Aphelandra mildbraediana Leonard
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Authority
Leonard, Emery C. 1953. The Acanthaceae of Colombia, II. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 31: i-viii, 119-322.
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Family
Acanthaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type in the U. S. National Herbarium, No. 703913, collected in forest ravine above Las Nubes, at Alto de Cielo, Department of Magdalena, Colombia, about "5,000 ft. altitude," December 18, 1898, by H. H. Smith (No. 1414). Isotypes (OH, Mo, Ph, NY, S).
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Frutex vel arbor parva, caulibus sursum quadrangularibus, dense strigosis (pilis parvis, albidis), deorsum teretibus, glabris; lamina foliorum oblongo-elliptica vel lanceolata vel oblongo-lanceolate, acuta vel acuminate (apice ipso obtuso et saepe curvato), basi angustata, in petiolum decurrens, subcoriacea, integra vel leviter crenata, supra viridis, nitida, subglabra, subtus pallido-olivacea (sicca), minute et aliquanto strigosa petioli breves; apice solitariae vel subinde 3, breves, subsessiles, rhache albo-flocculosa bracteae arcte imbricates, rhombico-ovatae, acutae vel obtusae, basi albo-flocculosae, sursum glabrae vel tenuiter pubescentes, ciliatae; ocelli 1-3, elliptici, nitidi, fuscolucenti; bracteolae oblique lanceolatae, subfalcatae, striatoenervatae, carinatae, caring dorso dense albo-pubescente, marginibus glabris; calycis segmenta oblongo-ovata, acuta, striato-nervata, tenuiter pubes scentia vel glabrata corolla rubra, minute papillosa, labio superiore erecto, anguste ovato, apice bilobato, lobis triangulo-ovatis, acuminatis, apicis patulis, lobo inferiors trilobato, lobo medio elliptico, acuminato (apice ipso apiculato et subcucullato), lobis lateralibus brevibus, triangulo-ovatis, cum labio superiore basi connatis; stamina via exserta, antheris dorso tomentosis; ovarium glabrum.
Description - Shrubs or small trees up to 3 meters high; stems erect or ascending, the tips quadrangular, densely strigose, the hairs whitish, straight, about 0.25 mm. long, the older portions of the stems terete, glabrous, gray, the lenticels minute, orbicular, corky leaf blades oblong-elliptic to lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 8 to 13 cm. long, 2 to 4 cm. wide, acute to acuminate, the tip blunt and often curved, gradually narrowed at base, subcoriaceous, entire or shallowly crenate, the upper surface green, nitid, glabrous or sparingly and minutely strigose, the hairs barely 0.5 mm. long, the costa and lateral veins flat or slightly raised, the lower surface drying light olive green, minutely and rather sparingly strigose, the costa and veins more conspicuous than above; petioles up to 2 cm. long, strigose; flowers borne in terminal, solitary (occasionally 3), subsessile spikes up to 5 cm. long and 15 mm. broad, the rachis white-cottony; bracts closely imbricate, rhombic-ovate, up to 9 mm. long and 6 mm. wide at 2.5 mm. above base, acute to obtuse, white-cottony-pubescent at base, otherwise glabrous or sparingly pubescent, ciliate, the costa rather prominent, the 4 or 5 pairs of lateral nerves parallel and becoming obscure beyond middle of bract; ocelli 1 to 3, elliptic, about 0.5 mm. long, brown, nitid, varnished; bractlets obliquely lanceolate, subfalcate, 8 mm. long, carinate, 1 to 1.5 mm. wide, the keel densely white-pubescent, the margins glabrous, subhyaline, delicately striate-nerved; calyx 7 mm. long, the posterior segment 3.5 mm. wide, the anterior pair 3 mm. wide, the lateral pair 2.5 mm. wide, all oblong-ovate, finely pubescent or glabrate, striate-nerved, acute, ciliate toward tip; corolla 6 to 7 cm. long, red, minutely papillose, the tube about 4 mm. broad at base, contracted to 3 mm. at tip of ovary, thence gradually enlarged to a cylindric subventricose throat 7 or 8 mm. broad, the upper lip erect, narrowly ovate, 15 mm. long and 8 mm. wide, bilobed at apex, the lobes triangular-ovate, 7 mm. long, 4 mm. wide at base, acuminate, the tips outwardly curved, the middle lobe of the lower lip elliptic, spreading, 9.5 mm. wide, narrowed at base, subcucullate and apiculate at tip, the lateral lobes about 5 mm. long, the posterior edge adnate to lower part of upper lip, the free portions triangular-ovate, 1.5 mm. long, slightly over 1 mm. wide, obtuse; stamens exserted about 4 mm. beyond the mouth of the corolla tube, the anthers 7 mm. long, 1.5 mm. wide, apiculate at each end, dorsally tomentose; ovary glabrous; mature capsules not seen.
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Discussion
The rather small subglabrous leaf blades, short, relatively broad silky spikes and broad, finely pubescent calyx segments are characters by which one can recognize Aphelandra mildbraediana when compared with a A. pulcherrima or its segretes. The species is named in honor of Johannes Mildbraed, a specialist in the family Acanthaceae. Schultze No. 695, collected on wooded mountain slope at Casa Blanca, Colombia, 1,200 meters altitude, July 25, 1926, seems to be this species; a photograph of the Berlin specimen is the U. S. National Herbarium (Field Mus. photograph No. 8716). Schultze describes the plant from which he collected the specimen as a rare shrub 3 meters high producing gorgeous scarlet red flowers.