Chaetochlamys wurdackii Leonard

  • Authority

    Maguire, Bassett & Wurdack, John J. 1961. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part IV (2). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10: 1-87.

  • Family

    Acanthaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Chaetochlamys wurdackii Leonard

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Herba usque ad 50 cm altam, caulibus basi 4.4 mm crassa, subquadrangularibus, bifariam hirtellis vel basi glabris, pilis recurvatis usque ad 0.3 mm longis, cystolithis pluribus, 0.064-0.112 mm longis, parallelis; lamina foliorum inf eriorum oblongo-ovata, usque ad 10 cm longam et 3 cm latam, acuta vel subacuminata, basi acuta, petiolata (petioli graciles, 1-2.5 cm longi, puberuli, pilis curvatis, circa 0.1 mm longis), supra (sicca) prasina, parce pilosa et ciliata, pilis patentibus, usque ad 1.5 mm longos, subtus olivacea, glabra vel costa parce et minute puberula, costa et venis lateralibus (6-8 paribus) subtus aliquanto prominentibus, supra obscuris, cystolithis aliquanto obscuris, usque ad 0.32 mm longos, gracilibus; folia 4 apicalia inflorescentiam subtendentia ovata, usque ad 11 cm longa et 5 cm. lata, breviter acuminata (apice ipso acuto), basi rotundata, sub-sessilia; capitula terminalia congesta, 2 paribus foliorum (internodiis 4 vel 5 mm longis) suffulta; bracteae capitula subtendentes ovatae, acuminatae, apice minusve curvatae, usque ad 3.5 cm longae, 1.8 mm latae; bracteae flores subtendentes subulatae, usque ad 17 mm longae, 0.75 mm latae, ciliatae, intus glabrae, extus pilosae, pilis albis, usque ad 1.5 mm longis, patulis vel ascendentibus, costa prominenti; bracteolae 14 mm longae, ceteroqui bracteis similes; calycis segmenta anguste lanceolata, 8-9 mm longa, 1 mm lata, ciliata, apice gTaciliter acuminata, intus glabra, extus pilosa, pilis albis, patulis vel ascendentibus, usque ad 2 mm longos; corolla matura deest; lobi (immaturi) antherarum superpositi, recti, paralleli, oblongi, apice utrinque rotundati; capsulae clavatae, 11 mm longae, 5 mm latae, 4 mm crassae, obtusae puberulae, apice pilis erectis vel patulis, basi retrorsis, stipitibus sterilibus capsularum candidis, planis, basi 2 mm latis, apice 5 mm latis; semina 2 vel 4, sphaerica, fuliginea, 2-2.5 mm diam.

  • Discussion

    Fig. 34.

    A single very immature flower bud was found to have escaped the ravages of insects. From this an imperfect concept of the anthers was obtained but no sign of caudae could be found, a character usually well marked in the genus. Perhaps they would be present in mature flowers.