2. Agarista D. DON ex G. DON Gen. Syst. 3: 837 (1834).
References: JUDD, W., A taxonomic revision of the American species of Agarista (Ericaceae). J. Arnold Arbor. 65: 255--342 (1984). -- JUDD, W., Agarista , in J. L. LUTEYN (ed.), Ericaceae--Part 2. The superior-ovaried genera (Monotropoideae, Pyroloideae, Rhododendroideae, and Vaccinioideae p.p.). Flora Neotrop. Monogr. 66: 295--344 (1995).
Terrestrial shrubs or trees with longitudinally furrowed bark; indumentum of unicellular
hairs and often multicellular, multiseriate, long-stalked, gland-tipped hairs. Leaves
alternate, coriaceous, revolute (or convolute) in bud, margin entire; venation reticulodromous. Inflorescence axillary or terminal, racemose or paniculate;
floral bract small; bracteoles usually 2, rarely several, located at or near base
to near middle of pedicel. Flowers 5-merous, usually fragrant; aestivation imbricate;
calyx articulate with pedicel, deeply lobed, persistent in fruit; corolla sympetalous,
cylindric to urceolate, glabrous to densely pubescent, the lobes short; stamen 10,
inserted at base of corolla; filaments distinct, geniculate, with long unicellular
hairs, somewhat expanded near base, lacking spurs; anthers more or less ovoid, minutely
papillose to nearly smooth, lacking apical awns, dehiscing by large, introrse-terminal,
elliptic pores, disintegration tissue present on back of each lobe near apex; pollen lacking viscin strands; ovary 5-locular, glabrous to densely covered with unicellular
hairs (very rarely with few gland-headed hairs); style slightly swollen near apex,
straight, slightly to strongly impressed into apex of ovary and usually slightly exserted; stigma truncate to capitate, obscurely 5-lobed, minutely papillose. Fruit
a loculicidal capsule, subglobose, short-ovoid to ovoid, sutures unthickened or very
slightly thickened near apex, but not separating from valves at dehiscence. Chromosomes: x=12.
United States, Central America, South America east to SE Brazil, central Africa, Madagascar, Reunion, and Mauritius.
One species: Agarista albiflora