Agarista hispidula (A. P. de Candolle) J. D. Hooker ex Niedenzu, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 11: 236. 1889.  Amechania hispidula A. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 7: 579. 1839.  Leucothoe hispidula (A. P. de Candolle) Meissner in Martius, Fl. brasil. 7: 164, t. 62, fig. 2. 1863.  Illustration:  Judd (1995), fig. 11.  Type.  Brazil.  São Paulo: Batatais, Jun 1834, Lund s.n. (holotype, G-DC, n.v.; frag. of holotype, NY, n.v.; isotype, C).
     
      Leucothoe breviflora Meissner in Martius, Fl. brasil. 7: 165, t. 63, fig. 2. 1863.  Agarista brevifolia (Meissner) J. D. Hooker ex Niedenzu, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 11: 236. 1889.  Type.  Brazil.  Minas Gerais: Caldas, Oct 1854, Lindberg 418 (holotype, BR, n.v.; frag. of holotype, NY; isotype, S).

      Leucothoe intermedia Meissner in Martius, Fl. brasil. 7: 163, t. 60, fig. 1. 1863.  Type.  Brazil.  Minas Gerais: Caldas, 1845, Widgren 329 (lectotype, designated by Judd (1984), BR, n.v.; frag. of lectotype, NY; possible isolectotype, S).
       

        Usually erect shrub to 2.5 m tall (but often only ca. 1 m tall), with bark often not well developed; twigs with or without scattered gland-headed hairs, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent, with nonchambered to irregularly chambered or sometimes hollow pith; buds to ca. 0.8 mm long, leaves revolute.  Leaves coriaceous, ovate to narrowly ovate, 0.8-2.5(-3.3) x 0.15-1.2 cm, base cordate, apex acute- to rounded-mucronate (short-acuminate), margin entire (slightly sinuous, serrulate due to gland-headed hairs), strongly to moderately (slightly) revolute, adaxial surface sparsely to densely pubescent on midvein and often with scattered hairs on lamina, abaxial surface with or without gland-headed hairs on midvein, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent on midvein and often also sparsely (moderately) pubescent on lamina (with few very inconspicuous glandular dots along midvein); petiole 1-4 mm long.  Inflorescences (very short, fascicle-like) axillary racemes (terminal racemes or panicles) to 0.5-6.5 cm long; rachis with or without scattered gland-headed hairs, otherwise densely pubescent; pedicels 5-13 mm long, with or without gland-headed hairs, otherwise moderately to densely pubescent; bracteoles 2(-3), alternate to subopposite, from nearly basal to near midpoint of pedicel, narrowly triangular, to ca. 1.8 mm long; bracts to 2.3 mm long.  Flowers with triangular to ovate calyx lobes, with acuminate (to ± acute) apices, 2-5.5 x 0.8-2 mm, abaxial surface with or without gland-headed hairs, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent; corolla cylindrical to urceolate-cylindrical, red to pink (or white), 6.5-8.5 x 3-6 mm, sparsely to densely pubescent (also with few gland-headed hairs); filaments 4-5 mm long; anthers 1.4-1.8 mm long; ovary densely pubescent.  Capsules short-ovoid, 2.5-5 by 4-7.5 mm, placentae subapical to central; seeds 0.6-1.4 mm long.

        Distribution.  Endemic to SE Brazil (S Minas Gerais and adjacent São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, with one specimen from Goiás), in elfin woodlands, thickets, thicket margins, shrubby glassland, rocky sites, open boggy areas, at 1000-2500 m alt.  Flowering (June) September through December (February).