Psammisia fissilis A.C.Sm.

  • Family

    Ericaceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Psammisia fissilis A.C.Sm.

  • Primary Citation

    Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 29: 372. 1950

  • Common Names

    joyapa

  • Description

    Description: Terrestrial or epiphytic shrub to 2 m tall, sometimes trailing, sometimes lianoid, glabrous throughout; stem terete, stout, with loose bark; twigs subterete, smooth. Leaves coriaceous, narrowly elliptic- to oblong-lanceolate, or ovate-elliptic, 12-25 x 4-9 cm, base rounded or obtuse and decurrent onto the petiole, apex long- or short-acuminate, the acumen tapering and 1.5-2 cm long, margin entire; 5-plinerved from near base, the secondary nerves concurrent with the midrib for 1-2 cm, midrib and lateral nerves slightly impressed above, prominent beneath, reticulate veinlets faintly prominent or immersed on both surfaces; petiole subterete, stout, rugulose, 4-10 mm long. Inflorescence short-racemose, often corymbose due to elongation of basal pedicels, (5-)10-15-flowered; rachis stout, subterete, congested, striate, 1-2(-3.5) cm long; floral bract persistent, reflexed, deltate-oblong, acute, 2-3 mm long, scariose-margined; pedicel subterete, striate, 21-31 mm long, thickening in fruit; bracteoles basal, similar to the floral bracts, 1-2 mm long. Flowers with calyx 10-13.5 mm long and 12-15 mm in apical diam.; hypanthium cupuliform, 3-4 mm long and 4-6 mm diam.; limb cylindric-spreading, about twice as long as the hypanthium, ca. 6.5-9.5 mm long, irregularly splitting deeply into 3-4 lobes these sometimes bifid; lobes ovate, acute, 6-8 mm long and broad, slighlty thickened at margin, or seemingly irregularly torn; sinuses acute; corolla carnose, cylindric, 22-37 mm long and 7-12 mm diam., with ring of glandular-fimbriae often at the throat constriction, the tube bright, dark orange (red with age) with the limb white, the lobes spreading and reflexed, deltate, subacute, ca. 2-5 mm long, white; stamen rigidly erect, (10-)12-15 mm long; filaments 3.5-7.6 mm long, puberulent and ciliolate distally, the connectives coriaceous, conspicuously spurred at the apex, the spurs of the alternate stamen more prominent; anthers 9-12 mm long; thecae much longer than the tubules, ca. 6-8.5 mm long, the base narrowed; tubules connate for almost half their length, 2-3.5 mm long, dehiscing by elongate oval clefts ca. 2 mm long; style exserted, up to 40 mm long, glabrous. Berry subglobose, up to 12 mm diam., coriaceous, rugulose.

    Distribution: Ecuador and Peru; premontane to montane wet forest, at 1600-3500 m altitude.

    Type: Ecuador. Loja: Between Tambo, Cachiyacu, La Entrada, and Nudo de Sabanillas, 2500-3500 m, 7 Oct 1943 (fl), Steyermark 54408 (holotype, F, photo NY neg. 9617; isotypes, A, US frag.)

    Local name: Ecuador: joyapa.

  • Floras and Monographs

    Psammisia fissilis A.C.Sm.: [Article] 1950. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 29: 372.