Cavendishia spicata A.C.Sm.

Description

Description: "Low tree"; mature branches terete, glabrous, smooth; twigs subterete, bluntly angled, coarsely puberulous. Leaves oblong, elliptic, or rarely ovate-elliptic, 3-6.5 x 1.5-3 cm, basally obtuse or rounded, apically bluntly short-acuminate, glabrous above, sparsely short-pilose along veins beneath, glandular-fimbriate beneath; 5(-7)-plinerved from near base, midrib thickened and raised through proximal 1 cm otherwise impressed above, inner two pairs of lateral nerves impressed while outer pair inconspicuous but raised above, reticulate veinlets raised above, all nerves raised beneath; petioles subterete, rugose, puberulent, to 4 mm long and 1.5 mm diam. Inflorescence 20-60-flowered; rachis subterete to sharply angled, coarsely puberulent, (3.5-)7.5-18 cm long and 1-1.4 mm in diam., glandular-fimbriate; floral bracts caducous, oblong, acute, ca. 4 x 2 mm, ciliate and marginally glandular-fimbriate; pedicels subterete, striate, puberulent, ca. 5 mm long, glandular-fimbriate especially at junction with calyx; bracteoles ovate, 0.3-0.4 mm long, ciliate, marginally glandular-fimbriate with fimbriae longer than bracteole itself. Flowers: calyx glabrous although lobes sometimes puberulent, ca. 3.3 mm long; hypanthium cylindric, 1.3 mm long, basally truncate with a short rim; limb erecto-patent, 2 mm long; lobes triangular, 0.5-0.8 mm long, suberect after anthesis, glabrous or sometimes puberulent, marginally with 2-4 short, stout, glandular fimbriae which may fuse laterally; sinuses broadly rounded; corolla cylindric, glabrous, ca. 6.6 mm long and 2.5 mm in diam., lobes deltoid, 0.8 mm long, strongly reflexed at anthesis; stamens 5-5.3 mm long; filaments puberulent medially, alternately 1.4-1.5 mm and 2.2 mm long; anthers alternately ca. 4 mm and 3.5 mm long; thecae alternately ca. 1 mm and 1.3 mm long; style strongly exserted at anthesis, ca. 7.6 mm long. Berry ca. 7-8 mm diam.

Distribution: Endemic to Colombia and known only from two collections, in forest. The type was flowering and fruiting in May.

Conservation Status: Rare and endangered.

Type: Colombia. Valle: Peak SE of La Cumbre, 2200-2400 m, 14-19 May 1922 (fl, fr), Pennell & Killip 5801 (holotype: US, photo NY neg. 9152 and ACS neg. 8; isotypes: GH, K, NY, photo NY neg. 9711).