Sphyrospermum sessiliflorum Luteyn

  • Family

    Ericaceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Sphyrospermum sessiliflorum Luteyn

  • Primary Citation

    Brittonia 33: 379, fig. 3. 1981

  • Description

    Description: Epiphytic shrubs with long-pendent branches to 15 m long; stems subterete, glabrous to short-pilose with eglandular hairs, with ash gray epidermis splitting longitudinally and reticulately to expose blackish bark beneath; twigs bluntly angled, densely short white pilose with elgandular hairs 0.4-0.6 mm long. Leaves succulent when fresh, wrinkled when dry, broadly imbricate, lanceolate, 1.5-3.3 x 0.4-0.8 cm, base broadly cuneate to rounded, apex long-acuminate, sometimes short-mucronate, margin flat or revolute in proximal one fourth, ciliate with deciduous eglandular hairs, lamina glabrate above along midrib with scattered eglandular hairs 0.5-0.6 mm long, densely short-pilose beneath with similar eglandular hairs and reddish brown glandular hairs, the surface also weakly pustular or wrinkled above but smooth beneath; obscurely 3 plinerved with only midrib raised and obvious on both surfaces; petiole terete to subterete, sometimes slightly flattened above, 1.2-2 mm long, arising from thickened nodes, densely short pilose with eglandular hairs. Inflorescences axillary, flowers solitary, not exceeding the subtending leaves; floral bracts 1-3, ovate, 0.5-1.5 mm long, glabrous; pedicel none; bracteole 1, basal, enveloping calyx tube, broadly ovate to hemispheric, apically rounded and apiculate, 1-2 mm long, ciliolate, seemingly persistent. Flowers 4-merous, diplostemonous; calyx 4-5 mm long, densely to sparsely pilose with eglandular hairs; tube subcylindric, slightly angular when fresh, 1-2.5 mm long; limb erect patent, 2.5-3 mm long; lobes triangular, acute, 1.5-2 mm long; sinuses acute to obtuse; corolla cylindric to weakly urceolate or infundibuliform, 8.5-11.5 mm long and 2.3-3 mm diam. at base (2.5-6 mm diam. at apex), white, weakly pilose without with eglandular and glandular hairs, moderately puberulent within, the lobes spreading to reflexed but not exposing stamen tips at anthesis, deltoid oblong, obtuse, 1-2 mm long; stamens 8, equal in length, 8.5-9 mm long; filaments 5.5-6 mm long, pilose ventrally in distal half to three quarters; anthers 3-4 mm long; thecae 1-1.6 mm long, the base straight, without basal appendage, minutely papillate; tubules 2.2-2.6 mm long, dehiscing by clefts 0.7-1 mm long; style about as long as corolla. Berry white (fide label data); embryo color unknown.

    Distribution: Endemic to La Paz, in northern Bolivia, and is known only from a small area in Prov. Nor Yungas. It grows in montane forest at (2400–)2690–2920 m.

    Type: BOLIVIA. La Paz: Sandillani, 2461–2769 m, April 1866 (fl), Pearce s.n. (holotype K!; isotype NY! fragment ex K).

    Conservation status: [VU B1a(i)].

    Updates and other relevant taxonomic sources: Description updated on Jan 2013. For generic synopsis, keys, and evaluation of conservation status see Phytotaxa.

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