New species of Ceratostema (Ericaceae, Vaccinieae) from the southeast Andes of Ecuador-II

Two new species of <i>Ceratostema</i> from the Morona Santiago province, Ecuador, belonging to the informal morphological "<i>auriculatum</i>" group are described and illustrated here. <i>Ceratostemagearyana</i> has plinerved, suborbicular leaves that are pruinose with lobes that do not overlap at the base; the mid-vein that is raised throughout its length; and a calyx with an obconic hypanthium with deltate-ovate lobes. It is compared with <i>C.cutucuense</i> from which it is distinguished by the smaller leaves, the glabrous floral parts, the hypanthium smaller, obconic, obscurely pentagonal, the larger calyx lobes and the corolla with narrowly linear-triangular lobes. <i>Ceratostemamoronasantiagoensis</i> has pinnately veined, ovate leaves, with basally imbricate lobes, deltate calyx lobes and a fuchsia-red, pubescent corolla with puberulous stamens. It is most similar to <i>C.auriculatum</i>, but it is distinguished by the calyx limb unlobed at the base, the smaller, acuminate calyx lobes, not conspicuously nerved, pubescent overall, the fuchsia red, pubescent corolla, with longer lobes, and the puberulent, longer filaments. The taxonomic affinities of the two new species are discussed, and information about their distribution, habitat and conservation status is provided.