Macleania hirtiflora (Benth.) A.C.Sm.
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Authority
1932. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 28(2): 382.
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Family
Ericaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type: Colombia. Cauca: Slopes toward Sotará, Hartweg 1223 (holotype, K-Herb. Benth., photo NY neg. 13023; isotypes, BREM, K-Herb. Hook.).
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Description
Species Description - Spreading shrub to 4 m tall, often from lignotubers to 1 m diam.; stem terete to subterete, densely hirsute with pale hairs up to 0.5 mm long, glabrate, the bark cracking in longitudinal sheets; twigs subterete, angled, so densely bright white to yellowish short-hirsute as to obsucre surface. Leaves coriaceous, elliptic to oblong-elliptic, rarely ovate, 1.2-3(-7.5) x 0.8-2(-4.5) cm, base obtuse to rounded, apex obtuse or acute, margin entire, glabrate or sparsely white hirsute near base above, densely hirsute with bright white spreading hairs to 0.8 mm long beneath, these sometimes nearly obscuring the surface and appearing to arise in fascicles of up to 6 hairs, sometimes glabrate, also lower surface moderately to densely covered with brownish glandular fimbriae; pinnately nerved with 2-3 lateral nerves per side, midrib impressed above and raised beneath, lateral nerves arcuate-ascending, impressed to nearly plane above but raised beneath, reticulate veinlets obscure; petiole subterete, flattened above, rugose, 2-4 mm long, densely pubescent as stems, glabrate. Inflorescence (subfasciculate ?) to short-racemose, 3-6(-12)-flowered, generally with all exterior parts densely short white hirsute, bracts deciduous; rachis congested, subterete, angled, 0.3-0.5 cm long; floral bract persistent, reflexed after anthesis, base subcoriaceuos becoming membranous distally, ovate, acuminate, 2-4 x 2-2.5 mm, marginally fimbriate; pedicel subterete, sharply ribbed or angled, 4-10 mm long, sometimes sparsely hirsute; bracteoles medial, similar to floral bract, 2-3 mm long. Flowers with calyx 5-6 mm long, densely short, white hirsute; hypanthium short-cylindric, angled or longitudinally ribbed, ca. 2.5-3 mm long; limb spreading, 2-3 mm long; lobes ovate, acuminate, apiculate, 1-1.5 mm long; sinuses rounded or obtuse; corolla cylindric-urceolate, 10-14 mm long and 4-5 mm diam., pubescent as the calyx, glabrate, deep crimson to to pink at base, paler or yellowish or white distally, the lobes reflexed, oblong-ovate, bluntly acute, 1-3 mm long; stamen almost as long as corolla, 9-11.5 mm long; filaments distinct, 2-3 mm long, glabrous; anthers 7.5-11 mm long; thecae 4-6 mm long; tubules 2, laterally connate to apex, 3.5-5.5 mm long, dehiscing by clefts 1-2 mm long; style exserted, to 17 mm long, glabrous. Berry elongate-spherical, blue-black, to 15 mm diam.
Distribution and Ecology - Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru; montane forest, southern Ecuadorean scrub vegetation, and subpáramo at 2438-3715 m altitude.
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Discussion
Uses: fruit edible, said to be sweetish or insipid.
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Common Names
coyapa, guayapa