Shrub or small and often gnarled tree to 3(-6) m tall, with roughly furrowed bark; twigs sparsely to densely pubescent, with nonchambered pith; buds to ca. 1.1 mm long, leaves revolute. Leaves coriaceous, ovate to elliptic, 1.3-4.5 x 0.5-2.2 cm, base rounded (to very slightly cordate), apex obtuse- to retuse-mucronate (acute-mucronate), margin entire, slightly to strongly revolute, and entire lamina usually strongly abaxially curved, adaxial surface sparsely to moderately pubescent on basal portion of midvein (with a few hairs on adjacent portion of lamina), abaxial surface sparsely pubescent on midvein or only on basal portion, or densely pubescent on lamina and midvein, with a few inconspicuous glandular dots along midvein; petiole 2-7 mm long. Inflorescences axillary racemes to (1-)1.5-6.5 cm long; rachis moderately to densely pubescent; bracteoles 2, opposite to alternate, from base to near midpoint of pedicel, narrowly triangular, to ca. 1 mm long; floral bracts to 1.3 mm long. Flowers with triangular calyx lobes, with acuminate apices, 0.9-1.6 x 0.6-1.5 mm, adaxial surface sparsely to densely pubescent; corolla ± cylindrical, red to white, 6-9 x 3.5-5 mm, glabrous or with very few unicellular hairs near apex to moderately pubescent; filaments 4.5-5.5 mm long; anthers 1-1.2 mm long; ovary very sparsely to densely pubescent. Capsules ovoid to short-ovoid or subglobose, 4-5.5 x 5-7 mm, valves often slightly white bordered, placentae subapical; seeds 2-3.5 mm long.
Distribution. Endemic to SE Brazil, along coast
from Bahia south to Estado do Rio.
Key to the Varieties of Agarista revoluta
1. Abaxial surface of lamina glabrous, but sparsely pubescent
on midvein,
especially basal portion; corolla glabrous
or with very few unicellular
hairs near apex .................................................................
var. revoluta
1. Abaxial surface of lamina densely pubescent; corolla moderately
pubescent, especially near apex ........................................
var. velutina
Agarista revoluta (Sprengel) J. D. Hooker ex Niedenzu var. revoluta.
Andromeda revoluta Sprengel, Neue Entdeck. 2: 131. 1821. [Agarista
sprengelii D. Don, Gen. hist. 3: 837. 1834, nom. superfl.] Leucothoe
revoluta (Sprengel) A. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 7: 604. 1839. [Leucothoe
revoluta (Sprengel) A. P. de Candolle var. sellowii Meissner
in Martius, Fl. brasil. 7: 160. 1863, nom. superfl.] Illustration:
Judd (1995), fig. 3. Type. Brazil. Rio de Janeiro: Restinga
de Cabo Frio, Sellow s.n. (holotype, B destroyed; lectotype, designated
by Judd (1995), B; isolectotypes, BM, BR, n.v., E, G, n.v., K, L, M, P,
W, n.v.; photos of G-isolectotype, F, GH).
Leucothoe bahiensis A. P. de Candolle var. salzmannii A. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 7: 604. 1839 (=L. bahiensis var. bahiensis; chosen as nominate variety by Sleumer, 1959). Leucothoe revoluta (Sprengel) A. P. de Candolle var. salzmannii (A. P. de Candolle) Meissner in Martius, Fl. brasil. 7: 160. 1863. Type. Brazil. Bahia: 1830, Salzmann 314 (lectotype, G, n.v.; isolectotypes, NY, fragment, P; unnumbered Salzmann collections, possible isolectotypes, G, n.v., GH, K, MO; photos of unnumbered Salzmann collection at G, F, GH).
Leucothoe bahiensis A. P. de Candolle var. blanchetii A. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 7: 604. 1839. Leucothoe revoluta (Sprengel) A. P. de Candolle var. blanchetii (A. P. de Candolle) Meissner in Martius, Fl. brasil. 7: 160. 1863. Type. Brazil. Bahia: Monte Cerrato, Blanchet 1680 (holotype, G, n.v.; isotypes, F, K, P, W, n.v.).
[Andromeda nitida Vellozo, Conc. Fl. Flum. 174. 1825, a later
homonym of A. nitida Bartram ex Marshall, Arbust. Am. 8. 1785 =Lyonia
lucida (Lamarck) K. Koch.] Leucothoe bahiensis A. P. de
Candolle var. arrabidae A. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 7: 604. 1839.
Leucothoe revoluta (Sprengel) A. P. de Candolle var. arrabidae
(A. P. de Candolle) Meissner in Martius, Fl. brasil. 7: 160. 1863.
Type: Lectotype, designated by Judd (1984), as illustration in Vellozo,
Conc. Fl. Flum. Ic. 4: t. 94. 1835.
Distribution). Endemic to SE Brazil, along
coast from S Bahia south to Rio de Janiero, in coastal scrub on wet to
dry sand (sometimes intermixed with sedge meadows), sand dunes, near sea
level (inland to 1000 m alt.). Flowering July through October.
Agarista revoluta (Sprengel) J. D. Hooker ex Niedenzu var. velutina Judd, J. Arnold Arbor. 65: 289. 1984. Type. Brazil. Bahia: Mpio. do Salvador, Dunas do Abaeté, 29 Aug 1976, Silva Araújo et al. 48 (holotype, NY; isotype, CEPEC, n.v.). Incorrectly cited as no. 49 in Judd (1984).
Twigs densely pubescent. Leaves with adaxial surface sparsely to moderately pubescent on midvein and adjacent lamina; abaxial surface densely velutinous on lamina and midvein. Flowers with pedicels 6-11 mm long, densely pubescent; calyx lobes with abaxial surface densely pubescent; corolla abaxially moderately pubescent, especially near apex; ovary ± densely pubescent.
Distribution. Endemic to E Brazil, on coast near Salvador, Bahia, in coastal scrub. Flowering August and September.