Macleania macrantha Benth.

  • Family

    Ericaceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Macleania macrantha Benth.

  • Primary Citation

    Pl. Hartw. 223. 1846

  • Description

    Description: Low terrestrial or rarely epiphytic shrub with branches to 2(-4) m long, usually arising from a lignotuber, essentially glabrous in all parts; stem terete, striate; bark loose, cinereous, reddish; twigs as stems. Leaves coriaceous, sometimes somewhat bullate, ovate, (4-)6-10(-11.5) x (1.5-)2.5-5(-6) cm, base rounded and usually subcordate or broadly cuneate, apex acuminate to bluntly or sharply acute, sometimes shortly cuspidate, rarely rounded, margin entire, glabrous on both surfaces; 5-7-plinerved from near the base, midrib thickened and raised in the proximal 1 cm then impressed distally above and raised beneath, lateral nerves nearly plane or slightly impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets plane above and obscure beneath; petiole rugose, 4-7 mm long, glabrous. Inflorescence axillary, short-racemose, 3-14-flowered, essentially glabrous in all parts; rachis subterete, coarsely angled, congested, to 12 mm long; floral bract broadly ovate, acuminate, 1.5-3 x to 3 mm, margially glandular-fimbriate; pedicel subterete, striate, rugose, 7-19 mm long; bracteoles nearly basal, ovate, acuminate, 1.5-2 mm long, marginally glandular-fimbriate, sometimes base provided with circular, concave nectariferous gland. Flowers with calyx 7-12.5 mm long, sometimes provided with scattered glandular fimbriae; hypanthium obprismatic, narrowly winged to sinuses, ca. 4-7.5 mm long, the wings elongated at base and there rounded and ± lobed, to 2 mm broad at middle, not protruding beyond the limb margin distally; limb campanulate-spreading, 2.5-5 mm long; lobes broadly triangular, 1-2 mm long, sometimes glandular-fimbriate; sinuses broadly rounded; corolla tubular, pentagonal, (30-)35-46 mm long and 5-9 mm diam. when dry (to 15 mm diam. when fresh), minutely puberulous or glabrous, the lobes reflexed, deltate, acute, 1.5-3 mm long; stamen 10-14 mm long; filaments connate into a tube 2.5-5 mm long, sparsely to densely pilose at distal margins and dorsally at apex; anthers 9-11 mm long; thecae 5.5-8.5 mm long; tubules fused into one, 2.5-4 mm long, dehiscing by clefts 2-2.5 mm long; style exserted, up to 43 mm long. Mature berry not seen, but at least 12-15 mm diam.

    Distribution: Colombia and Ecuador; premontane rainforest to montane rainforest, at 1500-3660 m altitude.

    Type: Ecuador. Pichincha: Woods of Guayan, W slopes of Volcán Pichincha, Hartweg 1218* (holotype, K; isotypes, BREM, US fragment; photo of BREM type NY neg. 9458).

  • Floras and Monographs

    Macleania macrantha Benth.: [Article] Smith, Albert C. 1952. Plants collected in Ecuador by W. H. camp. Vaceiniaceae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 8 (1): 41-85.

    Macleania macrantha Benth.: [Article] 1846. Pl. Hartw. 223.