Justicia dumosa Alain

  • Authority

    Liogier, Alain H. 1971. Novitates Antillanae. IV. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 21: 107-157.

  • Family

    Acanthaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Justicia dumosa Alain

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Frutex, 50-60 cm altus, rami subtereti, dense antrorse pilosi, lineis binis epilosis notatis; folia petiolis 5-6 mm longis, supra sulcatis, lamina anguste elliptica, 2.5-3.0 cm longa, 7-11 mm lata, apice obtusa vel acuta, basi cuneata et in petiolum sensim angustata, nervo medio supra impresso subtus prominulo, nervis lateralibus supra obsoletis, subtus utroque latere 5 leviter impressis, supra nervo medio pilosula caetera glabra, subtus nervo medio dense, caetera laxe adpresse pilosa, margine integra plana, membranacea. Inflorescentiae axiUares plerumque 2-florae, pedunculi 3-9 mm longi, antrorse adpresse pilosi, bracteae spathulatae 5-6 mm longae, 1.5 mm latae, apice obtusae, bracteolae lineares acutae 4-5 mm longae, omnia pilosae; flores sessiles; calycis lobi lineari-subulati, 10-12 mm longi, breviter pilosi, subaequali; corolla purpurea, 3.5 cm longa, extus puberula, tubo 10-12 mm longo, basi 2 apice 4 mm diam, labio supero ca 18 mm longo apice emarginato, infero ca 20 mm longo apice in lobos 3 rotundatos 1.5 mm longos diviso; filamenta 13 mm supra basim tubi affixa, glabra, 1.7 cm longa, inclusa, antherarum loculi inaequalte affixi, loculus superior 2 mm longus, inferior 2.5 mm longus et breviter caudatus; ovarium glabrum, discus annularis 0.3 mm latus; stylus 3.2 cm longus, apice paullo incrassatus; capsula puberula, 15 mm longa, apice 3 mm lata, breviter rostrata, retinacula 2 mm longa, semina lenticuliformia, 3 mm diam.

  • Discussion

    Type. At the bottom of a gorge, AceitiUar-Cayo, Baoruco Mts., Dominican Republic, alt 1300 m, 9 Feb 1969, Alain Liogier 13681 (holotype, NY; isotypes, US, GH, P, IJ).

    Justicia dumosa is a very distinct plant distinguished from all other Antillean species by its shrubby habit, its 2-flowered inflorescence, its tubular and showy corolla. Found only in the gorge, fairly common locally.