Calceolaria dilatata Benth.

  • Authority

    Molau, Ulf. 1988. Scrophulariaceae Part I. Calceolarieae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 47: 1-325. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Scrophulariaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Calceolaria dilatata Benth.

  • Type

    Type. Ecuador. Bolívar: Nr. the village of Chimbo, Hall 10 (holotype, K).

  • Synonyms

    Fagelia dilatata Kuntze, Calceolaria huigrana Pennell, Calceolaria peralata Pennell

  • Description

    Species Description - Ascending herb, 0.2-1 m tall, sometimes scandent and up to 4 m long; stems and peduncles hispid or spreading villous (sometimes merely puberulous) with white hairs (often turning purple in exposure). Leaves with blades triangular to ovate, ± confluent with wide-winged petiole, 2.2-8 x 2.5-6.8 cm, acute or subacute at apex, usually cuneate at base (sometimes truncate, rarely somewhat cordate), the margins lobulate-serrate; upper surface bright to deep green, somewhat flexuose or rugose, pilose; lower surface pale green, sometimes purplish, puberulous or short-villous; petioles broadly winged, 1-3.5 cm long, 2-7.3 cm wide at base, (0.5-)1-5.4 cm at the distal end, the margins regularly serrate (never lobulate). Inflorescence intercalary, composed of 1-4 pairs of (2-)4-20-flowered cymes, the primary peduncles 4.8-18 cm long; cyme bracts 1.3-5.1 x 0.7-3.4 cm, subordinate bracts absent; pedicels 1.5-5.5 cm, villous or hispid with whitish hairs unequal in length, the shorter ones glanduliferus. Sepals ovate to lanceolate, bright light green, acuminate, 7.5-13 x 3.6-7.3(-11) mm at anthesis, externally pilose or puberulous, internally puberulous or subglabrous, the margins ciliate, usually entire, sometimes denticulate. Corolla type I, light to bright yellow, unspotted, the upper lip 5-10 x 5-12 mm, the lower lip 15-33 x 13-23 mm, saccate in 65-80% of length; elaiophore present. Stamens type 10; anthers light to medium brown, glabrous, 3-4.6 mm, dehiscing to the connective, the thecae somewhat ascending, obovoid, unequal; filaments 0.5-1.3 (-2.0) mm. Style 4.2-6.7 mm, decurved at apex, otherwise straight. Capsule globose to ovoid, sometimes acuminate, 4-7 mm long, hirsute to puberulous with glandular hairs. 2n = 36 (Løjtnant & Molau 15186, 15194).

  • Discussion

    Calceolaria dilatata is extremely variable in some vegetative characters, such as pubescence density, presumably due to introgression from other species of the section. In disturbed habitats it is known to hybridize with C. lanata, C. pavonii, and C. purpurascens (see below). (For detailed information and discussion, see Molau, 1981b: 502.)

  • Distribution

    Endemic to the W slopes of the Cordillera Occidental in central Ecuador; cloud forest and mountain scrub, 1200-3000 m.

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