Gaultheria glaucifolia var. rosei (Small) Luteyn

  • 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

    Gaultheria glaucifolia var. rosei (Small) Luteyn

  • Type

    Type. Mexico. Nayarit: Sierra Madre, nr. Santa Teresa, 11 Aug 1897 (fl), Rose 2183 (holotype, US, photo Corcoran neg. 49; isotypes, GH, NY).

  • Synonyms

    Gaultheria rosei Small

  • Description

    Variety Description - Plants white puberulent and also moderately to densely hirsute with thin, straight or crisped, eglandular or minutely gland-tipped hairs 0.5-1 mm long, these sometimes deciduous and then leaving punctae. Leaf venation weakly impressed above (rarely raised) and raised beneath. Calyx not usually deeply cleft, the lobes ovate and smooth.

  • Discussion

    The fruit is reddish-black and sweet and is eaten by goats and people.

    Gaultheria glaucifolia is characterized by glaucous stems, leaves, petioles, and sometimes rachis; narrow and rather small leaves; and its habitat, the dry, pine forests in northwestern Mexico. It is variable, as are other gaultherias. For example, there are plants completely glabrous, others puberulent or hirsute with gland-tipped hairs; also, the leaves vary from ovate to oblong and basally truncate to cordate. Sometimes the glaucousness is not very strong (as in the type collection of var. rosei). The few collections available represent two distinct morphologies, however, recognized at the varietal level and characterized in the key above. Intermediates between the varieties do exist.

    Based primarily on the glaucous habit, G. glaucifolia (var. glaucifolia) was maintained as distinct by Small (1914), Sleumer (1935a), and Corcoran (1981). Gaultheria rosei was described as a distinct species by Small (1914) and characterized by glaucousness and glandular indumentum, but was included in G. odorata ( = G. erecta here) by Sleumer (1935a). If it were not for the glaucous habit, I would also be tempted to include it within G. erecta as a northern form. Of course, glaucousness alone cannot be considered a distinctive character for the species, since it is not always very pronounced and also occurs sporadically in G. acuminata and G. erecta.

    One collection from Durango, González et al. 1726 (NY), is interesting because it has one inflorescence with a solitary flower as well as the more normal racemes. It is also intermediate between var. glaucifolia and var. rosei: It lacks puberulence but bears a few gland-tipped hairs on the stem and some pedicels; its venation is impressed above and raised beneath; its calyx lobes are deeply cleft but are ovate and smooth. Perhaps it is a hybrid between the varieties (this locality is close to where the ranges of the two meet) or possibly with Pernettya prostrata: Pollen from the one flower studied did not stain darkly with cotton-blue plus lactophenol.

    There is no question that G. glaucifolia is closely related to G. erecta. It probably evolved within the dry pine forest habitat at the northern edge of the range of G. erecta where there is also some convergence in leaf shape (i.e., narrower, smaller leaf); however, G. erecta rarely occurs in the pine forest. It is interesting to recall an observation of Camp (1939a), under G. lancifolia ( = G. erecta here), that plants growing in dry and exposed habitats have lower, more stunted growth habits, narrower leaf blades, and less glandular indumentum on the rachis.

    I have noted similar changes in the G. erecta populations from the white sand areas near Chachapoyas (Amazonas), Peru.

  • Common Names

    rokwásori, wasa

  • Objects

    Specimen - 10822, J. N. Rose 2183, Gaultheria rosei Small, Ericaceae (261.0), Magnoliophyta, isotype; North America, Mexico, Nayarit, Tepic Mun.

  • Distribution

    Known only from the states of Chihuahua, Jalisco, Michoacan, Nayarit, and Sonora in Pinus (Quercus, Abies, Arbutus) forest up to tree line at 1800-3200 m elev. Flowering specimens have been collected in Feb, Jun, Jui, Sep, and Nov; fruiting in Feb and Jun-Nov.

    Mexico North America| Chihuahua Mexico North America| Jalisco Mexico North America| Michoacán Mexico North America| Sonora Mexico North America|