Agarista oleifolia (Chamisso) G. Don, Gen. hist. 3: 838. 1834.

        Shrub (to small tree) to 3(-6) m tall, with thickly furrowed bark and often tortuous branches; twigs with or without scattered gland-headed hairs, otherwise glabrous to sparsely pubescent, with nonchambered to clearly chambered pith; buds to ca. 1 m long, leaves revolute.  Leaves rarely 3-whorled; coriaceous, (very narrowly) ovate to elliptic or oblong, (2-)2.5-10(-12.5) x 0.4-3.3 cm, base cuneate to rounded or slightly cordate, apex acute- to rounded-mucronate (slightly acuminate), margin plane to very slightly revolute, especially near base, adaxial surface nearly glabrous to sparsely pubescent on midvein, especially basal portion, abaxial surface glabrous to sparsely pubescent on midvein, usually with inconspicuous glandular dots along midvein; petiole 2-11.5 mm long.  Inflorescences axillary racemes to (2.5-)3-13 cm long; rachis with or without scattered gland-headed hairs, otherwise glabrous to densely pubescent; pedicels 2.5-15 mm long, with or without gland-headed hairs, otherwise glabrous to densely pubescent; bracteoles 2 (3), alternate to subopposite, from nearly basal to near midpoint of pedicel (with 1 near apex), narrowly triangular, to ca. 1.5 mm long; floral bracts to 2 mm long.  Flowers with triangular calyx lobes, with acuminate apices, 1.4-2.7(-3) x 0.8-2.1 mm, abaxial surface with or without gland-headed hairs, otherwise glabrous to moderately pubescent; corolla cylindrical, red to white, 7.5-16 x (2.5-)3-6.5 mm, glabrous; filaments 5.3-8.5 mm long; anthers 1-2.2 mm long; ovary glabrous to sparsely pubescent.  Capsules subglobose to short-ovoid, 2.5-5.5 x 4-8 mm, placentae ± central; seeds 0.5-1.3 mm long.

        Distribution.  Endemic to SE Brazil (from Bahia, Goiás, and extreme southeastern Mato Grosso south to Rio de Janiero and São Paulo).
     

     Key to the Varieties of Agarista oleifolia

    1.  Inflorescence rachis sparsely to densely pubescent; corolla 7.5-12
         mm long .......................................................................... var. oleifolia
    1.  Inflorescence rachis glabrous; corolla 10.5-16 mm long ....... var. glabra
     

    Agarista oleifolia (Chamisso) G. Don var. oleifolia. Andromeda oleifolia Chamisso, Linnaea 8: 504. 1833.  Leucothoe oleifolia (Chamisso) A. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 7: 605. 1839.  Illustration:  Judd (1995), fig. 7.  Type.  Brazil.  Minas Gerais: Itambé, Sellow s.n. (holotype, B, destroyed; frag. of holotype, F, NY; photo of holotype, GH; isotypes, E, G, K, L).
     

      Leucothoe ambigua Meissner var. tomentella Meissner in Martius, Fl. brasil. 7: 156. 1863 (=L. ambigua var. ambigua; chosen as nominal variety of L. ambigua by Sleumer (1959), since Meissner described six named varieties of this taxon at the same time). Agarista ambigua (Meissner) J. D. Hooker ex Niedenzu, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 11: 236. 1889.  Type.  Brazil.  Minas Gerais: Martius 837 (lectotype, M (=holotype of L. ambigua var. tomentella); frag. of lectotype, F; isolectotypes, G, GH, K, L, M, MO, NY, W, n.v.; photos of isolectotype at B, destroyed, G, GH).

      Leucothoe ambigua Meissner var. hispidula Meissner in Martius, Fl. brasil. 7: 156. 1863.  Leucothoe oleifolia (Chamisso) A. P. de Candolle var. hispidula (Meissner) Sleumer, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 78: 476. 1959.  Type.  Brazil.  Minas Gerais: Carunhanha R., Sertao do Paranán, Martius 2000 (holotype, M).

      Leucothoe ambigua Meissner var. peduncularis Meissner in Martius, Fl. brasil. 7: 156. 1863.  Type.  Brazil.  Minas Gerais: Serra do Frio, Jul 1846, Gardner 4987 (holotype, BM, destroyed?; frag. of holotype, NY; isotypes, E, F, G, GH, K, NY, P, S, US, W, n.v.).

      Leucothoe stenophylla Loesener, Flora 72: 77. 1889.  Agarista stenophylla (Loesener) Niedenzu, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 11: 236. 1889.  Type.  Brazil.  Rio de Janeiro: Serra dos Orgaos, 21 Jan 1887, Glaziou 16232 (holotype, B, destroyed; isotype, designated as lectotype by Judd (1984), B; isolectotypes, C, F, K, P).

      Leucothoe rivularis Sleumer, Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin-Dahlem 12: 481. 1935.  Type.  Brazil.  Minas Gerais: Serra do Itatiaia, 2100 m, 27 Dec 1895, Ule 3737 (holotype, B, destroyed; frag. of holotype, F; photos of holotype, F, GH; isotype, HBG).
       

        Shrub (to small tree) to 3(-6) m tall; twigs glabrous to sparsely pubescent.  Leaves with petiole 2-8 mm long; blade (2-)2.5-8.5(-10.5) x 0.4-2.8 cm, base cuneate, abaxial surface glabrous to sparsely pubescent on midvein.  Inflorescences (2.5-)3-12 cm long; rachis sparsely to densely pubescent; pedicels glabrous to densely pubescent.  Flowers with corolla red to white, 7.5-12 mm long; filaments 5.3-6.8 mm long; anthers 1-1.5 mm long; ovary glabrous to sparsely pubescent.  Capsules 2.5-4 x 4-6.5 mm.

        Distribution.  Endemic to SE Brazil (S and C Minas Gerais and adjacent portions of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo), along margins of forests and thickets, frequently along rivers or streams, bogs, open rocky campo, at 800-2100 m alt.  Flowering chiefly August through October.
     

    Agarista oleifolia (Chamisso) G. Don var. glabra (Meissner) Judd, J. Arnold Arbor. 65: 310. 1984.  Leucothoe ambigua Meissner var. glabra Meissner in Martius, Fl. brasil. 7: 156. 1863. Leucothoe oleifolia (Chamisso) A. P. de Candolle var. glabra (Meissner) Sleumer, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 78: 476. 1959.  Illustration:  Judd (1995), fig. 8.  Type.  Brazil.  Bahia: Nr. Moritiba, Serra da Jacobina, 1842-1845, Blanchet 3562 (holotype, W, n.v.; isotypes, BR, n.v., C, F, G, GH, K, MO, P).
     

      Leucothoe ambigua Meissner var. longifolia Meissner in Martius, Fl. brasil. 7: 156. 1863.  Leucothoe oleifolia (Chamisso) A. P. de Candolle var. longifolia (Meissner) Sleumer, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 78: 476. 1959.  Type.  Brazil.  Goiás: Arrayas, 1841, Gardner 3876 (holotype, BM, n.v.; isotypes, E, F, G, K, NY, P, W, n.v.).

      Leucothoe martii Meissner var. puberula Meissner in Martius, Fl. brasil. 7: 155. 1863.  Type.  Brazil.  Minas Gerais/Pernambuco: Rio Fermo, Martius s.n. (holotype, M; frag. of holotype, NY; photo of holotype, GH; isotypes, G, M).

      Leucothoe martii Meissner var. glabra Meissner in Martius, Fl. brasil. 7: 156. 1863.  Type.  Brazil.  Minas Gerais/Pernambuco: Rio Fermo, Martius s.n. (holotype, M; isotype, M).

      Leucothoe spectabilis Meissner in Martius, Fl. brasil. 7: 159. 1863.  Agarista spectabilis (Meissner) J. D. Hooker ex Niedenzu, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 11: 236. 1889.  Type.  Brazil.  Goiás: Banks of S. Bartholomeo, Chapada de S. Marcos, Aug 1834, Riedel 2484 (holotype, LE, n.v.; isotype, NY).

      Leucothoe varnhageniana Reichardt, Verh. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien 33: 323. 1884.  Agarista varnhageniana (Reichardt) Niedenzu, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 11: 236. 1889.  Type.  Brazil.  Goiás: Villa Formosa do Imperatriz, Seguro 68 (holotype, W, n.v.; frag. of holotype, F; photos of holotype, A, F).
       

        Shrub (to small tree) to 3(-4) m tall; twigs glabrous.  Leaves with petiole 4-11.5 mm long; blade (2.5-)3.5-10(-12.5) x 0.9-3.3 cm, base cuneate to rounded, abaxial surface glabrous.  Inflorescences to 6-13 cm long; rachis glabrous or essentially so; pedicels glabrous.  Flowers with corolla red (white), 10.5-16 mm long; filaments 6.5-8.5 mm long; anthers 2-2.2 mm long; ovary glabrous.  Capsules 3.5-5.5 x 5.5-8 mm.

        Distribution.  Endemic to south-central Brazil (from Bahia and N Minas Gerais east to Goiás and SE Mato Grosso), in scrub vegetation over sandstone, woodland and thickets, especially along rivers or streams, at ca. 700-1700 m alt.  Flowering chiefly August through October.