Lyonia latifolia (A. Richard) Grisebach, Cat. pl. Cub. 51. 1866.

        Evergreen low shrub to moderate-sized tree to ca. 6 m tall, with brownish to gray, longitudinally furrowed bark; twigs slightly to moderately angled, slender, densely to moderately lepidote, otherwise slightly to occasionally moderately pubescent; buds ovoid, 1-2.5 x 1-2.5 mm.  Leaf blades ovate to obovate, or nearly orbicular, 2.5-7(-9.5) x 1.5-5(-6.5) cm, ± flat, coriaceous, ca. 0.34-0.43 mm thick; base slightly cordate to narrowly cuneate or attenuate; apex acuminate, acute, to rounded or truncate; margin plane to slightly revolute, apical portion entire to very obscurely and irregularly toothed, basal portion entire to sinuous; venation brochidodromous, 3o veins ± reticulate; adaxial surface lepidote but scales quickly deciduous, moderately pubescent on basal portion of midvein, the 3o and higher order veins obscure to visible, the midvein sometimes slightly depressed, the 2o veins obscure to visible, ± flat to slightly depressed; abaxial surface densely to sparsely lepidote, otherwise densely pubescent (only sparsely pubescent near margin or apex), the 3o and higher order veins ± flat or nearly so and obscure to slightly and laxly reticulate, or, on few plants from extremely high elevations, raised and forming dense, fine reticulum, the 2o veins slightly raised and visible to occasionally nearly obscure; scales yellowish gold, sometimes becoming whitish with age, deciduous, ca. 0.08-0.43 mm in diameter, nearly entire to erose; petiole 4-20 mm long, lepidote, otherwise pubescent adaxially or all around; flower buds ± intermixed with vegetative buds.  Inflorescences fasciculate, ca. 1- to 12-flowered; pedicels clearly articulated with calyx, moderately stout, 2.5-10 mm long, densely lepidote, otherwise pubescent; bracteoles ± opposite, basal, narrowly triangular, 1.2-3.6 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 2.5 mm long.  Flowers (4-)5-(-6)-merous; calyx lobes narrowly triangular, with acute or long-acuminate apices, (2.5-)3.7-7(-8) x 0.8-2.5 mm, adaxial side densely lepidote, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent, especially near apex, abaxial side very densely lepidote, otherwise pubescent; corolla long-urceolate, white to pink, 5.5-8 X 3-6 mm, abaxially densely lepidote, and corolla appearing yellow or golden due to peltate scales; filaments roughened, 3-5 mm long, unappendaged or with minute spurs near anther-filament junction; anthers 1.3-2 mm long; ovary lepidote and pubescent, placentae ± subapical.  Capsules ovoid to short-ovoid or subglobose, 4-6(-7) x 3.5-5.5(-6) mm, lepidote, otherwise moderately to densely pubescent, the pale, very thick sutures separating as unit from adjacent valves; seeds 1.5-2.7 mm long.

        Distribution.  Endemic to Cuba (Prov. Oriente; Sierra Maestra, Gran Piedra range, and few mountains of eastern Oriente), in pinelands, thickets, rocky places, moist montane forests, "monte fresco" vegetation of higher summits, at ca. 650-2000 m elev.
     

     Key to the Varieties of Lyonia latifolia

    1.  Leaves with secondary veins at least slightly depressed, the blade
        ovate to elliptic or nearly orbicular, with length/width quotient
        1-1.9, and with base rounded, slightly cordate, or broadly cuneate,
        not decurrent, the petiole 4-12 mm long; Sierra Maestra from Loma
        del Gato westward ....................................... var. latifolia.
    1.  Leaves with secondary veins not depressed, the blade elliptic to
        obovate or ovate, with length/width quotient (1.2-)1.4-2(-2.7), and
        with base narrowly to broadly cuneate (rounded), sometimes
        decurrent; the petiole 8-20 mm long; Sierra Maestra from Loma del
        Gato east to Gran Piedra range and mts. of eastern Oriente  .........
        ....................................................... ............   var. calycosa.
     
     

    Lyonia latifolia (A. Richard) Grisebach var. latifolia. Leucothoe latifolia A. Richard in Sagra, Hist. Fis. Pol. Nat. Cuba 11: 74. 1850 [1851].  Andromeda latifolia (A. Richard) C. Wright in Sauvalle, Anal. Acad. Ci. Habana 6: 249. 1870.  Xolisma latifolia (A. Richard) Small, N. Amer . Fl. 29(1): 70. 1914.  Illustration:  Judd (1995), fig. 25.  Type.  Cuba.  Oriente: Sierra Maestra, nr. Mogote, Santiago de Cuba, Apr 1844, J. Linden 1693 (holotype, P; frag. of holotype, F, L; isotypes, K, NY, W; frag. of isotype, NY).
     

    Xolisma turquini Small, J. New York Bot. Gard. 23: 92. 1922.  Lyonia turquini (Small) Ekman ex Urban, Repert. Sp. Nov. 22: 42. 1925.  Type.  Cuba.  Oriente: first peak of Pico Turquino, ca. 2000 m, 10 Apr 1922, G. C. Bucher 9 (holotype, NY).

    Lyonia densiflora Urban, Repert. Sp. Nov. 22: 42. 1925.  Type.  Cuba.  Oriente: Sierra Maestra, in Pinar de Papayo, ca. 800 m, 22 Jun 1918, Ekman 9262 (holotype, S; isotype, NY).

    Lyonia clementis Acuna & Roig, Contr. Ocas. Mus. Hist. Nat. Col. La Salle 15: 4. 1956.  Type.  Cuba.  Oriente: Sierra Maestra, nr. Loma del Gato, Aug 1932, Bro. Clemente s.n. (holotype, HAC, n.v.).
     

        Leaf blades ovate or broadly ovate to elliptic or nearly orbicular, 2.5-6.5(-8) cm long; base rounded to slightly cordate or broadly cuneate, not decurrent; adaxial surface with midvein usually slightly depressed, 2o veins usually at least slightly depressed, especially on larger-leaved plants; abaxial surface with 3o and higher order veins ± flat or nearly so and obscure to slightly and laxly reticulate, in plants from extremely high elevations near or at summit of Pico Turquino, raised, forming dense, fine reticulum; petiole 4-12(-14) mm long, pubescent adaxially only.  Pedicels 2.5-5(-7) mm long.  Flowers with calyx lobes (3-)3.5-7(-8) mm long.

        Distribution.  Endemic to Cuba (Prov. Oriente, Sierra Maestra from Loma del Gato westward), in pinelands of Pinus maestrensis, low to tall thickets, moist montane forests ("Fangales"), rocky areas, "monte fresco" vegetation of higher summits, at ca. 700-2000 m elev.  Flowering probably mainly April to July.
     

    Lyonia latifolia (A. Richard) Grisebach var. calycosa (Small) Judd, J. Arnold Arbor. 62: 396. 1981.  Xolisma calycosa Small, N. Amer. Fl. 29(1): 67. 1914.  Lyonia calycosa (Small) Urban, Repert. Sp. Nov. 22: 42. 1925.  Lyonia latifolia (A. Richard) Grisebach subsp. calycosa (Small) Borhidi, Acta Bot. Hung. 29: 189. 1983.  Illustration:  Judd (1995), figs. 25-26.  Type.  Cuba.  Oriente: between Firmeza and Gran Piedra, 4, 5 Mar 1911, Shafer 8997 (holotype, NY; isotypes, F, NY, US).
     

    Lyonia elata Urban, Repert. Sp. Nov. 22: 41. 1925.  Type.  Cuba.  Oriente: Sierra Maestra, Manacal, nr. Alto de Comejan, ca. 1100 m, 7 Jul 1918, Ekman 9372 (holotype, S; isotypes, K, NY, S, US).

    Lyonia leonis Acuña & Roig, Contr. Ocas. Mus. Hist. Nat. Col. La Salle 15: 4. 1956.  Type.  Cuba.  Oriente: Sierra Maestra, Loma del Gato, 950-1000 m, Jul 1921, Bro. León, Bro. Clemente, & M. Roca 10387 (holotype, HAC, n.v.; isotypes, GH, NY).
     

        Leaf blades elliptic to ovate or obovate, 3.5-7(-9.5) cm long; base narrowly to broadly cuneate (rounded), sometimes decurrent; adaxial surface with midvein not depressed, 2o veins usually not depressed; abaxial surface with 3o and higher order veins ± flat or nearly so and obscure to slightly and laxly reticulate; petiole (7-)8-20 mm long, pubescent adaxially or all around.  Pedicels 4-10 mm long.  Flowers with calyx lobes (2.5-)3.5-6(-6.5) mm long.

        Distribution.  Endemic to Cuba (Prov. Oriente, Sierra Maestra from Loma del Gato east to Gran Piedra range and Alto de Iberia, Sierra de Cristal, Sierra de Pural, and Sierra de Imías), in moist montane forests ("fangales"), thickets, and pinelands, at ca. 650-1250 m elev.  Flowering chiefly March and April.