[Andromeda lanceolata Vellozo, Conc. Fl. Flum. 175. 1825, later
homonym of A. lanceolata Wallich, Asiatic Res. 12: 391. 1820 =Lyonia
ovalifolia (Wallich) Drude. Type. "Cabinet d'Histoire
naturelle de Rio de Janeiro" (n.v.).]
Andromeda multiflora Pohl, Pl. bras. icon. descr. 2: 33, t. 122.
1828/29. Agarista multiflora (Pohl) G. Don, Gen. hist. 3:
837. 1834. Leucothoe multiflora (Pohl) A. P. de Candolle,
Prodr. 7: 605. 1839. [Leucothoe multiflora (Pohl) A. P. de
Candolle var. pohlii Meissner in Martius, Fl. brasil. 7: 155. 1863,
nom. superfl.] Type. Brazil. Minas Gerais: Rancho Novo,
Serra da Mantiqueira, Sep/Oct 1819, Pohl s.n. (holotype, W, n.v.,
destroyed?; isotypes, BR, n.v., M).
Andromeda longepetiolata Fenzl ex Ettingshausen, Blatt-Skel.
Dikot. 94, fig. 56. 1861. Type. Unknown and not seen.
Leucothoe multiflora (Pohl) A. P. de Candolle var. petiolaris
Meissner in Martius, Fl. brasil. 7: 155. 1863. Type. Brazil.
Minas Gerais: Serra de Cural d'El Rey, ca. 1841-1842, Gardner 4986
(holotype, BM, n.v.; isotypes, E, F, G, GH, K, NY, P, US, W, n.v.).
Leucothoe multiflora (Pohl) A. P. de Candolle var. brevipes
Meissner in Martius, Fl. brasil. 7: 155. 1863. Type. Brazil.
Minas Gerais: Tejuco (=Diamantina), Martius 1337 (holotype, M; isotype,
M).
Shrub or small tree to ca. 5(-8) m tall, with often
contorted trunks and thick, corky, furrowed bark; twigs glabrous to sparsely
pubescent, with ± nonchambered pith; buds to ca. 1.5 mm long, leaves
revolute. Leaves alternate or subopposite or whorled, often variable
in arrangement, even within single twig; coriaceous, ovate to oblong, 2.5-8(-9.3)
x 0.8-2.6 cm, base rounded to truncate and often slightly asymmetric, apex
acute to acuminate or shortly so, to nearly rounded-mucronate, margin entire
and sometimes undulate, plane to very slightly revolute, especially near
base, adaxial surface glabrous (sparsely pubescent on midvein), abaxial
surface glabrous (very sparsely pubescent on midvein near base), with usually
at least few inconspicuous (to conspicuous) glandular dots along midvein;
petiole 6-41 mm long, slender, frequently flexuous. Inflorescences
axillary racemes to 1-6 cm long; rachis moderately to densely ferrugineous/crisped-pubescent;
pedicels 2-6 mm long, sparsely to densely ferrugineous-pubescent; bracteoles
2, opposite to alternate, from nearly basal to near midpoint of pedicel,
narrowly triangular, to ca. 1.1 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 1.7 mm long.
Flowers with triangular calyx lobes, with acuminate (to acute) apices,
1-1.8 x 0.5-1.2 mm, abaxial surface essentially glabrous; corolla cylindrical,
white (to reddish), 6-10.5 x 2.5-5 mm, glabrous; filaments 3-4.5 mm long;
anthers 0.8-1.1 mm long; ovary glabrous to sparsely pubescent. Capsules
ovoid to short-ovoid, 3-5 x 4-5 mm, placentae subapical; seeds 1.8-2.5
mm long.
Distribution. SE Brazil (Minas Gerais and adjacent
regions of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo; Santa Catarina, Rio Grande
do Sul) and Uruguay, in cerrado vegetation, open, rocky thickets and thicket
margins, or rocky hillsides, at (250-)800-2300 m alt. Flowering chiefly
late August through November (December).