Acanthopale ramiflora (Benoist) Callm. & Phillipson

Callmander, Martin W. & Phillipson, Peter B., 2015, The transfer of the Malagasy species of Strobilanthes Blume to Acanthopale C. B. Clarke (Acanthaceae), Candollea 70 (2), pp. 253-256 : 255

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.15553/c2015v702a12
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6303804
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03806D00-793E-FFD8-69C2-22A4FB4CB1FD
treatment provided by	Carolina
scientific name	Acanthopale ramiflora (Benoist) Callm. & Phillipson
status

Treatment

Acanthopale ramiflora (Benoist) Callm. & Phillipson View in CoL , comb. nova.

≡ Strobilanthes ramiflora Benoist View in CoL in Not. Syst. (Paris) 12: 7. 1945.

Typus: MADAGASCAR. Prov. Antanarivo: Mt. Angavokely , 1450 m, III.1924, Perrier de la Bâthie 16075 (holo-: P [ P00089276 ]! ; iso-: P [ P00089277 , P00089278 ]! ).

= Strobilanthes curviflora Benoist View in CoL in Not. Syst. (Paris) 12: 6. 1945. Typus: MADAGASCAR. Prov. Toamasina: Massif de l’Andrangovalo au SE du lac Alaotra , Zahamena RN, c. 1200 m, X.1937, Humbert & Cours 17951 (holo-: P [ P00089262 ]! ; iso-: K [ K000394187 , K000394188 ]!, P [ P00089263 , P00089264 ]! ).

= Strobilanthes madagascariensis var. calvescens Benoist View in CoL in Not. Syst. (Paris) 12: 138. 1946. Typus: MADAGASCAR. Prov. Fianarantsoa: bois humide de la rivière Raimany, bords du Matitana , 700 m, IX.1910, Perrier de la Bâthie 9475 (holo-: P [ P00089269 ]! ; iso-: P [ P00089270 , P00089271 ]!) .

Observations. – Strobilanthes ramiflora and S. curviflora were distinguished on the basis of the shape and the pubescence of the bracts and on the number of flowers of the inflorescences (BENOIST, 1956, 1967). Those characters vary in the collections now available and we currently prefer to recognize a single taxon. Strobilanthes madagascariensis var. calvescens has been segregated on the basis of a single collection (Perrier de la Bâthie 9475) due to the sparser pubescence on its bracts and sepals. However, in our opinion, this collection matches Acanthopale ramiflora very well. We therefore recognize only one species at mid elevation (700-1200 m) in the highlands and eastern region of Madagascar.