Staurogyne spraguei Wasshausen (1992: 149)

Braz, Denise Monte & Monteiro, Reinaldo, 2017, Taxonomic Revision of Staurogyne (Nelsonioideae, Acanthaceae) in the Neotropics, Phytotaxa 296 (1), pp. 1-40 : 30-31

22. Staurogyne spraguei Wasshausen (1992: 149) . S. leptocaulis Leonard (1958: 671) , non S. leptocaulis Bremekamp (1957: 129) . Type: — COLOMBIA. Meta, without date, T.A. Sprague 27 (holotype: K, not found; isotype: US on-line image!).( Fig. 1B , 20 )

Creeping herb, sparsely branched at base, fertile branches suberect, with scattered simple trichomes. Leaves sessile, or with a petiole up to 4 mm long; blade oblong-ovate to oblong-lanceolate, sometimes slightly ovate, 1.4 − 4.3 × 0.2 − 0.6 cm, apex acute, base obtuse to subtly cuneate, adaxially glabrous or with sparse simple trichomes, sometimes restricted to veins, abaxially with simple trichomes restricted to veins. Inflorescence in lax, terminal and axillary, bracteate spike, terminal ones 2 − 5 cm long, peduncle 0.3 − 2.1 cm, axillary ones up to 2.4 cm long, peduncle 0.3 − 1.1 cm; flowers opposite at base, alternate above; rachis, bracts and bracteoles sparsely simple pilose; bracts and bracteoles green, bract elliptic to lanceolate-ovate, 4.9 − 10.5 × 1.2 − 4 mm, 3 acrodromous veins, sometimes 3-nerved, bracteoles lanceolate, 3.5 − 6.5 × 0.5 − 0.9 mm. Flowers sessile; calyx green, sparsely pilose with simple trichomes, rarely glandular, non-ciliate, posterior segment 3.1 − 6.2 × 0.4 − 1 mm, 1 − 3-nerved, lateral pair of segments2.7 − 5.7 × 0.2 − 0.5 mm, anterior pair of segments 2.9 − 6.1 × 0.2 − 0.6 mm; corolla white, 3.9 − 9.9 mm long, basal tube 1.3 − 2.8 mm long, anterior lobe 1.5 − 2.5 mm compr., externally glabrescent, internally glabrous; posterior stamens 1.3 − 2.8 mm long, anterior stamens 1.4 − 2.7 mm long, staminode 0.3 − 1.1 mm long; ovules 18 − 20 (26 − 28) per locule, posterior lobe of the stigma slightlyconcave to truncate. Capsule 3.5 − 3.6 × 1.3 − 1.4 mm, with sparse glandular trichomes at the apex.

Specimens examined:— BOLIVIA. La Paz: Iturralde , 31 July 1998, Wood & Wasshausen 13836 ( K) ; Iturralde, Serrania Cunaca , 31 July 1998, Wasshausen & Wood 2181 ( K) . COLOMBIA. Meta: Puerto Gaitán, Alonso et al. 5760 ( COL) . GUYANA. Rupununi , 08 October 1992, Jansen-Jacobs et al. 2779 ( CAY, K, U) . VENEZUELA. Apure: Los Cañitos, Sn. Juan de Payara-Cuneviche , 20 December 1985, Stergios 8791 ( VEN) ; Alto Apure, December 1977, Ramia 6863 ( VEN) ; 7 December 1971, Ramia s.n. (VEN-88200). Cojedes: El Esparrame, Est. Biol. Hato Piñero, 23 March 1997, Delascio 17.338 ( VEN). Guárico: Calabozo , December 1984, Montes 923 ( VEN) ; El Esparrame, Est. Biol. Hato Piñero , February 1971, Aristeguieta 7724 ( VEN) ; Charcote, P. N. Aguaro-Guariquito , 9 o 24’ − 9 o 32’N, 67 o 64’ − 67 o 68’W, December 1981, Delascio et al. 11125 ( VEN) ; 9 o 12’ − 9 o 16’N, 67 o 48’ − 67 o 60’W, December 1981, Delascio et al. 11213 ( VEN) ; Rio Cuao-Rio Orinoco , 19 November 1948, Maguire & Politi 27401 ( F, K, NY, RB) .

Distribution and habitat:— Staurogyne spraguei has a relatively wide distribution, occurring in Colombia, locality of the type collection, and Bolivia and Venezuela, between 200 − 400 m above sea level ( Wasshausen 1995), and is also now recorded for Guyana.

Phenology:— It was collected with flowers and fruits in November.

Taxonomic notes:— Staurogyne spraguei is characterized by the creeping habit, with delicate stems, the leaves oblong-ovate to oblong-lanceolate and the long terminal spikes and the axillary shorter, both pedunculated. Based on habit and form of the corolla, S. spraguei is near to S. repens and S. miqueliana , which also occur in nearby areas. S. sparguei differs from S. miqueliana especially by the stem sparsely (not densely) branched and the calyx no-ciliate (not ciliated), and from S. repens by the stem sparsely branched (not densely) and the leaves 1.4 − 4.3 mm long (not up to 1.9 cm long).

Staurogyne leptocaulis Leonard (1958: 671) is a later illegitimate homonym because of the existence of Staurogyne leptocaulis Bremekamp (1957: 129) for another Asian species.

Wasshausen (1992: 149) renamed the species as S. spraguei in honor of T. A. Sprague, the collector of type specimen.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Staurogyne in the neotropics. A. S. parva, stigma, showing the anterior lobe slightly divided (Fernandes 2862). B.Seed of S. spraguei (Maguire &Politi 27410). (photoed by the authors)

FIGURE 20. Staurogyne spraguei. A.Flowering plant. B. Flower, bract and bracteoles. C. Bract and bracteole. D. Calyx. E. Anther in frontal view. F. Anther in dorsal view. G. Staminode. H. Stigma in lateral view. I. Corolla lobes (A–C, G–H from Jansen-Jacobs 2779; D–F, I from Delascio 17338).