Samuelssonia verrucosa Urb. & Ekman, Ark. Bot.

Franck, Alan R. & Daniel, Thomas F., 2015, Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Notes on Six Genera of Acanthaceae in the West Indies, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 62 (10), pp. 309-329 : 316

1. Samuelssonia verrucosa Urb. & Ekman, Ark. Bot. 22A(8):97. 1928. TYPE.— HAITI. Nippes /Sud: Massif de la Hotte, central group, St.-Louis-du-Sud, Bonnet-Carré, limestone, 1150 m, only one tree seen, 2 Nov 1927, Ekman H-9232 (lectotype, designated here: S [05-397]; isolectotypes: CAS!, G, GH, K!, NY, S [05-398], US). Figures 3C, 3D.

DISCUSSION.— Samuelssonia ( Justicieae ) is monospecific and endemic to Haiti. Its one species was described as a 4–5 m tall tree with a 10 cm wide trunk and leaves with prominent, verrucose, semi-globose cystoliths. The inflorescence is axillary with flowers containing two stamens, but mature flowers and pollen are apparently unknown ( Urban 1928). Urban (1928) remarked upon possible similarities with Hoverdenia Nees and Justicia L., but did not clarify how Samuelssonia differed. On the nearly 100-year-old type specimen, Ekman noted that only a single tree was encountered. The apparent lack of additional collections since then raises the possibility that it is extinct.

SAPPHOA Urb., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 18:24. 1922. Type.— Sapphoa rigidifolia Urb.

DISCUSSION.— Sapphoa ( Justicieae ) is endemic to serpentine soils of eastern Cuba and accumulates a moderate amount of nickel ( Reeves et al. 1999). The two species are vine-like, scandent shrubs having flowers with two stamens and two staminodes (León and Alain 1957; Borhidi 1983).

Figures

FIGURE 3. A. Lectotype of Salpixantha coccinea from Hooker (1845); 1. inside of flower, 2. stamen, 3. cross-section of ovary, 4. longitudinal section of ovary. B. Illustration of Salpixantha purdieanus from Hooker (1876); 1. flower, 2. inside of flower, 3. stamen, 4. gynoecium, 5. section of ovary. C. Isolectotype of Samuelssonia verrucosa, Ekman H-9232 [05- 398]. D. Lectotype of Samuelssonia verrucosa, Ekman H-9232 [05-397].