Bejaria

Mutis

in C. Linnaeus, Mant. Pl., 152, 242. 1771, orthography conserved (as Befaria) ,.

Common names: Rose of the Andes
Etymology: For José Béjar, eighteenth-century professor of surgery at Cádiz, Spain
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 8. Treatment on page 449. Mentioned on page 370, 371, 374, 450.

Shrubs [trees]. Stems erect; twigs glabrous. Leaves persistent, alternate, (reduced in size proximal to inflorescence); petiole present; blade chartaceous [coriaceous], margins entire. Inflorescences terminal racemes or panicles, 2–5-flowered, sometimes flowers solitary; perulae absent. Flowers bisexual, radially symmetric; sepals [5] 7, connate for 1/2 their lengths; petals [5–]7, distinct, (covered with sticky exudate), corolla deciduous, rotate; stamens [10] 14, included; anthers without awns, dehiscent by terminal pores; ovary [5–]7-locular; style barely exserted; stigma 7-lobed [capitate]. Fruits capsular, depressed-oblong, dehiscence septicidal. Seeds ca. 100–300, ellipsoid [oblong], without wings, with very short tail; testa long-celled reticulate.

Distribution

se United States, Mexico, West Indies (Cuba), Central America, South America.

Discussion

Species 15 (1 in the flora).

Bejaria is widespread in Latin America, where it is an important component of the subparamo flora. Bejaria racemosa is placed in the monotypic section Racemosae Fendchenko & Basilevskaja because of its chartaceous leaves without prominent abaxial midveins and the inflorescence that appears stalked because of the marked reduction in leaf size below the inflorescence. The original spelling, Befaria, has been shown to be an orthographic error.

Lower Taxa

... more about "Bejaria"
Steven E. Clemants† +
Rose of the Andes +
se United States +, Mexico +, West Indies (Cuba) +, Central America +  and South America. +
For José Béjar, eighteenth-century professor of surgery at Cádiz, Spain +
in C. Linnaeus, Mant. Pl., +
clemants1995a +, fedtschenko1928a +  and mansfeld1935a +
Undefined tribe Empetraceae +
Bejaria +
Ericaceae subfam. Ericoideae +