Key to the Genera of Ericaceae in the Venezuelan Guayana
[keys to the species follow the key to genera]
1. Ovary superior.
2. Petals distinct.
3. Ovary smooth, (5-)6--7-locular; flowers (5-)6--7-merous;
stamens and style exserted at anthesis; leaves more or
less plane, not ericoid; anther dehiscence by terminal
pores ............................................. 2. Befaria
3. Ovary warty, 5-locular; flowers 5-merous; stamens and
style inserted at anthesis; leaves ericoid; anther
dehiscence by slits running the entire length .. 8. Ledothamnus
2. Petals united.
4. Anthers extended into terminal tubules, without white
disintegration tissue on abaxial side; leaves with 1--3
pairs of marginal glands near base ................. 16. Tepuia
4. Anthers with paired awns terminally or awnless, with white
disintegration tissue on abaxial side; leaves without
marginal glands described above.
5. Fruit and calyx dry .......................... 1. Agarista
5. Fruit fleshy, or fruit dry but with calyx fleshy.
6. Fruit a berry ........................... 12. Pernettya
6. Fruit a capsule, but surrounded by the fleshy
calyx ................................... 6. Gaultheria
1. Ovary inferior.
7. Fruit a thin-walled, fragile berry; pedicels continuous with
calyx ........................................... 15. Sphyrospermum
7. Fruit a thick-walled, coriaceous berry or rarely drupaceous;
pedicels articulate with calyx.
8. Tubules of the anthers dehiscing extrorsely .... 10. Notopora
8. Tubules of the anthers dehiscing introrsely or slightly
latrorsely.
9. Stamens dimorphic, with either filaments or anthers,
or filaments and anthers of alternate lengths.
10. Filaments equal and connate entire length .........
....................................... 14. Satyria
10. Filaments alternately unequal and distinct.
11. Anthers alternately unequal; stamens usually
as long as corolla, without disintegration
tissue on abaxial side; anthers dehiscent by
elongate, lateral clefts; flowers subtended
by large, showy bracts ......... 3. Cavendishia
11. Anthers equal; stamens 1/3--2/3 length of
corolla, with white disintegration tissue on
abaxial side; anthers dehiscent by elongate,
oblique pores; flowers without large, showy
bracts .......................... 11. Orthaea
9. Stamens isomorphic, with filaments and anthers of equal
lengths.
12. Calyx winged, with each wing continuing to the apex
of a lobe ............................ 9. Mycerinus
12. Caylx never winged.
13. Corolla fleshy and coriaceous, cylindric,
usually greater than 12 mm long; calyx lobes
usually inconspicuous, often merely apiculate;
leaves pinnately veined or plinerved.
14. Anther thecae strongly granular; tubules
rigid; connectives alternately spurred,
these rarely obscure ..... 13. Psammisia
14. Anther thecae smooth; tubules flexible;
connectives without spurs . 17. Thibaudia
13. Corolla thin and membranaceous, urceolate or
campanulate, less than 13 mm long; calyx lobes
(although often small) conspicuous and well
defined; leaves pinnately veined.
15. Ovary with a single ovule in each of the
10 locules; fruit a drupe with 10 pyrenes
........................... 7. Gaylussacia
15. Ovary with few to numerous ovules in
each of the 5(-10) locules; fruit a
many-seeded berry.
16. Calyx enclosed by two large, imbricate
bracteoles which surmount the pedicel;
flowers subsessile and usually
solitary ............... 5. Disterigma
16. Calyx never enclosed by the bracteoles
which are usually minute and at the
pedicel base; flowers pedicellate and
racemose or several in a fascicle
........................ 18. Vaccinium
1. AGARISTA: Agarista duckei
2. BEJARIA:
1. Petals equal to or less than 12 mm long .................... B. sprucei
1. Petals longer than 12 mm.
2. Longest calyx lobes equal to or greater than 3.4 mm long.
3. Petioles less than 3.5 mm long; leaves less than 3.5 cm
long ............................................. B. imthurnii
3. Petioles usually longer than 3.5 mm; leaves usually longer
than 3.5 cm ....................................... B. aestuans
2. Longest calyx lobes usually shorter than 3.4 mm long.
4. Corolla tube-shaped (sometimes distally spreading); pedicels
thin, 0.2--0.6(-0.8) mm diam. or thinner; corolla 5--7-merous
.................................................... B. sprucei
4. Corolla spreading or bell-shaped, trumpet-shaped, or funnel-
shaped; pedicels thick (0.4-)0.6--1.2 mm diam. or thicker;
corolla (6-)7(-8)-merous.
5. Corolla funnel-shaped or trumpet-shaped ....... B. aestuans
5. Corolla spreading or bell-shaped.
6. Petals 15--27 mm long; leaves 1.2--2.8 x 0.5--1.4 cm,
usually obovate or elliptic, apex usually acute to
obtuse ..................................... B. imthurnii
6. Petals 14--17.5 mm long; leaves 1--1.8 x 0.2--0.6 cm,
lanceolate to elliptic, apex acuminate or cuspidate,
sometimes acute ......................... B. neblinensis
3. CAVENDISHIA:
1. Calyx lobe margins glandular-fimbriate; rachis 1--2.5(-4.5) cm
long, without spherical glands ...................... C. aff. pubescens
1. Calyx lobe margins or entire calyx lobe glandular-callose; rachis
3--11 cm long, with or without spherical glands.
2. Calyx lobe margins bearing oblong callose glands; rachis without
spherical glands; corolla glabrous .................. C. callista
2. Calyx lobes completely callose thickened; rachis with spherical
glands; corolla densely short-pilose ................. C. neblinae
4. DISTERIGMA:
1. Leaf apex rounded or obtuse ............................. D. humboldtii
1. Leaf apex long-acuminate ............................... D. cuspidatum
5. GAULTHERIA:
1. Leaves obovate, the base attenuate and short-decurrent onto the
petiole, the apex usually rounded .......... G. alnifolia var. alnifolia
1. Leaves ovate, lanceolate, oblong or elliptic, rarely suborbicular,
the base rounded to subcordate, the apex acute, acuminate.
2. Subshrub, 0.1--0.2 m; leaf lamina pustular above where the
hairs arise ......................................... G. setulosa
2. Shrub to 2 m tall; leaf lamina smooth to scabrous but not
pustular .............................................. G. erecta
6. GAYLUSSACIA: Gaylussacia buxifolia
7. LEDOTHAMNUS:
1. Calyx 2--3 mm long; petals 4--6 mm long; Cerro Duida .. L. parviflorus
1. Calyx greater than 3 mm long; petals usually greater than 6 mm
long; range east of Cerro Duida.
2. Pedicels short, i.e., 0.5--6.5 mm long, the flowers buried
amongst the leaves or appearing at the level of the leaf tips.
3. Leaf and sepal margins with sessile or very short-stalked
(less than 0.1 mm long) spherical glands which may coalesce
distally, apically glandular; petals yellow to yellowish-green;
Chimantá Massif ...................................... L. luteus
3. Leaf and sepal margins glabrous, ciliate, or bearing acicular,
eglandular hairs, apically acute to mucronate; petals white
(Cerro Sarisariñama) or scarlet (Cerro Roraima and vic.).
4. Leaf and sepal margins glabrous or puberulent (ciliate)
and also bearing acicular hairs; pedicels setose;
flowers terminal; petals scarlet; Cerro Roraima and
vic. ...................................... L. sessiliflorus
4. Leaf and sepal margins ciliate but without acicular hairs;
pedicels without setae; flowers axillary; petals white;
Cerro Sarisariñama ........................... L. jauaensis
2. Pedicels 10 mm long or more, the flowers conspicuously held beyond
the leaves.
5. Leaves and sepals terminating in a conspicuous dark, sessile
gland (or rarely distally with 4--7 marginal glands which may
coalesce); essentially endemic to the Chimantá Massif .......
.................................................. L. atroadenus
5. Leaves without sessile, terminal gland(s), but instead apically
mucronate (sometimes deciduous) and marginally glandular or
eglandular setose; sepals hispid all over with glandular or
eglandular setae; widespread.
6. Decumbent to erect subshrubs 0.1--0.3(-0.5) m tall; leaf
blade imperceptibly tapering into the petiole; flowers
usually solitary or in pairs at tips of new growth; calyx
not puberulent or short-pilose; petal margins entire;
filaments conspicuously longer than anthers;
Chimantá Massif ............................... L. decumbens
6. Erect shrubs 0.2--1 m tall; leaf blade distinct from
petiole; flowers usually clustered (up to 7) at tips of
new growth; calyx densely puberulent or short-pilose;
petal margins conspicuously erose (very rarely entire);
filaments about as long as or slightly longer than anthers;
widespread but essentially absent from the Chimantá Massif
............................................. L. guyanensis
8. MYCERINUS:
1. Calyx lobes carinate, not strongly winged, lobes themselves erect
not curving inwards; leaf margins flat not recurved; corollas
campanulate-subinfundibuliform; petioles (6-)11--18 mm long ....
....................................................... M. viridiflorus
1. Calyx lobes strongly winged, lobes themselves curving inwards; leaf
margins recurved; corollas cylindric; petioles 3--8 mm long.
2. Leaves oblong, strongly recurved; filaments glabrous ..........
................................................. M. sclerophyllus
2. Leaves ovate to semi-orbicular, moderately recurved; filaments
densely ciliate .................................. M. chimantensis
9. NOTOPORA:
1. Leaf blades orbicular to broadly suborbicular-ovate, rounded at
both ends.
2. Corolla red, glabrous without; calyx essentially glabrous with
only the lobes ciliate; lower leaf surface sparsely pilosulous
to glabrate ........................................... N. cardonae
2. Corolla pale green with copious pale ferruginous tomentum; calyx
completely covered by dense ferrruginous tomentum; lower leaf
surface densely ferruginous tomentellose .......... N. chimantensis
1. Leaf blades sublanceolate to ovate or narrowly suborbicular-ovate,
acute, obtuse, or narrowed at one or both ends.
3. Corolla narrowly cylindric, dark red; calyx glabrous; lower leaf
surface glabrous ..................................... N. smithiana
3. Corolla deeply campanulate-infundibuliform to urceolate-
subcylindric, pale cream, greenish-white, or salmon-rose; calyx
densely tomentose; lower leaf surface with a close tomentum or
softly pilose.
4. Lower leaf surface dark rusty-brown or ferruginous to
grayish-brown with a dense tomentum; corolla pale cream or
greenish-white, externally uniformly densely pubescent; leaf
blades acute to subacuminate at apex ......... N. schomburgkii
4. Lower leaf surface pale green with sparse pubescence of
minute, trichomes; corolla salmon-rose, externally glabrous
except for patches of pubescence in upper half; leaf blades
obtuse to subacute at apex ................ N. auyantepuiensis
10. ORTHAEA:
1. Inflorescence a raceme ................................... O. wurdackii
1. Inflorescence a fascicle or flowers solitary.
2. Calyx glabrous.
3. Corolla 28--33 mm long with lobes 6--8 mm long .. O. venamensis
3. Corolla less than 25 mm long and lobes ca. 2.5 mm long.
4. Bracteoles suborbicular, less than 1 mm long; anthers
6.5--7.5 mm long ........................... O. merumensis
4. Bracteoles oblong-lanceolate, 1.5--2 mm long; anthers
5--6 mm long ............................ O. thibaudioides
2. Calyx hirsute or hispid.
5. Corolla glabrous; inflorescence 1--2-flowered .... O. hispida
5. Corolla densely hispid-villous; inflorescence (2-)4--6-
flowered.
6. Leaves basally rounded to subcordate, apically acute to
obtuse, narrowly ovate-oblong; pedicels, bracts,
bracteoles, calyx, and corolla glandular villose-setose
and sparsely white pilose; bracteoles basal, rarely medial;
pedicels 7--13 mm long ........................ O. paruensis
6. Leaves basally broadly cuneate, apically bluntly acute or
obtuse, broadly ovate-elliptic; pedicels, bracts,
bracteoles, calyx, and corolla glandular villose-setose
but without white pilosity; bracteoles medial or in distal
quarter of pedicel; pedicels 15--18 mm long ... O. crinita
11. PERNETTYA: Pernettya marginata
12. PSAMMISIA:
1. Leaves thin-membranaceous, the inner pair of lateral nerves
arising up to 0.5 cm above the lamina base; petioles, pedicels,
and rachis thin at anthesis ............................... P. urichiana
1. Leaves thick-coriaceous, the inner pair of lateral nerves
arising 1.5--5 cm above the lamina base; petioles, pedicels, and
rachis thick and of a coarse appearance at anthesis.
2. Corolla cylindric, membranaceous when dry, 20--30 mm long;
leaves narrowly ovate ............................... P. guianensis
2. Corolla conical-cylindric, coriaceous when dry, 10--15 mm long;
leaves broadly ovate ................................ P. hookeriana
13. SATYRIA:
1. Inflorescence racemose, 8--20-flowered; rachis 1.5--4 cm long ...
......................................................... S. panurensis
1. Inflorescence fasciculate, 1--6-flowered; rachis to 5 mm long ..
....................................................... S. carnosiflora
14. SPHYROSPERMUM: Key to the Species of Sphyrospermum
1. Stamens 4; leaves suborbicular to oblong-ovate, (7-)9--15(-18)
mm long ................................................. S. buxifolium
1. Stamens 4-5 or 8-10; leaves ovate to lance-ovate, (15-)20--50(-70)
mm long.
2. Fruit ellipsoid ................................. S. klotzschianum
2. Fruit globose to subglobose ....................... S. cordifolium
15. TEPUIA:
1. Ovary densely ferruginous-tomentose, obscuring ovary surface;
corolla densely pilose along angles and glabrous between; rachis,
pedicels, bracteoles densely grayish- to ferruginous-tomentose.
2. Leaves strongly concave, margins revolute all over, 1.5--3 x
0.7--1 cm, venation obscure; rachis 0.2--0.8 cm long ......
....................................................... T. vareschii
2. Leaves basically flat, margins only narrowly revolute, (1.5-)
3--7.5 x (0.8-)1.3--4 cm, venation + conspicuous; rachis 1--7.5
cm long.
3. Calyx densely ferruginous-tomentose on all external surfaces;
petioles (5-)7--13 mm long; pustular glands 3--4 pairs at
leaf blade/petiole junction ....................... T. speciosa
3. Calyx glabrous on external surfaces or only pilose along the
lobes; petioles 3--7 mm long; pustular glands 1--2(-3)
pairs at leaf blade/petiole junction.
4. Mature stems and twigs bearing gland-tipped, hispid hairs;
calyx usually glabrous on external surfaces ... T. cardonae
4. Stems and twigs without hispid hairs; calyx lobes
ferruginous-pilose along middle portion ..... T. intermedia
1. Ovary glabrous or sparsely to moderately pilose, the actual surface
obvious, not obscured; corolla glabrous or only sparsely pilose along
angles distally; rachis, pedicels, and bracteoles moderately grayish-
or whitish-tomentose or pilose, or glabrous.
5. Stems, twigs, and petioles bearing tiny, pustular glands over
surfaces ....................................... T. multiglandulosa
5. Stems, twigs, and petioles without tiny, pustular glands over
surfaces.
6. Leaves 0.3--0.7 cm broad, oblong-elliptic, apically rounded,
very strongly concave with margins deeply and broadly revolute
all over including apex ............................ T. venusta
6. Leaves (0.3-)0.6--1(-1.3) cm broad, ovate-elliptic, apically
acute with actual apex conspicuous and bluntly mucronate,
lamina basically flat to revolute over entire margin (except
apex) ............................................... T. tatei
16. THIBAUDIA:
1. Bracteoles apical.
2. Bracteoles fused; calyx and corolla usually puberulent or
sometimes glabrous; leaf bases cuneate, not prominently
umbonate ............................................. T. involucrata
2. Bracteoles distinct; calyx and corolla glabrous; leaf bases
rounded, often attenuate, and usually strongly umbonate .......
....................................................... T. smithiana
1. Bracteoles basal to medial.
3. Calyx (and sometimes pedicels) with glandular hairs.
4. Inflorescence racemose; pedicels 12--30 mm long ... T. longipes
4. Inflorescence fasciculate; pedicels 6--12 mm long.
5. Corolla 12--13 mm long; pedicels 10--13 mm long;
glandular hairs unicellular-setose with capitate heads ...
.............................................. T. glandulifera
5. Corolla 10 mm long; pedicels 6--8 mm long; glandular
hairs multicellular, multiseriate and + of equal dimensions
throughout the length with no distinct head ..... T. carrenoi
3. Calyx and pedicels without glandular hairs.
6. Calyx limb + truncate, i.e., without obvious calyx lobes.
7. Flowers + racemose, 8--12 in number; pedicels 5--7 mm long;
corolla 7--9 mm long; bracteoles subopposite or opposite
and then fused at the base ................... T. cupatensis
7. Flowers fasciculate, 1--4 in number; pedicels 7--10 mm
long; corolla 10--13 mm long; bracteoles distinct or fused.
8. Bracteoles distinct; flowers puberulent ... T. truncata
8. Bracteoles fused; flowers usually glabrous (corolla
sometimes puberulent) ....................... T. breweri
6. Calyx limb obviously lobed or apiculate.
9. Stem conspicuously angled ................... T. dolichandra
9. Stem terete, or if angled then corolla 7--11 mm long.
10. Flowers 6--10 in short racemes; pedicels 12--25 mm
long; corolla 7--11 mm long; leaves usually ovate,
7--14 cm long .............................. T. formosa
10. Flowers 2--6, subfasciculate; pedicels 5--15 mm long;
corolla 8--14 mm long; leaves usually suborbicular,
3--10 cm long ............................... T. nutans
17. VACCINIUM:
1. Flowers fasciculate or subfasciculate.
2. Corolla subcylindric to subinfundibuliform, 19--22 mm long .....
.................................................... V. steyermarkii
2. Corolla campanulate, ca. 10 mm long .................. V. euryanthum
1. Flowers racemose.
3. Prostrate subshrubs growing in rock crevices; leaves with the
margin conspicuously thickened, the blade punctate beneath ......
...................................................... V. roraimense
3. Erect shrubs growing in various habitats throughout the region;
leaf margins not thickened, the blade inconspicuously punctate
beneath
4. Anthers 3--3.5 mm long bearing dorsal spurs .. V. corymbodendron
4. Anthers 1--2 mm long, without spurs.
5. Tubules of anthers much shorter than the thecae; anther
filaments chiefly ciliate above the middle; leaves densely
congested along branches, 6--13 x 3--6 mm ... V. chimantense
5. Tubules of anthers equaling or only slightly shorter than
thecae; anther filaments + pubescent throughout; leaves
scattered along branches, (7-)13--23(-40) x (4-)9--14(-20)
mm ............................................ V. puberulum
Key to the Varieties of V. puberulum (doubtfully useful)
1. Calyx, ovary, and corolla glabrous.
2. Rachis puberulous .................................. var. hitchcockii
2. Rachis glabrous.
3. Principal leaf blades 3--11 cm long, obovate, oblong-elliptic,
or narrowly to broadly oblong, the base usually acutely
narrowed, the lateral nerves and tertiary venation elevated
and prominent beneath ........................ var. subcrenulatum
3. Principal leaf blades 1.5--3.5 cm long, oval to elliptic-oblong,
the base usually obtuse, the lateral nerves and tertiary
venation not prominent beneath .................... var. jauaense
1. Calyx, ovary, or corolla pubescent.
4. Petioles, calyx, and corolla glabrous; leaves narrowly
spathulate ......................................... var. spathulatum
4. Petioles, calyx, and corolla pubescent (or calyx glabrous);
leaves variously shaped.
5. Leaves usually entire ............................ var. tepuiense
5. Leaves usually crenulate-serrulate.
6. Calyx lobes 0.5--0.8 mm long, from a broadly ovate-triangular
base; floral bracts oval to ovate-oblong, 1.5--5 mm long;
leaves oblong, oval, or ovate, 1.5--3 times longer than
broad; pilosity of stems and calyx short and slightly
developed ................................... var. puberulum
6. Calyx lobes narrowly elongated to 1 mm long from a
triangular-lanceolate base; floral bracts foliose,
linear-lanceolate, 5--10 mm long; leaves lanceolate-
elliptic, 3.3--4 times longer than broad; pilosity of stem
and calyx prominent ............................ var. cardonae
See Luteyn, J. L. 1998. Ericaceae, in Steyermark et al. (eds.), Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana 4: 735-769. |