Gaiadendron punctatum

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Gaiadendron punctatum

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Description

Shrub or small tree, mostly terrestrial, sometimes epiphytic on trees while parasitizing other epiphytes, to 10 m high or more. Branches more or less terete. Leaves in pairs, shiny, leathery; petiole about 1 cm long, distinct; blade broadly lanceolate to ovate, to 8 x 4 cm, apex slightly attenuate, margin somewhat revolute below. Inflorescence solitary in leaf axils and terminating branch, a raceme of stalked triads (sometimes also 2-4 monads and single, terminal flower); each triad with sessile median flower, and green, foliaceous bracts and bracteoles. Flowers commonly golden yellow (rarely white, especially in central Colombia); petals mostly 0.8-2.5 cm long; stamens epipetalous, of two or more lengths, anthers versatile, dorsifixed; style straight, stigma scarcely differentiated. Fruit a dull orange berry lacking viscin, spherical, about 1 cm in diam.; mature seed with white endosperm which has radiating flanges, embryo dicotylous, narrow, 0.2 cm long, lacking a haustorial disk; germination epigeous.

Distribution

Guyana present, Nicaragua through Central America to Bolivia along the Andes present
Nicaragua through Central America to Bolivia along the Andes (the Guyana collections being the easternmost ones known); several hundred collections studied, 4 from Guyana (GU: 4).

Notes

Characteristic as a small terrestrial tree at the lower edges of práramo vegetation in most of its range but, in its "epiphytic" form (when parasitic on other epiphytes), may also occur at somewhat lower levels in context of moist forests.