Aphelandra lingua-bovis 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. 1519101, collected at La Concepción, 15 kilometers east of Quibdó, Department of Chocó, Colombia, 75 meters altitude, April 30, 1931, by W. A. Archer (No. 2012) .
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Suffrutex parvus, caulibus sursura subquadrangularibus, dense et minute strigosis, pilis sursum appressis, sordidis, deorsum teretibus, glabratis; lamina foliorum elliptica vel late oblanceolata, acuminata, basi angustata, in petiolum decurrens, subchartacea, integra vel undulata, supra glabra (vel folia novella supra parce strigosa), subtus minute et tenuiter strigosa, costa et venis lateralibus aliquanto inconspicuis; petioli strigosi; spicae solitariae vel plures, terminales, subsessiles, rhache glabra; bracteae rubrae (vivae), rhomabico-ovatae subobtusae, mucronatae, glabrae vel apice pilos raros minutos ferente cilatae, costa et venis lateralibus prominentibus; areola elliptica opaca brunnea alveolata pro ocellis substituta; bracteolae lanceolatae, acuminatae, carina hirsutaj pilis ascendentibus; calycis segmenta striato-nervata, segmentum posterius oblongo-lanceolatum, acutum, dorso strigosum, anteriora et lateralia anguste oblonga, acuta vel acuminata, glabra, apice ciliata; corolla rubra vel lutea, puberula, tubo subcylindrico, leviter curvato, labio superiore erecto, elliptico, bilobato, lobis triangularibus, acutis, labio inferiore trilobato, lobo medio lanceolato, acuto, lobis lateralibus parvis, triangularibus, acutis, cum labio superiore basi connatis; stamina vix exserta, antlieris apice apiculatis, flocculoso-pilosis, basi apiculatis.
Description - Small shrubs; stems simple or sparingly branched, terete or subquadrangular toward tip, densely and minutely strigose, the hairs upwardly appressed, sordid, 0.5 mm. long or less, the lower portions of the stems terete, glabrate, the lenticels corky, oval to linear, up to 2 mm. long; leaf blades elliptic, oblong or broadly oblanceolate, up to 36 cm. long and 14.5 cm. wide, acuminate, gradually narrowed to base and decurrent on the petiole, subchartaceous, entire or undulate, the upper surface drying to green or olive, glabrous or the younger leaves sparingly strigose, the hairs 0.5 mm, long, the costa and lateral veins (14 to 20 pairs) flat or slightly raised, fairly conspicuous, the lower surface drying to a somewhat lighter shade than the upper, finely and minutely strigose, the hairs appressed or a few of them spreading, about 0.25 mm. long, densest on costa and veins, these raised and fairly conspicuous; petioles (unwinged portion) up to 3 cm. long, the pubescence that of the stems; spikes solitary or several, terminal, up to 15 cm. long and 1.5 cm, broad, the peduncles about 5 mm. long, strigose, the rachis glabrous; bracts bright red (living), drying to brownish red, rhombic-ovate, 1.5 cm. long, 9 mm. wide, obtusish, glabrous or bearing a few minute hairs toward tip, minutely and sparingly scurfy without, the costa prominent and excurrent, ending in a minute mucro, the lateral nerves rather prominent, reticulately anastomosing toward tip, the margins ciliolate, the hairs about 0.25 mm. long, the ocelli replaced by dull brown, alveolar, elliptic areas up to 3 mm. long and 1 mm. wide; bractlets lanceolate, 15 mm. long, 3 mm. wide, acuminate, the keel hirsute, the hairs ascending, up to 0.75 mm. long; calyx 18 mm. long, the posterior segment oblong-lanceolate, 5 mm. wide, appressed hirsute dorsally, acute, the anterior pair narrowly oblong, about 3 mm. wide, the lateral pair slightly narrower than the anterior, both pairs glabrous, acute to acuminate, ciliate at tip, all 5 segments delicately striate-nerved; corolla 5.5 to 6 cm. long, bright red ("Chinese-red," Archer), or reddish yellow ("rojas-amarillas," von Sneidern), puberulous, the tube subcylindric, slightly curved, 3.5 mm. broad at base, 6 mm. broad at mouth, the upper lip erect, elliptic, 16 mm. long, 7 mm. wide, the lobes triangular, 4 mm. long, 3 mm. wide at base, slenderly acute, the middle lobe of the lower lip lanceolate, 18 mm. long, 6 mm, wide, acute, the lateral lobes 4 mm. long, partly adnate to lower part of upper lip, the free portions triangular, about 1.5 mm. long and 1 mm. wide, acute; stamens slightly exserted, the anthers 6 mm. long and 1 mm. broad at base, apiculate at both ends, webby-pilose at tip; capsules not seen.
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Discussion
The affinity between Aphelandra lingua-bovis and A, garciae is close, A. lingua-bovis differs, however, in its bright red or reddish yellow, finely puberulous corollas and strictly glabrous rachis. In A, garciae the rachis is finely pilose and corolla yellow and hirsute. According to Arclier tlie species is fairly common between La Oveja and Quibdó and produces "Chinese red" spikes of bright red corollas. The name lingua-bovis was suggested by its common name "lengua de vaca'' (Archer 2012). The allusion of the common name is obscure, although it may possibly refer to a fancied similarity of the shape of the leaf blades to that of a cow's tongue,