Leucothoe columbiana Sleumer, Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin-Dahlem
12: 479. 1935. Type. Colombia. Magdalena: Sierra Nevada
de Santa Marta, "El Manón," ca. 2100 m, 26 Feb 1928, Schultze
1113 (holotype, B, destroyed).
Leucothoe andina Sleumer, Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin-Dahlem 12:
478. 1935. Type. Peru. Amazonas: Pipos, E of Chachapoyas,
2000 m, 19 Jul 1904, Weberbauer 4362 (holotype, B, destroyed; isotypes,
NY, fragment, USM, n.v.).
Shrub to 3 m tall; twigs with or without scattered gland-headed
hairs, otherwise moderately pubescent, with ± nonchambered pith;
buds to ca. 1.5 mm long, leaves revolute. Leaves coriaceous, ovate
to elliptic, (0.9-)1.6-7 x (0.4-) 0.8-2.7 cm, base widely cuneate to cordate,
apex acute- to rounded-mucronate, margin entire (slightly undulate), plane
to very slightly (strongly) revolute, adaxial surface with or without gland-headed
hairs on midvein, otherwise sparsely to moderately pubescent on midvein
(also sparsely pubescent on lamina and along margin), abaxial surface with
or without gland-headed hairs on midvein, otherwise very sparsely to moderately
pubescent on midvein, usually with few to many inconspicuous glandular
dots along midvein; petiole 2-8 mm long. Inflorescences axillary
racemes to 3-10 cm long; rachis with or without scattered gland-headed
hairs, otherwise sparsely to moderately pubescent; pedicels 2-7.5 mm long,
with or without gland-headed hairs, otherwise moderately pubescent; bracteoles
2, opposite to subopposite, basal or nearly so, narrowly triangular, to
ca. 0.8 mm long; floral bracts to 1 mm long. Flowers with triangular
calyx lobes, with acuminate apices, 0.7-1.8 x 0.6-1.1 mm, abaxial surface
sparsely to moderately pubescent; corolla cylindrical to urceolate-cylindrical,
white (red tinged at tip, or red), 4-9 x 2-3.5 mm, glabrous; filaments
2.5-5 mm long; anthers 1-1.5 mm long; ovary sparsely to densely pubescent.
Capsules subglobose to short-ovoid, 3-5.5 x 4-7.5 mm, placentae subapical;
seeds 1.5-2 mm long.
Distribution. Northern Andes from Venezuela
and Colombia south to Peru. Moist montane forests, dwarf forests,
rocky areas with scattered shrubs; 1800-2500 m alt. Flowering April
to September.