Staurogyne stolonifera (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 : 32-33

23. Staurogyne stolonifera (Nees) Kuntze (1891: 497) . Ebermaiera stolonifera Nees von Esenbeck (1847: 19) . Lectotype (designated by Wasshausen 2006: 130): — BRAZIL. Pará: "in sylvis ad fl. Xingu (...) locis arenosis", C.F.P. Martius s.n. (lectotype: GZU-259748!). ( Fig. 21 )

Ebermaiera stolonifera var. nana Nees von Esenbeck (1847: 19) , syn. nov. Type: — BRAZIL. Amazonas: “ad fluven Amazonun legit”, E.F. Poeppig 2554 (holotype: GZU!).

Staurogyne linearifolia Bremekamp (1938: 144) . Type: — SURINAME. “fluv. Tapanahoni”, August 1904, G.M. Versteeg 739 (holotype: U!).

Creeping herb, sparsely branched, flowering shoots 10 − 20 cm tall, densely simple pilose, especially towards apex. Leaves sessile or petiole up to 5 mm long; blade linear to linear-lanceolate, 2.1 − 9 × 0.2 − 0.7 cm, apex acute, base acute to subobtuse, sparsely pilose with simple trichomes and generally glandular on both surfaces, dense at the veins, especially on the abaxial surface, rarely glabrescent. Inflorescence in dense, terminal and sometimes axillary, usually subcapitate bracteate spike, terminal ones sometimes up to 3.5 cm long, both sessile or peduncle up to 2.1 cm long; flowers opposite to subopposite toward the apex; rachis, bracts and bracteoles sparsely simple and glandular pilose; bracts and bracteoles green, bract lanceolate to lanceolate-elliptic, 7 − 15.7 × 1.5 − 3.8 mm, larger dimensions at base, 1 − 3-nerved, bracteoles linear to linear-lanceolate, 5.4 − 6 × 0.6 − 0.8 mm. Flowers sessile to subsessile; calyx green, pilose with sparse simple and glandular trichomes, non-ciliate, posterior segment 4.6 − 7.2 × 0.5-1 mm, 3-nerved, lateral pair of segments 3.7 − 6.1 × 0.2 mm, anterior pair of segments 3.8 − 6.5 × 0.2 − 0.4 mm; corolla white, 4.8 − 9.5 mm long, basal tube 1.4 − 2 mm long, anterior lobe 1.5 − 2.5 mm long, externally glabrous orwith simple trichomes, rarely glandular; posterior stamens 1.8 − 2.6 mm long, anterior stamens 1.6 − 2.6 mm long, staminode 0.7 − 1.3 mm long; ovules 18 − 26 per locule, posterior lobe of the stigma concave to slightly divided, rarely subtruncate. Capsule 5 − 5.7 × 2.1 mm, sparsely glandular pilose especially toward apex.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Amazonas: São Paulo, 20 July 1971, Prance et al. 14439 (K, R, U). Mato Grosso: Barra do Garças, Rio Corrente, 26 July 1977, Hatschbach 40120 (MBM). Xavantina, Caveira de Índio, 14 o 44’S, 52 o 20’W, 21 July 1976, Ratter & Fonseca 3308 (K, UB, UEC); Xavantina, Alto do Rio Araguaia, 13 June 1966, Irwin et al. 17098 (IAN, UB); Xavantina, 12 June 1968, Santos & Souza 1749 (K, P, R, RB), 13 June 1966, Irwin et al. 17185 (UB, UEC). Pará: Itaituba, Serra do Cachimbo, 19 May 1983, Silva 362 (K). Rondônia: Jeciparaná, 11 July 1979, Monteiro & Guedes 2817 (K). GUIANA FRANCESA. Rupununi: Kuyuwini Landing, 2 o 05’ N, 59 o 15’W, 8 October 1992, Jansen-Jacobs et al. 2779 (CAY, P). GUYANA. Bartica: November 1888, Jenman 4664 (K). SURINAME. Boven-Sipaliwini: 23 October 1935, Rombouts 196 (U). Tanjimama: 16 November 1954, Mennega 410 (U), 18 September 1963, Irwin et al. 55848 (C, K, L, U), 22 August 1963, Irwin et al. 55197 (U), 14 October 1910, Hulk 335 (U), Ferreira 357 (K).

Distribution and habitat:— Staurogyne stolonifera was described from the north of Brazil in the Amazon and is now registered in the central region of this country, as well as new records for Suriname and Guyana.

Phenology:— It was collected with flowers from June to November and with fruits in June and July.

Taxonomic notes:— Staurogyne stolonifera has reduced herbaceous habit, with erect stems and terminal elongate inflorescence, being especially characterized by the long leaves, linear to linear-lanceolate. Staurogyne spraguei is similar to S. stolonifera in linear-lanceolate leaves, infundibular corolla and similar distribution, but differs by the creeping (not erect) habit and the leaves up to 2 cm long (not 2.1 − 9 cm long). Analysis of herbaria material has shown no differences to support varieties under the species.

Figures

FIGURE 21. Staurogyne stolonifera. A.Flowering branch. B. Flower, bract and bracteoles. C. Bract and bracteole. D. Calyx. E. Anther in frontal view. F. Anther in dorsal view. G. Staminode. H. Stigma in lateral view. I. Corolla lobes. (A–B, G–H from Irwin 17098; C–F, I from Santos & Souza 179).