Justicia pectoralis Jacq.
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Authority
Wasshausen, Dieter C. & Wood, John R. I. 2004. Acanthaceae of Bolivia. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 49: 1-152.
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Family
Acanthaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Dianthera pectoralis (Jacq.) Mum, Syst. Veg., ed. 14, 64. 1784. - Stethoma pectoralis (Jacq.) Raf, Fl. Tellur. 4:61. 1838 (1836). - Rhytiglossa pectoralis (Jacq.) Nees, in Benth. London J. Bot. 4:637. 1845. - Heboliuni pectorale(Jacq.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PL 2:487. 1891 . - Psacadocalymma pectorale (Jacq.) Bremek., Verhand. Konin. Nederl. Akad. Wetensch., Afd. Natuurk., Tweede sect. 45:55. 1948. Type: America, specimens (if any exist) are not known. Justicia stuebelii Lindau, Engl. Bot. Jahrb.2 1 :378. 1895. Type: Peru, Rio Hallaga, Stübel 70c (holotype B, destroyed; F photo 8871 ).
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Description
Description - Sweetly fragrant erect to spreading to decumbent perennial herbs 15-30 cm high; stems erect, unifuriously pubescent; leaves subsessile to petiolate, blades ovate to linear, 3-12 x 0.2-2 cm, glabrous both above and below, acuminate to acuminate-attenuate at apex, base acute; inflorescence of terminal (sometimes also axillary in distalmost pair of leaves) pedunculate panicles of dichasiate spikes 6-15 cm long, axillary spikes alternate, 1 per axil, peduncles 1-3.5 cm long, inflorescence bracts often subfoliose, lance-subulate to subulate, 2-10 x 0.3-1 mm, inflorescence branches alternate or opposite, dichasia alternate or opposite, 1-flowered, 1 per axil, sessile; bracts opposite, subulate, 1 .3-2.2 x 0.3-0.4 mm, glandular-puberulent without; bracteoles similar to bracts but smaller; flowers sessile to subsessile; calyx 2-3.5 mm long, glandular-puberulent without, 4 lobes subulate, equal, 1.5-3 x 0.3-0.5 mm, posterior 5th lobe 0.6- 1 .5 x 0.2 mm; corolla pale blue to lilac to violet, 6-7.5 mm long, pubescent without, tube ± expanded distally, 3.5-5 mm long, upper lip 2.5-3 mm. long, entire, lower lip 3-4 mm long, lobes 0.8- 1.5 x 1 -1.5 mm; stamens exserted ca. 1-1.5 mm beyond mouth of corolla tube: anther thecae unequal, subparallel to parallel; capsule 5.5-9 mm long, pubescent, stipe 2-3.5 mm long, head subellipsoid with medial constrictions; seeds 4, lenticu lar, 1.2- 1.8 x .2-1.5 mm, surface and margin covered with prominent knoblike tubercles. Very variable species with leaf blades linear, linear lanceolate to narrowly ovate and also somewhat variable in corolla size.
Phenology - Flowers in the winter dry season.