Aphelandra chaponensis 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. 1572308, collected in dense forest in the region of Mount Chapón, Department of Boyacá, Colombia, "3,500 ft." altitude, May 8, 1932, by A. E. Lawrance (No. 18). Mutis' No. 1509 is also this species.
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Suffrutex, caulibus sursum subquadrangularibus, minute strigosis, pilis arcte et sursum appressis, sordidis; lamina foliorum oblong-elliptica vel late oblanceolata, acutae vel breviter acuminata (apice ipso subobtuso), basi angustata, in petiolum decurrens, submembranacea, integra vel undulata, supra parce et minute strigosa, pilis praeeipue in costa et venis positis, subtus aliquanto parce et minute strigosa spicae 1 vel plures, terminales vel subterminales, pedunculo aliquanto brevi, minute strigoso, rhache glabra vel parce pubescente; bracteae rhombico-ovatae, subobtusae vel subacutae, intus nitidae, extus opacae, glabrae (infima parce strigosa), marginibus subhyalinis, ciliolatis, costa et nervis lateralibus prominentibus, areola elliptica, opaca, punctata pro ocellis substituta bracteolae lanceolatae, subfalcatae, obliquae, striato-nervatae, carinatae, caring hirtella, pilis ascendentibus, sordidis, marginibus glabris et subbyalinis; calycis segments obtusa, plus minusve apiculata, striato-nervata, sursum hirtella et ciliolata, deorsum glabra, segmentum posterius ovatum, anteriora, oblongo-lanceolata, lateralia aliquanto anguste lanceolata; corolla rubra, papillosa, tubo subcylindrico, labio superiore ovato, bilobato, lobis anguste triangularibus, acuminatis, labio inferiore trilobato, lobo medio ovato, acuto, sursum apice carinato, lobis lateralibus ellipticis, rotundatis, cum labio superiore basi connatis; stamina vix exserta.
Description - Suffrutescent herbs up to 3 meters high or more; stems (upper portions) subquadrangular, minutely strigose, the hairs closely and upwardly appressed, sordid, about 0.25 mm. long; leaf blades oblong-elliptic or broadly oblanceolate, 25 to 30 cm. long, up to 12.5 mm. wide, acute or short-acuminate (the tip itself blunt), narrowed at base and decurrent on the petiole, submembranaceous, entire or undulate, the upper surface drying olive-green, sparingly and minutely strigose, the hairs less than 0.25 mm. long, closely appressed and confined chiefly to costa and lateral veins (14 to 16 pairs), both costa and veins flat or slightly raised, inconspicuous, the lower surface drying a dull brownish green, the pubescence that of the upper surface but denser and more evenly distributed, the costa and veins slightly raised, more conspicuous than above petioles up to 5 cm. long, the pubescence that of the costa spikes 1 to several, terminal and subterminal, up to 12 cm. long and 10 to 15 mm. broad, the peduncles up to 12 mm. long and 4 mm. thick, the pubescence that of the stem, the rachis glabrous or bearing a few slender hairs 0.25 to 0.5 mm. long; bracts rhombic-ovate, 12 mm. long, 10 mm. wide, subobtuse to subacute, nitid within, dull, glabrous and minutely roughened without (the lowermost sparingly strigose), the margins sublvaline and ciliolate, the costa prominent to tip of bract hut scarcely excurrent, the lateral nerves prominent except toward tip, the ocelli replaced by dull pitted areas up to 1.5 mm. long and 1 mm. wide; bracelets lanceolate, 11 mm. long and 2.5 mm. wide, subfalcate and oblique, striate-nerved, carinate, the keel hirtellous, the hairs ascending, sordid, about 0.5 mm. long, gradually diminishing in length and number to the glabrous subhyaline margins, the inner surface silky-hirtellous toward tip, glabrous toward base; calyx up to 12 mm. long, the posterior segment ovate, 6 mm. wide, the anterior pair oblong-lanceolate, 3.5 mm. wide, the lateral pair more narrowly lanceolate, 3 mm. wide, all obtuse, more or less apiculate, finely striate-nerved, minutely hirsute and ciliolate toward tip, glabrous toward base; corolla 4 cm. long, red, papillose-puberulous, the upper lip erect, ovate, 1 cm. long, 7.5 mm. wide, bibbed at tip, the lobes narrowly triangular, 2.5 mm. long, 2 mm. wide at base, acuminate, the middle lobe of the lower lip ovate, 11 mm. long and mm. wide, acuminate, carinate toward tip, the lateral lobes elliptic, 4 mm. long and 2 mm. wide, adnate in part to the upper lip of corolla, the free portions about 1.5 mm. long and broad, rounded; stamens reaching the tip of the upper lip, the anthers 7 mm. long and 1.5 mm. broad, the basal lobes obtuse; capsules not seen.
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Discussion
Aphelandra chaponensis is characterized by relatively small corollas, their lips much shorter and relatively broader than is usual in other species of the A. pulcherrima-tetragona complex. The leaf blades of this new species and those of A. lingualovis are very similar. The latter species, however, has a calyx more than twice as large, the segments of which are noticeably acute rather than obtuse.