Resia

Etymology: The name is formed from the initials of Richard Evens Schultes (1915-2001), who discovered the genus in Colombia.

Synonyms: -

Infrafamilial position: Gesnerioid Gesneriaceae (Gesnerioideae) - Beslerieae.

Description: Terrestrial perennial herbs or subshrubs, with erect stem (eventually becoming pendent), unbranched stem roots fibrous. Leaves crowded at the apex, opposite (?) or alternate, subsessile, lamina membranous or chartaceous obovate to oblanceolate, side veins numerous, craspedodromous. Cymes axillary, long-pedunculate, with or without bracteoles, flowers in a dense head. Sepals connate at base. Corolla white, orange or yellow, infundibuliform; tube ventrally ventricose, limb with unequal spreading lobes, the dorsal ones triangular, the lateral ones obliquely obovate. Stamens 4, didynamous, included; filaments flattened and connate at base, inserted near corolla base; anthers reniform, all coherent; staminode small, filiform. Nectary annular. Ovary superior, ovoid to conical, laterally compressed; stigma bilobed. Fruit an ovoid or subglobose, laterally compressed dry capsule.

Chromosome number: Unknown.

Species number: 2 [R. ichthyoides Leeuwenb., R. nimbicola H.E.Moore].

Type species: Resia nimbicola H.E.Moore

Species names (incl. publication and synonyms): See Skog, L.E. & J.K. Boggan. 2005: World checklist of Gesneriaceae: http://persoon.si.edu/Gesneriaceae/Checklist.

Distribution: Colombia and Venezuela. 

Ecology: The species are reported to grow on moist shaded rocks in mountains, alt. 1000-1350m.

Selected references: Skog & de Jesus, BioLlana, ed. especial 6: 515-525 (1997), rev.

Bibliography: See Skog, L.E. & J.K. Boggan. 2005. Bibliography of the Gesneriaceae. 2^nd edition: http://persoon.si.edu/Gesneriaceae/Bibliography.