Weakly erect, epiphytic shrub to 3 m tall;  stem base ca. 3 cm in diam.;  mature branches terete, smooth to minutely striate, glabrous, tan, grayish-red or reddish-brown;  twigs terete or bluntly angled, smooth or striate, glabrous, tan, infrequently provided with caducous, blackish, sessile, spherical glands along recent growth.  Leaves elliptic, ovate or lanceolate, sometimes bullate, 4.5-9 x 1.5-3.5 cm, basally cuneate or sometimes attenuate onto petiole, apically long-acuminate or caudate-acuminate, acumen 1.5-2(-2.5) cm long averaging 1/4-1/3 total leaf length), glabrous or slightly puberulous at base of midrib when young then becoming glabrous;  3-5(-7)-plinerved from near base, midrib, lateral nerves and veinlets all moderately to strongly impressed, or slightly raised and conspicuous above, lateral nerves sometimes deeply impressed (var. bullata), all veins raised beneath but usually only midrib or midrib and inner pair of lateral nerves conspicuous;  newly unfolding leaves often densely provided with caducous, globular glands on upper surface, these leaving minute reddish or blackish papillate scars on mature leaves;  petioles terete to subterete sometimes flattened adaxially, rugose, 4-8 mm long and 1-1.5 mm in diam., inconspicuously densely white puberulous when young becoming glabrate.  Inflorescence viscid, 6-12-flowered but the lowest 2 nodes sometimes sterile;  rachis subterete or complanate, bluntly angled, sometimes flexuous, smooth or minutely striate, glabrous, 1.5-10.5 cm long and ca. 1-1.5 mm in diam., pale green suffused with red when fresh but drying brick-red, sometimes provided with scattered globular glands 0.1-0.3(-0.5) mm diam. along entire length of rachis or concentrated proximally;  floral bracts slightly ribbed, smooth, rugose or muricate, oblong ot oblanceolate, 15-16 x 5-9 mm, basally narrowed and truncate, apically acute or rounded, glabrous, pink to red, provided along each margin with 11-12 sessile globular glands to 0.5 mm in diam. these often caducous;  pedicels terete to angled, swollen at both ends, minutely striate, glabrous, 4-7 mm long and 0.5-1 mm in diam., pale green when fresh but drying brick-red, provided with few scattered globular glands and cilia especially distally but also sometimes provided with more or less oblong or irregularly angular glands at top of pedicel at articulation;  bracteoles basal, linear to linear-lanceolate or ovate to oblong-ovate, 1-2(-4) x 0.5 mm, apically each provided with a hastate, callose gland which breaks off easily, marginally with a few globular glands.  Flowers:  calyx glabrous, 3.5-4.5 mm long, pink at anthesis;  hypanthium cylindric or sometimes pentagonal, smooth or rugose, 1.5-2(-2.5) mm long and 2-3.5 mm diam. (2 mm at anthesis), basally apophysate and most noticeable in early fruit, provided with numerous scattered globular glands along margin of apophysis which do not obscure surface of tube;  limb campanulate to erecto-patent, rugose, ribbed, 1.5-2.5 mm long, provided with a few scattered glands similar to those on tube;  lobes triangular, obtuse, sometimes apiculate, 0.5-1.5 x ca. 0.5 mm, erect after anthesis, completely to only marginally glandular-callose (then glands contiguous and lobes appearing almost completely glandular-callose because of their small size), lobes often breaking off with age;  sinuses broadly rounded or flat;  corolla 16-24 mm long and 4-4.5 mm in diam., bluish- to reddish-purple at base, purple above, glabrous to short-pilose distal 1/3, lobes triangular, obtuse, 1-2 mm long;  stamens 14.5-21 mm long;  filaments densely short-pilose or glabrate, alternately ca. 3 mm and 5-7.5 mm long;  anthers alternately 13-20 mm and 9.5-16.5 mm long, purplish-orange;  thecae 3-6.5 mm long;  style 17-23 mm long.  Berry not seen.

    Distribution (Map).  Endemic to Panama, where it occurs at elevations of 700-1900 m.

 Key to Varieties of Cavendishia chiriquiensis

1.  Leaves flat; rachis 1.5-4.5 cm long; bracteoles linear to linear-lanceolate; corolla pilose
     in distal 1/3; Boquete region of Chiriquí Prov ................................................ var. chiriquiensis
1.  Leaves bullate; rachis (2.5-)6-10.5 cm long; bracteoles ovate to oblong-ovate; corolla
     glabrous or only weakly puberulous in the distal 1/3; Cerro Colorado of Chiriquí Prov.
     and El Copé of Coclé Prov  ................................................................................  var. bullata
 

Cavendishia chiriquiensis A. C. Smith var. chiriquiensis

    Leaves flat not bullate;  3-5-plinerved, midrib, lateral nerves, and veinlets impressed to slightly raised and conspicuous above, all veins raised beneath but usually only midrib conspicuous;  petioles densely white puberulous when young becoming glabrate.  Rachis 1.5-4.5 cm long;  bracteoles linear to linear-lanceolate.  Hypanthium slightly apophysate;  corolla short-pilose distal 1/3.

    Distribution (Map).  Found only in Panama(E side of Volcán Barú, on Cerro Horqueta, and along the Chiriquicito-Caldera trail, all Chiriquí Prov.) and in Costa Rica (Limón Prov.), in primary montane forest, elfin forest, mossy forest, and along forest trails, at elevations of 1800-1900 m (see Luteyn, 1996).
 

Cavendishia chiriquiensis A. C. Smith var. bullata Lutyen, in Wilbur & Luteyn, Ann. Misouri Bot. Gard. 68: 157.  1981.  Type.  Panama.  Coclé: 7 km N of El Copé, nr. Rivera sawmill, 700-850 m, 10 Sep 1977 (fl), Folsom 5239 (holotype, MO, photo NY neg. 10575;  isotype, NY).

    Leaves usually strong-bullate;  5-7-plinerved with midrib and lateral nerves moderately to strongly impressed above and conspicuously raised beneath, veinlets slightly raised above and usually obscure beneath;  petioles inconspicuously puberulent.  Rachis (2.5-)6-10.5 cm long;  bracteoles ovate to oblong-ovate.  Hypanthium moderately to conspicuously apophysate;  corolla glabrous or only weakly puberulous the distal 1/3.

     Distribution (Map).  Found only in Panama (Cerro Colorado, Chiriquí Prov., and N of El Copé, Coclé Prov.) and in Costa Rica (Alajuela and Puntarenas Prov.), in cloud forest, at elevations of 700-1750 m (see Luteyn, 1996). Rare and endangered.