Sphyrospermum distichum Luteyn
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Description
Description: Terrestrial subshrub to 3 dm tall, rooted in deep moss layer; stems slightly flexuous, terete, densely hispid with ferrugineous hairs ca. 0.5 mm long. Leaves coriaceous, concave when fresh and dry, ovate, 6-11 x 4-9 mm, basally subcordate, apically obtuse to acute, marginally often convolute or involute near base when dry and densely hispid-ciliate, glabrous or weakly hispid above, sparsely hispid beneath; inconspicuously 3-plinerved. Inflorescence of axillary, solitary, sessile flowers partially hidden by the leaves, subtended by ca. 5 bracts, the upper two largest, ± oblong, erose, clasping the base of the calyx, ca. 1 mm long and broad. Flowers: calyx hispid, 4-5 mm long; hypanthium ovoid, ca. 3.5 mm long; limb campanulate, 0.5-1.5 mm long; lobes apiculate, less than 0.5 mm long; corolla subcylindric, 5 mm long, pilose in the distal 3 mm, white to pink when fresh, the lobes ovate, acute, tufted-pilose, reflexed, ca. 0.5 mm long; stamens 8, equal, 4 mm long; filaments 2-2.2 mm long, marginally pilose; anthers ca. 1.7 mm long; thecae ca. 0.6 mm long. Berry ellipsoid, lavender when fresh, 13 x 10 mm; seeds covered by a mucilaginous sheath, the embryos green and sometimes germinating within the berry.
Distribution: Endemic to west-central Colombia and known only from the type collection.
Type: Colombia. Chocó: Ansermanuevo-San José del Palmar rd, 2-5 km E of San José del Palmar, 1200-1500 m, 20 Apr 1979 (fl, fr), Luteyn et al. 7313 (holotype: COL; isotypes: MO, NY, US).
Conservation status: Rare and endangered.
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Floras and Monographs
Sphyrospermum distichum Luteyn: [Article] 1987. Opera Bot. 92: 124, Fig. 3G-J.
