Agarista pulchella Chamisso ex G. Don, Gen. hist. 3: 838. 1834.

        Shrub to 2(-3) m tall; twigs with or without scattered gland-headed hairs, otherwise essentially glabrous to densely pubescent, with nonchambered to regularly chambered pith; buds to ca. 1 mm long, leaves revolute.  Leaves coriaceous, ± ovate, 0.5-4(-5) x 0.4-2(-2.8) cm, base cordate (to truncate), apex rounded- to acute-mucronate (short-acuminate), margin entire (to serrulate due to gland-headed hairs) (sinuous), plane to very slightly revolute, especially near base, adaxial surface glabrous to sparsely pubescent on midvein, especially basal portion, abaxial surface with or without few gland-headed hairs on midvein, otherwise glabrous to sparsely pubescent (with few very inconspicuous glandular dots) on midvein; petiole 1.5-5 mm long.  Inflorescences axillary racemes (axillary panicles, or terminal racemes or panicles) to (1.5-)2-7(-12) cm long; rachis with or without scattered gland-headed hairs, otherwise glabrous to densely pubescent; pedicels 4-15 mm long, with or without gland-headed hairs, otherwise glabrous to densely pubescent; bracteoles 2 (to 5), alternate to subopposite, from nearly basal to near midpoint (or apex) of pedicel, narrowly triangular to linear, to ca. 2.2 mm long, occasionally with 1 or more subtending axillary flowers; floral bracts to 3 mm long.  Flowers with triangular calyx lobes, with acuminate (to acute) apices, 1.4-2.6 x 0.8-1.5 mm, abaxial surface with or without gland-headed hairs, otherwise glabrous to densely pubescent; corolla cylindrical, white with reddish apex to red throughout, 6.5-13 x 3-5.5 mm, glabrous to sparsely pubescent; filaments 4-6.5 mm long; anthers 1.2-1.5 mm long; ovary glabrous to densely pubescent.  Capsules short-ovoid to subglobose, 3-5 x 4.5-8 mm, placentae central to subapical; seeds 0.8-1.7 mm long.

        Distribution.  Endemic to SE Brazil (from Paraná and Santa Catarina, and disjunctly to the north in Minas Gerais and adjacent São Paulo).
     

    Key to the Varieties of Agarista pulchella

    1.  Capsules with placentae usually ± central; leaves with length/width
         quotient (1.4-)1.6-3(-3.5), margin not (slightly) sinuous; Paraná,
         Santa Catarina, and adjacent São Paulo ........................... var. pulchella
    1.  Capsules with placentae ± subapical; leaves with length/width
         quotient 0.8-2, margin often clearly sinuous; Minas Gerais and adjacent
         N São Paulo ................................................................... var. cordifolia
     

    Agarista pulchella Chamisso ex G. Don var. pulchella.  [Andromeda pulchella Chamisso, Linnaea 8: 509. 1833, a later homonym of Andromeda pulchella Salisbury, Prodr. 289. 1796, nom. superfl.]  [A. mariana Linnaeus =Lyonia mariana (Linnaeus) D. Don cited in synonymy].  Leucothoe pulchella (Chamisso ex G. Don) A.P. de Candolle, Prodr. 7: 604. 1839.  Illustration:  Judd (1995), fig. 8.  Type.  Brazil.  Minas Gerais: Antônio Pereira (see Meissner in Martius, 1863), Sellow 4830 (holotype, B, destroyed; frag. of holotype, F, NY; photos of holotype, F, GH).

        Shrub to 2(-3) m tall; twigs glabrous to densely pubescent.  Leaves with petiole 1.5-5 mm long; blade 1.2-4(-5) x 0.4-1.8(-2.8) cm, margin not (slighlty) sinuous; adaxial and abaxial surfaces glabrous to sparsely pubescent on midvein.  Inflorescences axillary racemes (axillary panicles, or terminal racemes or panicles) to 2-7(-12) cm long; rachis glabrous to densely pubescent.  Flowers with corolla 7.5-13 x 3-5 mm; filaments 4.8-6.5 mm long.  Capsules 3-4 x 5.5-6 mm, placentae central (to subapical); seeds 0.8-1.3 mm long.

        Distribution.  Endemic to SE Brazil (Paraná, Santa Catarina, and adjacent regions of São Paulo), in gallery forests along rivers or streams, bogs, thickets or thicket-margins, sandy or rocky campo, at (110-)780-1500 m alt.  Flowering (August) September through November (December).
     

    Agarista pulchella Chamisso ex G. Don var. cordifolia (Meissner) Judd, J. Arnold Arbor. 65: 316. 1984.  Leucothoe cordifolia Meissner in Martius, Fl. brasil. 7: 162, t. 60, fig. 2. 1863.  Agarista cordifolia (Meissner) J. D. Hooker ex Niedenzu, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 11: 236. 1889.  Leucothoe pulchella (Chamisso ex G. Don) A. P. de Candolle var. cordifolia (Meissner) Sleumer, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 78: 473. 1959.  Type.  Brazil.  Minas Gerais: Serra do São Joao d'El Rey and Serra de São José, Jun 1824, Riedel 308 (holotype, LE, n.v.; isotype, NY).

        Shrub to 1.5 m tall; twigs moderately to densely pubescent.  Leaves with petiole 1.5-3 mm long; blade 0.5-3.5 x 0.4-2 cm, margin often clearly undulate; adaxial and abaxial surfaces ± sparsely pubescent on midvein.  Inflorescences axillary racemes to (1.5-)2-5.5 cm long; rachis densely pubescent.  Flowers with corolla 6.5-10 x 3.5-5.5 mm; filaments 4-4.5(?) mm long.  Capsules 2.5-5 x 4.5-8 mm, placentae usually subapical; seeds ca. 0.8-1.7 mm long.

        Distribution.  Endemic to SE Brazil (Minas Gerais and adjacent São Paulo), in dry, rocky campo, at ca. 1600-1700(?) m alt.  Flowering March, June, July, and October through December.