1. Justicia alpina Lindau, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 1: 159. 1905. (Lindau 1905: 159)

Beloperone sessilifolia Lindau, Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin-Dahlem 8: 247. 1922. (Lindau 1922: 247) Type. PERU. Lambayeque, Olmos, 1900–2000 m, A. Weberbauer 7105 (presumed holotype B †, isotypes GH 00093741, F- 0040524 F, US- 00478761, US- 01268829).

Justicia sessilifolia (Lindau) Wassh., Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45: 1253. 1993 (Wasshausen 1993: 1253), syn. nov.

Type.

Peru • Encima de San Pablo, Cajamarca, 2400–2700 m, A. Weberbauer 3817 (presumed holotype B †, photo of holotype FOBN 008806, isotype MOL-00005624) .

Description.

Low subshrub scarcely 0.5 cm high, stems often simple. Leaves sessile or shortly petiolate, lamina 2–5 × 1.2–4 cm, ovate, base rounded to cordate, apex acuminate, sparsely hirtellous adaxially, glabrous abaxially, cystoliths conspicuous. Inflorescence of terminal spikes 6–20 cm long, the flowers in opposite pairs; peduncles and rhachis pubescent; bracts at base of inflorescence foliose, floral bracts and bracteoles 6–7 × 0.5–1 mm, lanceolate; calyx subequally 4 - lobed, lobes 8–10 × 0.5 mm, lanceolate, white-pilose; corolla 2.2–2.4 cm long, pink or violet, glabrous, tube 10–12 mm long, upper lip 12 × 3 mm, notched, lower lip 11 × 8 mm, 3 - lobed, lobes 2–2.5 mm long, thecae 1.5–2.5 × 0.5 mm, oblong, glabrous, parallel, superposed, lower basally acute but without appendage. Capsule 11–14 × 3 mm, weakly clavate, glabrous, 4 - seeded; seeds verucullose.

Conservation.

This species was assessed as EN, B 1 ab (iii) following IUCN (2024) guidelines (León 2006). However, this categorisation is likely to have been premature as numerous additional records are now known. The two subspecies recognised below were not then known and no evaluations of the populations or habitats were carried out.

Divisable into two geographical subspecies: