Thibaudia floribunda Kunth in H.B.K., Nov. gen. sp. pl. 3: 269, pl. 254.  1818.  Illustration:  Luteyn (1996), plate 6.  Type.  Colombia.  Cundinamarca:  Near Santa Fe de Bogotá, 3000 m, Humboldt & Bonpland s.n. (or by Mutis ?) (holotype, B†).  The holotype, deposited in the Humboldt Herbarium at B according to A. C. Smith (1932: 413), was destroyed, but is represented in photo by F neg. 4627 and ACS neg. 132.  There is a sheet at US designated "type collection" by A. C.Smith in 1932;  this sheet is a Mutis collection, which has been given the number 2036, and could be a possible lectotype.  Images:  Habit.  Inflorescence.
    Thibaudia longifolia Kunth in H.B.K., Nov. gen. sp. pl. 3: 269.  1818.  Psammisia longifolia (Kunth) Klotzsch, Linnaea 24: 42.  1851.  Type.  Colombia.  Quindio:  Near La Ceja, 3200 m, Humboldt & Bonpland s.n. (holotype, P-Humb. & Bonpl.).

    Thibaudia pichinchensis Bentham, Pl. hartweg. 223.  1846.  Type.  Ecuador:  Woods of Guayana, W slopes of Volcán Pichincha, Hartweg 1217 (holotype, K;  isotypes, K, NY, P).

    Thibaudia lehmannii Hoerold, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 42: 311.  1909.  Type.  Colombia.  Cauca:  W Andes of Popayán, 2600-3000 m, Jun (fl), Lehmann 8232 (holotype, B†;  lectotype, designated by Luteyn (1996), K;  isolectotypes, F, K, US).

        Terrestrial or epiphytic shrub, sometimes lianoid, with branches to 5 m long, sometimes said to be small tree;  stem terete, striate, glabrous;  twigs subterete, complanate, striate, glabrous to puberulent, glabrate.  Leaves coriaceous, ovate, elliptic-ovate, lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, (5-)8-22(-30) x (1-)2.5-6(-7.5) cm, base rounded to cuneate, apex acuminate, glabrous;  (3-)5-7-plinerved with inner pair of lateral nerves arising 1-2 cm above base, midrib thickened and raised in the proximal 1-2 cm, then thin and impressed distally above and raised beneath, lateral nerves impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets plane to impressed above and slightly raised beneath;  petiole subterete, somewhat winged, rugose, stout, (3-)5-10 mm long, glabrous.  Inflorescence axillary, racemose, (7-)15-30(-40)-flowered, often appearing ramiflorous, sometimes loosely pin-cushion type with 3-5 inflorescences from the same axil borne on older branches after leaves have fallen;  rachis subterete, angled, striate, (1-)2-9(-14) cm long, glabrous to puberulent, sometimes conspicuously glandular-fimbriate;  floral bract ovate, obtuse to acuminate, concave, (1-)3-4(-6) mm long, ciliolate;  pedicel subterete, ribbed, 5-19 mm long, glabrous to puberulent, sometimes moderately glandular-fimbriate;  bracteoles nearly basal, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, acuminate, 1-1.5 mm long, ciliolate.  Flowers with calyx continuous with pedicel, the calyx 4 mm long;  hypanthium campanulate, terete to narrowly 5-angled, 2-3 mm long, glabrous but sometimes moderately glandular-fimbriate;  limb campanulate, ca. 1-1.5 mm long;  lobes triangular, to ovate-triangular, acute to acuminate, ca. 1 mm long;  sinuses acute to rounded;  corolla tubular, terete to strongly 5-angled, rarely extremely narrowly 5-winged, 9-20 mm long and 3-4 mm diam., red to pink to white, glabrous but often moderately glandular-fimbriate, the lobes ovate-triangular, obtuse, ca. 1-1.5 mm long;  stamen 10, equal, 8.5-15 mm long;  filaments distinct, 2-4 mm long, glabrous to marginally pilose;  anthers 7.5-12 mm long;  thecae 2.5-4 mm long, the base long-mucronate;  tubules 5-8 mm long, dehiscing by clefts;  style about as long as corolla, glabrous.  Berry spherical, blue-black, 8-10 mm diam.

        Distribution.  Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru;  lower montane moist forest, montane moist and rainforest, elfin forest, subpáramo to páramo, at 1600-3600 m altitude.

           Local names:  Ecuador:  gualicón, sagalita.

           Uses:  fruits edible.  Visited by male hummingbird Eriocnemis nigrivestis (Bleiweiss 1139).

            Cultivated:  HBA.