Mendoncia rosea Leonard
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Authority
Leonard, Emery C. 1951. The Acanthaceae of Colombia, I. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 31: 1-117.
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Family
Mendonciaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type in the U. S. National Herbarium, No. 1351252, collected in woods on Mesa de los Santos, Department of Santander, Colombia, altitude 1,500 meters, December 11-15, 1926, by E. P. Killip & A. C. Smith (No. 15368). Isotype in the herbarium of the New York Botanical Garden.
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Suffrutex volubilis, caulibus subquadrangularibus, adpresso-pubescentibus, pilis curvatis lamina foliorum ovata vel oblongo-ovata, apice acuminata, mucronata, basi rotundata vel obtusa, supra parce hirtella, subtus molliter pubescens petioli dense hirtelli, pilis fulvis; fibres solitarii, axillares pedicelli dense adpresso-hirtelli bracteae oblongo-ovatae, apice obtusae vel rotundatae, basi rotundatae vel subtruncatae, dense et molliter adpresso-hirtellae, pilis curvatis, fulvis; corolla glabra, lobis ovalibus, apice rotundatis calyx subinteger; ovarium dense pilosulum, pilis fulvis.
Description - Suffrutescent vine; stem subquadrangular, appressed-pubescent, the hairs curved, about 1 mm. long; leaf blades ovate to oblong-ovate, up to 10 cm. long and 6 cm. wide, acute or gradually to somewhat abruptly acuminate and tipped by a mucro 1.5 mm. long, rounded or obtuse at base, rather sparingly hirtellous above (hairs ascending curved, about 0.5 mm. long), velvety pubescent beneath, the hairs curved, ascending, about 0.75 mm. long, more numerous and appressed on costa and veins (4 pairs); petioles 1 to 2 cm. long, densely hirtellous, the hairs appressed or ascending, fulvous; flowers solitary, axillary; pedicels 4 to 5 cm. long, densely appressed-hirtellous, the hairs fulvous; bracts reddish pink, oblong-ovate, 2 cm. long, 1.3 cm. wide, obtuse or rounded at apex and tipped by a mucro 1 mm. long, rounded or subtruncate at base, densely and softly appressed-hirtellous, the hairs curved, fulvous corolla, (immature) red ?, glabrous, 2 cm. long, 7 mm. broad at base, narrowed just above the ovary to 4 mm., thence enlarged to 6 mm, but contracted to 4 mm, at throat, the lobes oval, 3 mm. long, 1.5 to 2 mm. wide, rounded at apex; anthers sagittate, the lobes bearing longitudinally a ventral band of small brownish papile lose hairs; calyx subentire, brownish pilosulous except the glabrous margin; densely fulvous-pilosulous style glabrous fruit not seen.
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Discussion
Mendoncia rosea is closely related to M. coccinea Vell, but is distinguishable by its smaller densely fulvous pilosulous bracts (these truncate or more broadly rounded at the base) and by its acute gradually to somewhat abruptly acuminate leaf blades. The name rosea alludes to the reddish-pink bracts.