Agarista nummularia (Chamisso & Schlechtendal) G. Don, Gen.
hist. 3: 837. 1834. Andromeda nummularia Chamisso & Schlechtendal,
Linnaea 1: 520. 1826. Leucothoe nummularia (Chamisso &
Schlechtendal) A. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 7: 603. 1839. Illustration:
Judd (1995), fog. 10. Type. Brazil. Rio Grande do Sul:
Pôrto Alegre (see Meissner in Martius, 1863), Sellow 1229
(holotype, B, destroyed; frag. of holotype, F; photos of holotype, F, G,
GH; isotype, G-DC, n.v.).
Leucothoe nummularia (Chamisso & Schlechtendal) A. P. de
Candolle var. floccigera Sleumer, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 78: 460. 1959.
Type. Brazil. Rio Grande do Sul: Provo Novo, nr. Pelotas, 12
Nov 1901, Malme 401 (holotype, S; isotypes, GH, S).
Erect shrub or subshrub to 2 m tall, with bark usually
not well developed; twigs with or without scattered gland-headed hairs,
otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent, with hollow to irregularly chambered
pith; buds to ca. 1.2 mm long, leaves revolute. Leaves coriaceous,
ovate to elliptic or orbicular, 0.5-1.5(-2.3) x 0.5-1.6(-2) cm, base cordate
to ± truncate (rounded), apex obtuse- to retuse-mucronate (short-acuminate),
margin entire to serrulate due to gland-headed hairs (slightly sinuous),
plane to very slightly revolute near base, adaxial surface with or without
gland-headed hairs, otherwise sparsely pubescent on basal portion of midvein,
abaxial surface with or without gland-headed hairs on midvein and blade,
otherwise glabrous to sparsely pubescent on basal portion of midvein (with
few very inconspicuous glandular dots along midvein); petiole 0.5-2.5 mm
long. Inflorescences axillary racemes to 1.5-8 cm long; rachis with
or without scattered gland-headed hairs, otherwise densely pubescent; pedicels
4-11 mm long, with or without gland-headed hairs, otherwise densely pubescent;
bracteoles 2, alternate to opposite, from nearly basal to within lower
1/3 of pedicel, narrowly triangular to linear, ovate, or elliptic, to ca.
2.5 mm long; floral bracts to 3 mm long. Flowers with triangular
calyx lobes, with acuminate to acute apices, (2.1-)2.5-5 x 0.7-1.7(-2.2)
cm, abaxial surface with or without gland-headed hairs, otherwise sparsely
to densely pubescent; corolla cylindrical, white, 7-10.5 X 2.5-5 mm, glabrous;
filaments 4.5-5.5 mm long; anthers 1-1.7 mm long; ovary densely pubescent.
Capsules short-ovoid to subglobose, 3.5-5 x 5-7 mm, placentae subapical;
seeds 1.3-2.3 mm long.
Distribution. Endemic to SE Brazil (Santa Catarina
and Rio Grande do Sul), in rocky areas, bogs, wet forests, and moist thickets,
at 10-1650 m alt. Flowering (August) September through December (January).