Staurogyne guianensis (Bremek.) Daniel & McDade (2014: 37)

Braz, Denise Monte & Monteiro, Reinaldo, 2017, Taxonomic Revision of Staurogyne (Nelsonioideae, Acanthaceae) in the Neotropics, Phytotaxa 296 (1), pp. 1-40 : 18-19

11. Staurogyne guianensis (Bremek.) Daniel & McDade (2014: 37) . Gynocraterium guianense Bremekamp (1939: 557) . Type: — GUYANA. Mataruki River, Boundary Upper Essequebo. On floor of partial clearing under tall rain forest trees, 6 July 1935, J. G. Myers 5840 (holotype: K!).(Figure in Wasshausen 2006: 34, Braz & Monteiro 2011a: 446)

Herb to subshrub 20 − 80 cm tall, usually not branched, sparsely simple pilose, glabrescent toward the base. Petiole 6- 16 mm long; blade elliptic to lanceolate, 7.8 − 17.2 × 2.2 − 7.8 cm, apex long-acute, base obtuse-attenuate, rarely acute, with scattered simple trichomes, adaxially glabrous. Inflorescence in dense, terminal, bracteate spike, 2.3 − 6.5 cm long, peduncle 0.5 − 0.8 cm; flowers opposite, subopposite toward the apex; rachis sparsely to densely simple pilose; bracts and bracteoles whitish, with sparse simple trichomes usually in the mid vein, bract subulate, rarely linear-lanceoate, 11 − 18.3 × 0.9 − 2.2 mm, 3-nerved, bracteoles subulate, 13.5 − 21 × 0.7 − 1.7 mm. Flowers sessile; calyx whitish, sparsely pilose with simple trichomes, ciliate, posterior pair of segment 15 − 20.1 × 1 − 2.5 mm, 3-nerved, lateral and anterior pair of segments 11 − 17.5 × 0.7 − 1.3 mm; corolla white, 13.5 − 22 mm long, basal tube 7.5 − 11.7 mm long, anterior lobe 2.2 − 4.5 mm long, generally glabrous; stamens 4.5 − 9 mm long, staminode 1.1 − 1.5 mm long; ovules 6 − 10 per locule, stigma subcrateriform, slightly lobed. Capsule not found.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Amazonas : Presidente Figueiredo, 22 March 1986, Ferreira et al. 6959 ( INPA). Pará: Oriximiná, 9 September 1980, Ferreira et al. 2342 ( INPA) ; Santarém , 18 June 1954, Fróes 30826 ( IAN) . FRENCH GUIANA. Crique Maripa : Bassin de l’Orapu , 31 October 1967, Oldeman 2415 ( CAY). Crique Favard: Plaine et Montagne de Kaw, 14 February 1996, Jansen-Jacobs et al. 5304 ( CAY) ; Montagnes de la Trinité, Bassin de la Mana, 53 º 21’W 4 º 36’N, 14 March 1997, Granville 13358 ( CAY) ; Sauts Couéki : Bassin de l’Yaloupi, 10 April 1970, Granville 309 ( CAY) ; Saut Moutouchy : Bassin de l’Oyapock, 55 º 15’W, 3 º 25’N, 15 June 1970, Oldeman 721 ( CAY) ; Trois-Sauts - Village Wayampi , Bassin de l’Oyapock, 17 March 1975, Jacquemin 1598 ( CAY) ; Rupununi District : Kuyuwini Landing, Kuyuwini River, 10 October 1992, Jansen-Jacobs et al. 2852 ( K) .

Distribution and habitat:— Staurogyne guianensis occurs in the Amazon region, in the Guianas and Suriname ( Bremekamp 1939, Wasshausen 2006, Daniel & McDade 2014), reaching its southern limit in northern Brazil, on the boundaries of the rain forest with seasonal forest. It is found in dense forest understory growing in soil or on rocks at low and medium altitudes, usually near rivers ( Braz & Monteiro 2011a).

Phenology:— It was collected with flowers almost throughout the year, but especially in March; collections with fruits were not found.

Taxonomic notes:— Staurogyne guianensis is easily recognized by its terminal spike with subulate calyx segments, bracts and bracteoles, and the calyx segments subequal. The basal leaves can be whitish or reddish in living material and the bracts and flowers are whitish (Granville 309, Granville 13358; Jansen-Jacobs et al. 5304.). It is noteworthy that the collections of S. guianensis were previously identified as S. fockeana Bremekamp (1938: 146) , which is now synonymized under S. miqueliana Kuntze (1891: 497) . S. guianensis differs from the latter by the herbaceous or subshuby (not creeping) habit, the leaves elliptic to lanceolate, 7.8 − 17.2 × 2.2 − 7.8 cm (not ovate to ovate-elliptic, 0.9 − 2.3 × 0.3 − 1.2 cm), and the bracts subulate (not lanceolate to elliptic).