Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Small tree, or shrubby tree, evergreen, usually 1–5 m in height.

Stems: Single or multiple stems.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite. Blades narrowly to broadly elliptic, ovate, to oblong (rarely conduplicate–falcate); (3.6–)5.4–7.8(–9.4) cm long × (1.2–)2.1–3.2 (–3.8) cm wide. Apex acute to obtuse (rarely acuminate). Base cuneate or rounded. More glaucous Lower surfacely, surfaces not much paler on Lower surface; evergreen, simple medium to dark green, chartaceous to coriaceous. Margins entire, flat (rarely wavy). Lateral veins apparent on both surfaces of the leaf, yellowish to bright purple. Petioles (5.9–)7.8–12.6(–15.7) mm long. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in inflorescences cymes, sparse, axillary (rarely terminal); pedicels (1.0–)1.1–2.7 (–3.1) mm long; bracts 1–4 mm, not persistent. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Calyx (sepals) absent. Corolla of 4 petals; petals cream to purple throughout, or greenish with purple interior; floral–tubes campanulate to cylindrical, 3.6–8.5(–13.0) mm long × (2.6–)2.9–4.3(–4.4) mm wide, with vertical keel below each lobe; concave with thickened margins, papillate, (3.4–)4.2–5.6(–5.8) mm long × (2.0–)2.4–3.3 (–3.7) mm wide. Stamens 4, hairs proximal to the filaments (rarely hairs distal). Ovary partly inferior (approx. 2/3); stigma lobes 3.

Fruit: Drupes elliptic; with subapical ring; 15–22 mm long. Seeds muricate; with pointed beak on one end.

Ploidy:

Habitat: In mesic (summer dry) forest communities; partial to full shade; occasionally in wet forest communities and bog margins.

Elevation Range: 270–1,400 m.