"Ecuadorian Gualicón"
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| Scientific Name: | Cavendishia bracteata (Ruiz & Pavon ex Jaume Saint-Hilaire) Hoerold, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 42: 280. 1909 |
| Common Name: | Ecuadorian Gualicón |
| Plant Family: | Ericaceae |
GARDEN LOCATION: Cavendishia bracteata can be found under the Visitors Centre viewing deck by taking the ramp from the left-hand end of the viewing deck. Turn right back along the path below the viewing deck and the Cavendishia plant is on your right. This particular plant is growing as a terrestrial plant in the soil; however, Cavendishia bracteata is also growing as an epiphyte on a host tree fern stump in the conservatory of the Visitors Centre near the door leading out to the viewing deck.
GENERAL NOTES: Cavendishia bracteata is a widely ranging species distributed from Veracruz, Mexico through Central America, south in the Andes Mountains to Bolivia, and east through the Cordillerra de la Costa of Venezuela to the State of Sucre. It has a broad ranging tolerance of a variety of habitats from primary forest to tropical wet forest and montane forest through to bogs, thickets, rocky slopes and stream sides at altitudes between 1000-3200 metres. Flowering and fruiting occur throughout the year and can be at the same time. Cavendishia bracteata is one of 100 Cavendishia species that are distributed throughout South America. Generally Cavendishia bracteata prefers alpine to subalpine growing conditions and is frost resistant.
Cavendishia bracteata has a local name in many of the South American countries in Mexico it is "shash", Honduras "flor de montaña", Colombia "anizo", Venezuela "quemadero" and Peru "botón-botón". The fruits are edible and have an agreeable flavour. Both the fruits and leaves contain tannic acid and, in Colombia, are used as antirheumatics.
Keith Naylor
Records Officer