Ceratostema Gualaquizensis

Formally described in 2024 in Phytotaxa by Jiménez, Garzón-Suárez, and colleagues based on specimens from the Gualaquiza area of Morona-Santiago province in southeastern Ecuador — a region that has proven to be one of the richest sites for undescribed Andean Ericaceae discoveries in recent years. The species was for a period circulating in trade under erroneous names, a situation the describing authors specifically addressed in the publication, noting that nurseries and private collections had been selling it with fictitious or misapplied identifications before formal botanical documentation. C. gualaquizensis is distinguished within the genus by its elliptic, convex leaves with involute margins at the base, and most strikingly by its axillary, solitary, tubular flowers — the corolla a vivid magenta with the apices of the lobes spreading, narrowly linear-triangular, and black-tipped, creating the sharp dark-on-magenta contrast that makes the flowers so visually arresting and characteristic among its genus-mates. It is a pendant epiphytic shrub growing from a well-developed lignotuber, with younger branches pendant, terete to filiform, and finely tomentose. Two varieties are recognized — the standard var. gualaquizensis with the typical leaf form, and var. laciniata, characterized by narrower leaves with wavy, lacerate margins — both sharing identical care requirements.

As a Morona-Santiago cloud forest epiphyte, C. gualaquizensis requires the cool, perpetually moist conditions of its origins. Provide bright filtered indirect light equivalent to dappled forest canopy with good air circulation at all times. Cool to intermediate temperatures are preferred — 65-77°F days with a meaningful nighttime drop toward 50-60°F. High humidity of 70-85% is essential. Keep the medium consistently but lightly moist in a coarse, acidic epiphytic mix of orchid bark and perlite, or mounted on cork with sphagnum; use rainwater or reverse osmosis water to prevent mineral accumulation. Feed lightly with an ericaceous low-pH formula during active growth. Never remove spent peduncles. Not known to be toxic to humans or pets.