Ceratostema

Ceratostema
Illustration of Ceratostema longiflorum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Subfamily: Vaccinioideae
Tribe: Vaccinieae
Genus: Ceratostema
Juss.
Type species
Ceratostema peruvianum Pers.[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Englerodoxa Hoerold
  • Siphonostema Griseb.

Ceratostema is a genus of shrubs or dwarf shrubs and lianas in the heather family (Ericaceae)[3] native to tropical South America.[2]

Description

Vegetative characteristics

Ceratostema are up to 3.5 m tall, terrestrial or epiphytic shrubs with petiolate, alternate, coriaceous leaves.[4]

Generative characteristics

The axillary, solitary inflorescence bears pedicellate, inodorous, (4-)5(-6)-merous flowers.[4]

Taxonomy

It was described by Antoine Laurent de Jussieu in 1789. The type species is Ceratostema peruvianum Pers.[1] Within the subfamily Vaccinioideae it is placed in the tribe Vaccinieae.[5] It is closely related to Semiramisia.[4]

Species

Image Scientific name Distribution
Ceratostema agettiorum M.M.Jiménez & H.Garzón Ecuador (Morona-Santiago)
Ceratostema alatum (Hoerold) Sleumer Colombia, Ecuador
Ceratostema amplexicaule A.C.Sm. Colombia, Ecuador
Ceratostema auriculatum Luteyn Ecuador (Zamora-Chinchipe)
Ceratostema bracteolatum Luteyn Ecuador (Azuay)
Ceratostema callistum A.C.Sm. Peru
Ceratostema calycinum (A.C.Sm.) Sleumer Ecuador
Ceratostema charianthum A.C.Sm. Ecuador
Ceratostema cutucuense Luteyn Ecuador (Morona-Santiago)
Ceratostema fasciculatum Luteyn Ecuador.
Ceratostema ferreyrae Luteyn Peru
Ceratostema glandulifera Maguire, Steyerm. & Luteyn Venezuela.
Ceratostema glans Luteyn Ecuador (Morona-Santiago)
Ceratostema gualaquizensis M.M.Jiménez & H.Garzón Ecuador (Morona-Santiago)
Ceratostema jorgebritoi M.M.Jiménez & h.Garzón Ecuador (Morona-Santiago)
Ceratostema lanceolatum Benth. Ecuador (Loja)
Ceratostema lanigerum (Sleumer) Luteyn Ecuador.
Ceratostema loranthiflorum Benth. Ecuador.
Ceratostema loucianae Cornejo, G. Tello & Luteyn Ecuador (Morona-Santiago)
Ceratostema macbrydiorum Luteyn Ecuador (Morona-Santiago)
Ceratostema madisonii Luteyn Ecuador (Morona-Santiago)
Ceratostema megabracteatum Luteyn Ecuador
Ceratostema megalobum Luteyn Ecuador (Loja)
Ceratostema nodosum Luteyn Ecuador
Ceratostema nubigena (A.C.Sm.) A.C.Sm. Ecuador
Ceratostema oellgaardii Luteyn Ecuador (Loja)
Ceratostema oyacachiensis Luteyn [6] Ecuador (Napo)
Ceratostema pedunculatum Luteyn Ecuador (Zamora-Chinchipe)
Ceratostema pendens Luteyn [6] Ecuador (Morona-Santiago)
Ceratostema pensile (A.C.Sm.) A.C.Sm. Ecuador (El Oro)
Ceratostema peruvianum Pers. Ecuador.
Ceratostema prietoi A.C.Sm. Ecuador (Cañar)
Ceratostema pubescens Luteyn [6] Ecuador (El Oro)
Ceratostema rauhii Luteyn Peru.
Ceratostema reginaldii (Sleumer) A.C.Sm. Ecuador
Ceratostema sieteiglesiana Garzón & M.M.Jiménez Ecuador (Morona-Santiago)
Ceratostema silvicola A.C.Sm. Ecuador
Ceratostema speciosum André Ecuador.
Ceratostema ventricosum A.C.Sm. Ecuador
Ceratostema zamorana M.M.Jiménez & Vélez-Abarca Ecuador (Zamora-Chinchipe)

Distribution and habitat

Ceratostema is native to Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Ceratostema Juss. (n.d.). International Plant Names Index. Retrieved December 28, 2025, from https://www.ipni.org/n/30006961-2
  2. ^ a b c Ceratostema Juss. (n.d.-b). Plants of the World Online. Retrieved December 28, 2025, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30006961-2
  3. ^ Sarwar, A. K. M. Golam; Ito, Toshiaki; Takahashi, Hideki (2006-11-01). "Pollen of Ceratostema (Ericaceae, Vaccinieae): tetrads without septa". Journal of Plant Research. 119 (6): 685–688. Bibcode:2006JPlR..119..685S. doi:10.1007/s10265-006-0029-0. hdl:2115/17220. ISSN 1618-0860. PMID 16952030.
  4. ^ a b c Luteyn, J. L., & Pedraza-Peñalosa, P. (n.d.). Ceratostema. New York Botanical Garden. Retrieved December 28, 2025, from https://www.nybg.org/bsci/res/lut2/ceratostema.html
  5. ^ USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2025. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL: https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomygenus?id=2306. Accessed 28 December 2025.
  6. ^ a b c Luteyn, James L. (2005). "Four New Species of Ericaceae (Vaccinieae) from Ecuador". SIDA, Contributions to Botany. 21 (3): 1269–1282. ISSN 0036-1488. JSTOR 41968389.
  • Media related to Ceratostema at Wikimedia Commons
  • Data related to Ceratostema at Wikispecies