Staurogyne fastigiata (Nees) Kuntze (1891: 497)

Braz, Denise Monte & Monteiro, Reinaldo, 2017, Taxonomic Revision of Staurogyne (Nelsonioideae, Acanthaceae) in the Neotropics, Phytotaxa 296 (1), pp. 1-40 : 17-18

9. Staurogyne fastigiata (Nees) Kuntze (1891: 497) . Ebermaiera fastigiata Nees von Esenbeck (1847: 20) . Type: — BRAZIL. Goiás: without locality, without date, G. Gardner 3414 (holotype: GZU). ( Fig.3D , 11 )

Herb 10 − 30 cm tall, usually not branched, with dense simple and glandular trichomes toward the base. Leaves sessile or with a petiole up to 7 mm long; blade oblong-elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 2.4 − 5.2 × 0.9 − 1.8 cm, apex acute, base obtuse-attenuate, with sparse glandular and simple trichomes in both surfaces, denser in veins and margin. Inflorescence in lax, terminal and axillary, bracteate panicles, densely branched with corimbiform units of spikes, sometimes twice compound, 2.2 − 5.8 cm long, peduncle 1 − 3.2 cm; flowers subopposite at base, alternate above; rachis, bracts and bracteoles sparsely simple and glandular pubesent; bracts and bracteoles green, bract elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 4.9 − 6.4 × 1.9 − 3.1 mm, 1-nerved or 3-acrodromous veins above, bracteoles oblong to elliptical, 2.6 − 3.3 × 1 − 1.3 mm. Flowers sessile; calyx green, sparsely pilose with glandular and simple trichomes, non-ciliate, posterior segment 5.2 − 5.5 × 2.1 − 2.3 mm, 3-nerved, lateral pair of segments3.3 − 3.8 × 0.3 mm, anterior pair of segments 4.1 − 4.7 × 0.5 − 0.6 mm; corolla white, purple at limb, 5.5 − 7 mm long, anterior lobe 1.9 − 2 mm long, externally with scattered glandular and simple trichomes, internally glabrous; stamens 1.8 − 2 mm long, staminode 0.4 − 0.6 mm long; ovules 26 − 28 per locule, posterior lobe of the stigma slightly concave. Capsule not found.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Without locality, without date, Burchell 2664 (K), Geattroy s.n. (P).

VENEZUELA. Carabobo: Chirgua, 1 January 1939, Alston 5954 ( BM).

Distribution and habitat:— Staurogyne fastigiata was described from Brazil but is now also recorded in Venezuela. Phenology:— The only localized collection indicates its flowering in January. Taxonomic notes:— Staurogyne fastigiata is the only species of the genus with the inflorescences in panicles with three corymbiform spikes, sometimes twice compound. This species has been recently registrered by photogragh in the State of the type locality, in Brazil ( Fig. 3D ).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Staurogyne with infundibular corolla. A–C. S. euryphylla. D. S. fastigiata. (A–C photed by the authors; D photoed by R. Sartin)

FIGURE 11. Staurogyne fastigiata. A.Flowering branch. B. Flower. C. Bract. D. Bracteoles. E. Calyx. F.Anther in frontal view. G.Anther in dorsal view. H. Staminode. I. Stigma in lateral view. J. Corolla lobes (from Alston 5954).