Xolisma apiculata Sleumer, Repert. Sp. Nov. 36: 270. 1934. Lyonia apiculata (Sleumer) Jiménez, Rhodora 62: 237. 1960. Type. Dominican Republic. Barahona [now Pedernales]: Cordillera de Bahoruco, Sierra del Comisario, 2100 m, 30 Aug 1926, Ekman H6813 (holotype, S; isotype, IJ).Evergreen, low spreading shrub to moderate sized tree to ca. 12 m tall with gray, longitudinally furrowed bark; twigs slightly angled, slender, usually densely lepidote, otherwise glabrous; buds ovoid, 1-2 x 0.7-1.4 mm. Leaf blades widely ovate or elliptic to nearly orbicular, 1-2.5(-3.5) x 0.8-2.5(-3) cm, ± flat, coriaceous, ca. 0.29-0.4 mm thick; base cuneate to rounded or slightly cordate; apex acute to truncate (slightly acuminate); margin plane to slightly revolute, apical portion strongly to obscurely and irregularly toothed (nearly entire), basal portion obscurely toothed to entire; venation brochidodromous, 3° veins reticulate; adaxial surface often roughened due to thickened scale bases, lepidote (but scales usually quickly deciduous), sparsely pubescent on basal portion of midvein, with 2° and 3° veins obscure, not depressed (2° veins slightly depressed); abaxial surface moderately to densely lepidote, otherwise densely pubescent, with all veins raised, forming dense and fine reticulum, often not visible without magnification; scales orange to orange-brown, persistent to less commonly deciduous, 0.12-0.34 mm in diameter, usually erose; petiole 1-5 mm long, lepidote, otherwise adaxially pubescent; flower buds ± intermixed with vegetative buds. Inflorescences fasciculate, ca. 4- to 9-flowered; pedicels clearly articulated with calyx, slender, 2-7 mm long, lepidote, otherwise glabrous to very sparsely pubescent; bracteoles ± opposite, basal, narrowly triangular, 1-1.8 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 2 mm long. Flowers 4- to 5-merous; calyx lobes triangular, with acuminate apices, 0.8-1.3 x 0.4-0.8 mm, adaxial side sparsely pubescent at margins and near apex, abaxial side lepidote, otherwise glabrous; corolla cylindrical to long-urceolate, white, 3-4.5 x 1.8-2.5 mm, abaxially sparsely lepidote; filaments roughened, 1-2.7 mm long, essentially unappendaged; anthers 0.6-1 mm long; ovary lepidote, otherwise pubescent, placentae ± subapical. Capsules narrowly ovoid, (2.5-)3-4.5 x 1.5-2.5 mm, slightly lepidote, otherwise sparsely pubescent, the pale, very thick sutures separating as unit from adjacent valves; seeds 1.7-2.8 mm long.
Distribution. Endemic to Hispaniola (Massif
de la Selle and Sierra de Baoruco), in Pinus occidentalis
forests and thickets, at (1000-)1250-2300 m elev. Flowering chiefly
May through July.