Vaccinium exiguum (Ericaceae, Vaccinieae), a new species from the ultramafic summit of Mt. Victoria, Palawan Island, Philippines

Abstract

Vaccinium exiguum from the ultramafic summit of Mt. Victoria, Palawan Island, Philippines is here described as a new species of Ericaceae. It closely resembles V. hamiguitanense but is distinct by having much shorter petioles and leaves, longer and glabrous calyx lobes with serrate lobe margins, a larger corolla with deeper sulcations, and longer stamens with spurs oriented laterally. Vaccinium exiguum represents the third Vaccinium species found on the Island of Palawan and 36th in the Philippines.