Colmillos, Uvo de Monte

Description:

Epiphytic or terrestrial shrub, to 3 m, sometimes growing as a liana. Larger leaf blades ca. 12 cm long, narrowing at tip; usually 5-7 major veins ascending from base; leaf is coppery purple when young, later light to dark green and leathery; petioles suffused with red-purple. Broad, notched, deep pink bracts to 3.5 cm long, associated with tight cluster of up to 20 tubular flowers at branch tips; glossy, waxy corolla to 2 cm long, constricted toward tip; color variable; basal part light pink or orange, upper part translucent white, looking somewhat purplish. Berries 1+ cm.

Habitat:

Thrives along continental divide from north to south, seen in adjacent forest on pacific slope at 1223 m.a.s.l.

Notes:

This blueberry relative, which may flower at any time of year, is the most likely of the 20 species in this genus "Cavendishia" to be noticed since it turns up in the most mountainous areas in Costa Rica. The fruit is edible.