Evergreen shrub to ca. 2 m tall, with grayish(?), longitudinally furrowed bark; twigs moderately angled, slender, sparsely to moderately lepidote, otherwise densely to sparsely pubescent; buds ovoid, 0.7-1.8 x 0.5-1.1 mm. Leaf blades ovate to slightly obovate or nearly orbicular, 0.9-4.5(-6) x 0.4-3(-3.5) cm, ± flat or strongly recurved, often strongly coriaceous, ca. 0.35-0.55 mm thick; base cuneate to rounded or slightly cordate; apex rounded or truncate to obtuse or acute; margin plane to very strongly revolute, apical portion entire to sinuous, basal portion entire; venation brochidodromous, 3o veins ± reticulate; adaxial surface lepidote but scales usually quickly deciduous, densely to sparsely pubescent on midvein, especially basal portion, the 2o and higher order veins visible to obscure, the 2o veins slightly raised to strongly depressed; abaxial surface moderately lepidote, otherwise usually densely pubescent (sparsely pubescent near margin or apex), the 3o and higher order veins ± flat or nearly so, slightly and laxly reticulate to obscure, the 2o veins slightly raised to obscure; scales rust colored, often becoming whitish with age, deciduous or persistent, ca. 0.12-0.37 mm in diameter, erose to entire, sometimes of 2 distinct types; petiole 1.5-7.5 mm long, lepidote, otherwise pubescent all around or less commonly only adaxially; flower buds ± intermixed with vegetative buds. Inflorescences fasciculate, ca. 1- to 10-flowered; pedicels clearly to only weakly articulated with calyx, slender, 4-15(-20) mm long, lepidote, with scales orange to deeply orange-red, or brownish, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent; bracteoles subopposite to alternate, basal or nearly so, narrowly triangular, 0.4-1.5 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 2 mm long. Flowers (4-)5-(-6)-merous; calyx lobes triangular, with acuminate to acute apices, 1-3(-4) x 0.8-2 mm, adaxial side often sparsely lepidote near margins, otherwise sparsely pubescent, especially near apex, abaxial side moderately to densely lepidote, otherwise glabrous to sparsely pubescent, especially near base; corolla long-urceolate, white to pink, especially toward mouth, 3.5-8 x 3-4.7 mm, abaxially ± densely lepidote, causing flowers to appear yellowish or golden; filaments roughened, 2-4 mm long, usually with very short spurs near anther-filament junction; anthers 1-1.6 mm long; ovary lepidote, otherwise pubescent, placentae ± subapical. Capsules ovoid, usually with straight-sided valves, 4-9 x 4-7 mm, lepidote, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent, especially near base or on sutures, the pale, very thick sutures separating as unit from adjacent valves; seeds 2-2.7 mm long.
Distribution. Endemic to Cuba (Prov. Oriente),
in thickets, serpentine barrens, and open forests of Pinus cubensis
in the Sierra de Nipe, Sierra de Cristal, Sierra de Moa, Sierra de Toa,
on Monte Libano, and on plateau near Moa, at ca. 300-1000 m elev.
Key to the Varieties of Lyonia nipensis
1. Leaf blades ± flat, the margins usually at most slightly
revolute,
the midvein not, or only slightly, depressed and
secondary veins
not depressed, the abaxial surface usually with
irregular margined
and usually deciduous scales only; petiole (2.5-)3-7.5
mm long;
northern Oriente, from Sierra de Nipe to plateau
near
Moa ...................................................................
var. nipensis.
1. Leaf blades strongly recurved, the margins often strongly
revolute,
the midvein and secondary veins depressed, often
strongly so, the
abaxial surface with irregular margined and deciduous,
and smaller,
± entire margined, and persistent scales;
petiole 1.5-4 mm long;
Sierra de Moa and Sierra de Toa ..................
var. depressinerva.
Lyonia nipensis Urban var. nipensis. Lyonia libanensis Urban, Repert. Sp. Nov. 22: 43. 1925. Illustration: Judd (1995), fig. 20. Type. Cuba. Oriente: nr. Guantánamo, in Monte Libano toward San Fernandez, ca. 700 m, 24 Dec 1919, Ekman 10266 (holotype, S; frag. of holotype, NY).
Buds ovoid, 1-1.8 x 0.8-1.1 mm. Leaf blades elliptic to ovate or slightly obovate, 1.2-4.5(-6) x 0.8-3(-3.5) cm, ± flat; base cuneate to rounded or slightly cordate; margin plane to slightly revolute (± strongly revolute); adaxial surface with midvein ± flat or only slightly depressed, the 2o veins obscure to visible and flat, forming ± acute angle with midvein; abaxial surface usually densely pubescent (sparsely pubescent near margin or apex); scales usually ± erose, usually deciduous; petiole (2.5-)3-7.5 mm long. Flowers with calyx lobes 1.6-3(-4) x 1-2 mm; corolla 4.5-8 x 3-4.7 mm; filaments 2.5-4 mm long; anthers 1.2-1.6 mm long. Capsules 4-9 x 4.5-7 mm.
Distribution. Endemic to Cuba (Prov. Oriente,
Sierra de Nipe, Sierra de Cristal, on Monte Libano, and on plateau near
Moa), in moist forests ("monte"), thickets ("Charrascal"), and open forests
of Pinus cubensis ("pinar"), at ca. 300-1000 m elev. Flowering
mainly February through May.
Lyonia nipensis Urban var. depressinerva Judd, J. Arnold Arbor. 62: 378. 1981. Lyonia nipensis Urban subsp. depressinerva (Judd) Borhidi, Acta Bot. Hung. 29: 189. 1983. Illustration: Judd (1995), fig. 20. Type. Cuba. Oriente: Pena Prieta, La Magadalena, Toa, 30 Dec 1935, Bro. Alain 3619 (holotype, NY; isotype, GH).
Buds ovoid, 0.7-1 x 0.5-0.8 mm. Leaf blades elliptic to nearly orbicular, 0.9-2(-3.3) x 0.4-1.7 cm, usually strongly recurved; base rounded to slightly cordate; margin usually very strongly revolute; adaxial surface with the midvein usually strongly depressed, the 2o veins usually depressed, often strongly so, and nearly perpendicular to midvein (obscure on plants with very small leaves); abaxial surface densely pubescent; scales irregular or erose, deciduous, or smaller, entire, and persistent; petiole 1.5-4 mm long. Flowers with calyx lobes 1-2 x 0.8-1.1 mm; corolla 3.5-5.5 x ca. 3 mm; filaments 2-3 mm long, anthers 1-1.3 mm long. Capsules 4-5.5 x 4-5 mm.
Distribution. Endemic to Cuba (Prov. Oriente,
Sierra de Moa and Sierra de Toa), in thickets, serpentine barrens,
and open forests of Pinus cubensis, at ca. 450-900 m elev.