Sphyrospermum linearifolium Al.Rodr. & J.F.Morales

  • Family

    Ericaceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Sphyrospermum linearifolium Al.Rodr. & J.F.Morales

  • Type Specimens

    Specimen 1: Isotype -- J. F. Morales Quirós 7823

  • Description

    Description: Epiphytic shrubs with pendent branches; stems thin, glabrate, longitudinally striate; twigs shortly and sparsely puberulent with eglandular hairs. Leaves coriaceous to subcoriaceous, linear, 3.5-14.4 x 0.2-0.8 cm, base narrowly obtuse, apex narrowly acute, margin eciliate, usually revolute, lamina glabrous above, short and sparsely glandular pubescent beneath; obscurely 2-3-plinerved, midrib sparsely pilose above; petiole 1-2 mm long. Inflorescences axillary, flowers solitary, not exceeding the subtending leaves; floral bract not seen; pedicel 11-33 mm long, glabrous; bracteoles 2, nearly basal, subopposite, linear, ca. 0.7 mm long, deciduous. Flowers 5-merous, haplostemonous; calyx glabrous; tube subglobose, terete to subterete, ca. 1.2 mm diam.; limb suberect, 0.8-1 mm long; lobes deltate, acute, 0.2-0.6 mm long; corolla urceolate, ca. 5-6 mm long and ca. 3 mm diam., pink to whitish-pink, glabrous without, the lobes triangular, acute, ca. 0.7 mm long; stamens 5, equal in length, 1.6-1.8 mm long; filaments ca. 1.8 mm long, glabrous to sparsely villose; anthers ca. 2.3 mm long; thecae ca. 0.7 mm long, the base straight, without basal appendage; tubules 0.9-1.1 mm long, dehiscing by oval pores. Berry spherical to subglobose, 5-8 mm diam., whitish to whitish-maroon, glabrous; embryo color unknown.

    Type: Costa Rica. Limón: Altos de Pascua, along Quebrada Linda, 1 April 2001 (fl, fr), Morales 7823 (holotype INB; isotypes CR, K, MO, NY!).

    Distribution: Endemic to Costa Rica; at 700–1500 m.

    Conservation status: Deficient data (DD).

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

  • Floras and Monographs

    Sphyrospermum linearifolium Al.Rodr. & J.F.Morales: [Article] Luteyn, James L. 1986. New species of Ceratostema (Ericaceae: Vaccinieae) from the northern Andes. J. Arnold Arbor. 67: 485-492.