Agarista ericoides Taub.

  • Authority

    Luteyn, James L., et al. 1995. Ericaceae, Part II. The Superior-Ovaried Genera (Monotropoideae, Pyroloideae, Rhododendroideae, and Vaccinioideae P.P.). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 66: 560. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Ericaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Agarista ericoides Taub.

  • Type

    Type. Brazil. Minas Gerais: Serra dos Cristais, nr. Diamantina, 1892, Glaziou 19577 (holotype, B, destroyed; frag. of holotype, F; photos of holotype, F, GH; isotypes, BR, n.v., C, G, K, P).

  • Synonyms

    Leucothoe lycopodioides Sleumer, Leucothoe acicularis Sleumer, Leucothoe ericoides (Taub.) Glaz.

  • Description

    Species Description - Erect shrub to ca. 0.5(?) m tall; twigs with or without scattered gland-headed hairs, otherwise glabrous to densely pubescent, with nonchambered pith; buds to ca. 0.5 mm long, leaves re volute. Leaves coriaceous, narrowly ovate to nearly linear, 0.4-1.2 × 0.1-0.25 cm, base slightly cordate to truncate, apex minutely acuminate, margin entire (to appearing serrulate/ciliate due to presence of many gland-headed hairs), strongly revolute, adaxial surface with or without gland-headed hairs on extreme basal portion of midvein, otherwise glabrous to very sparsely pubescent on basal portion of midvein, abaxial surface with or without gland-headed hairs along midvein, otherwise glabrous to very sparsely pubescent on extreme basal portion of midvein, lacking or with few very inconspicuous glandular dots along midvein; petiole 0.5-1.5 mm long. Inflorescences axillary racemes to 1.5-3 cm long; rachis with or without scattered gland-headed hairs, otherwise densely pubescent; pedicels 3.5-11 mm long, with or without gland-headed hairs, otherwise densely pubescent; bracteoles 2, alternate to opposite, from within lower 1/4 to near middle of pedicel, narrowly triangular to ovate, to ca. 3 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 3.5 mm long. Flowers with narrowly triangular calyx lobes, with long-acuminate apices, 3-6 × 0.4-0.7 mm, abaxial surface with or without conspicuous gland-headed hairs, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent; corolla cylindrical, pink to red, 8-9.5 × 3.5-4 mm, glabrous; filaments ca. 5.7-6 mm long; anthers ca. 1.5 mm long; ovary densely pubescent. Capsules short-ovoid, 3.5-4.5 × 4-5 mm, placentae ± central; seeds 0.7-1.2 mm long.

  • Discussion

    This distinctive but poorly collected species is immediately recognizable by its small, extremely re volute leaves. It is probably related most closely to three species from which it is geographically separated: Agarista hispidula, A. organensis, and A. chlorantha.

    Like many other species of Agarista, this taxon is quite variable in glandular indumentum. Some plants are densely covered with multicellular, gland-headed hairs on stems and leaves, while others have only a few of these hairs or none at all. This variation thus cannot be used to delimit species, and Leucothoe lycopodioides and L. acicularis of Sleumer (1959) have been reduced to synonymy under A. ericoides (Judd, 1984).

  • Distribution

    SE Brazil, Minas Gerais.

    Minas Gerais Brazil South America| Brazil South America|