''Macleania insignis'', family Ericaceae is a member of the

blueberry Blueberries are a widely distributed and widespread group of perennial flowering plants with blue or purple berries. They are classified in the section ''Cyanococcus'' within the genus ''Vaccinium''. ''Vaccinium'' also includes cranberries, bi ...

family—its most common ancestors in North America include blueberries and cranberries. The family Ericaceae is spread across the world, with a large concentration found in South America. This plant falls within the Neotropical subgroup and then Andean clade of this family. The Psammisia II section shares the closest common ancestor to this plant, and its closest split on a family tree is shared with ''Macleania coccoloboides'' and M''acleania bullata''. Phylogenic classification of ''M. insignis'' has primarily been carried out through an examination of morphological traits as well as genetic analysis. ''Macleania'' is an

angiosperm Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

eudicot The eudicots, Eudicotidae, or eudicotyledons are a clade of flowering plants mainly characterized by having two seed leaves upon germination. The term derives from Dicotyledons. Traditionally they were called tricolpates or non-magnoliid dicot ...

, in the order of

Ericales The Ericales are a large and diverse order of dicotyledons. Species in this order have considerable commercial importance including for Camellia sinensis, tea, persimmon, blueberry, kiwifruit, Brazil nuts, Argania, argan, and azalea. The order i ...

and the family Ericaceae.

Description

''Macleania insignis'' displays 3 cm tubular red orange flowers and dense shiny oval leaves. It can grow in a

cloud forest A cloud forest, also called a water forest, primas forest, or tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF), is a generally tropical or subtropical, evergreen, montane, moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud c ...

(as an

epiphyte An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...

) and as a terrestrial plant. The plant can spread out over several feet, and its roots form large, woody tubers that partially emerge above the soil surface in terrestrial plants. Macleania produces an edible fruit that is purple and lightly sweet.

In the wild

In a natural setting plants within the ''Macleania'' clade are pollinated by hummingbirds. The ability of a plant to attract a pollinator impacts its level of

reproductive success Reproductive success is an individual's production of offspring per breeding event or lifetime. This is not limited by the number of offspring produced by one individual, but also the reproductive success of these offspring themselves. Reproduct ...

. ''Macleania'' are found in regions of cloud forest in

Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

and

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

, specifically

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

Costa Rica Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...

, and

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

Cultivation

''Macleania insignis'' is considered to be a desirable and attractive greenhouse plant, it can be found for sale but is rare. ''M. insignis'' prefers moderate greenhouse conditions and partial shade

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15386991 Vaccinioideae