 0.1 mm in diam.; pedicels terete, glabrous, 3-7 mm long and 1-1.5 mm in diam.; ebracteolate or with bracteoles which are oblong, obtuse, (2-)8-10.5 x (1-)2-2.5 mm with margins bearing spherical globular glands. Flowers: calyx glabrous, 10-12 mm long; hypanthium cylindric, truncate or with a slight basal rim, 2.5-3.5 mm long, pale green when fresh; limb submembranaceous, smooth, cylindric-campanulate, 6.5-9 mm long, translucent cream-colored when fresh; lobes triangular, acute, 1.5-4 mm long, rarely sparsely ciliate, margins bearing few to numerous sessile spherical globular glands which may rarely fuse into oblong glands; sinuses obtuse or rounded; corolla cylindric, glabrous, 22-32 mm long and ca. 6-8 mm in diam., upper 1/4 becoming bright red after anthesis, lobes triangular, reflexed at anthesis, 2 mm long; stamens 11.5-18 mm long; filaments alternately 2.8-4.5 mm and 5-8.5 mm long, the short ones pilose distally, the long ones pilose medially; anthers alternately 9.5-12 mm and 8.2-11 mm long; thecae slightly granular, ca. 3.5-5 mm long; tubules dehiscing by clefts 3-3.5 mm long; style ca. 26-30 mm long. Berry not seen.

    Distribution: Endemic to Colombia (Antioquia Dept.), where it may be found in disturbed cloud forest, on roadsides, and along forest edge, at elevations of 2000-2380 m. It flowers in February, March, and April.

    Type: Colombia. Antioquia: Between Valdivia and Yarumal, 2000 m, 20 Feb 1942 (fl), Metcalf & Cuatrecasas 30101 (holotype: A, photo NY neg. 9081; isotypes: F, G, MO, UC, US, photo NY negs. 9079, 9080).

  • Floras and Monographs

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