Habitat
This species is native to western South America, with documented distribution across Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela . Herbarium specimens confirm their presence in high-altitude páramo zones, including Colombian páramo regions around 3,200 m elevation . It thrives in wet montane forests, premontane moist forest, montane rainforest, and subpáramo to páramo habitats between 1,677 and 3,500 metres.
Description
Disterigma acuminatum can be a terrestrial, erect, or spreading shrub up to 3 m tall, or grow epiphytically with pendulous branches up to 2 m long . The stems are terete, striate, and glabrous, with young twigs bearing cinereous- or ferruginous-hirtellous to strigose hairs . Leaves are thin-coriaceous, 5–12 mm long by 3–7 mm wide, broadly to narrowly ovate with rounded or subcordate bases and short-acuminate or cuspidate apices Margins are entire or minutely crenate. Veination is obscurely 3–5-plinerved from the base, with raised nerves beneath, and leaves are typically glandular-fimbriate beneath . Inflorescences are axillary with 1–2 flowers. Flowers have a campanulate or urceolate corolla, 4.5–8 mm long, thin-carnose, white, or pink-tinged; the lobes are reflexed . Stamens (8) often exserted; anthers include two tubules and dehisce by small cleavage . Fruits are spherical berries, approx. 5–7 mm diameter, translucent white .
Cultivation
Disterigma acuminatum thrives under cooler, montane forest conditions. Provide bright, indirect light and very high humidity, paired with frequent moisture. Use an acidic, humus-rich, fast-draining substrate—a mix of peat or leaf mould with perlite or orchid bark—to replicate natural conditions. Keep soil consistently moist but well-aerated. Maintain cool temperatures (daytime 12–18 °C; nighttime 8–12 °C) to reflect high-elevation origins. Poor drainage or warmer temperatures can stress or kill the plant. Fertilize sparingly with a diluted acid-forming, balanced fertilizer during active growth. Cultivation success is highest in alpine-house or montane greenhouse setups that mimic páramo microclimates.
Specifications
Plant Size: Propagation from our stock plant. These established plants are in 15 cm pots and 25 cm tall.
Plant Family: Ericaceae
Plant Passport: Disterigma acuminatum B 140084 C [user input] D GB