Staurogyne alba Braz & Monteiro (2006: 581)

Braz, Denise Monte & Monteiro, Reinaldo, 2017, Taxonomic Revision of Staurogyne (Nelsonioideae, Acanthaceae) in the Neotropics, Phytotaxa 296 (1), pp. 1-40 : 6

1. Staurogyne alba Braz & Monteiro (2006: 581) . Type: — BRAZIL. Paraná: Morretes, Véu de Noiva, 21 July 1985, J. Cordeiro & J.M. Silva 108 (holotype: MBM!). (Figure in Braz & Monteiro 2006: 580)

Herb 30 − 60 cm tall, sometimes 2 − 3 stems, rarely branched, glabrescent or with sparse simple trichomes. Petiole 1 − 3.1 cm long; blade elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 5.2 − 11 × 2 − 4.8 cm, apex slightly acuminate to acute, base abruptly attenuated, adaxially glabrous, sometimes with few simple trichomes, abaxially with simple trichomes restricted to veins. Inflorescence in dense, terminal and axillary,bracteate spike, terminal ones 2.5 − 4.5 cm long, axillary ones subcapitate, 1.2 − 2.5 cm long, on both peduncle 0.1 − 2 cm long; flowers opposite; rachis densely pilose with simple trichomes; bract and bracteoles green, sparsely simple pilose, bract elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, 2 − 6.5 × 5 − 11.7 mm, 1-nerved, bracteoles lanceolate to lanceolate-obovate, 3.7 − 7 × 0.7 − 1.8 mm. Flowers sessile; calyx green, posterior segment 9 − 14.2 × 2.9 − 6.3 mm, (rarely 3-)5-nerved, lateral pair of segments 7.1 − 10.5 × 0.4 − 1.3 mm, anterior pair of segments 8.5 − 12 × 1.3 − 2.6 mm, sparsely pubescent with simple trichomes, rarely also glandular, sometimes ciliate; corolla white, 10.4 − 15.2 mm long, basal tube 2 − 4 mm long, anterior lobe 3.1 − 4.7 mm long, sparse simple and glandular trichomes externally and internally; posterior stamens 4 − 5 mm long, anterior stamens 4.9 − 6 mm long, staminode 1.4 − 1.9 mm long; ovules 15 − 19 per locule, posterior lobe of the stigma slightly concave to slightly divided. Capsule 8.5 − 9 × 3 − 3.2 mm, sparsely pilose with glandular trichomes.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Paraná: Ipiranga, Serra do Mar , 19 September 1908, Dusén 6741 ( F, LE) ; Ipiranga , 23 August 1914, Jonsson 833 ( F, K, LE) ; Morretes, Rio Bromado , 13 September 1979, Hatschbach & Kasper 42502 ( MBM) ; Piraquara, Banhado , 24 September 1944, Hatschbach 137 ( MBM) ; Banhado, 2 November 1948, Hatschbach 1051 ( RB). Santa Catarina : Garuva, Monte Cristo , 8 October 1960, Reitz & Klein 10122 ( L, MBM) ; Monte Cristo , 21 October 1966, Klein & Ravenna 6839 ( HB, L) ; Ibirama, Horto Florestal Instituto Nacional do Pinho , 11 October 1956, Reitz & Klein 3853 ( L) .

Distribution and habitat:— Staurogyne alba is restricted to the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest in Paraná and Santa Catarina States, usually occurring at high elevations (800 − 1300 m) on its northeastern limits ( Braz & Monteiro 2006).

Phenology:— Collected with flowers from July to September and fruits from September to October.

Taxonomic notes:— Staurogyne alba is characterized by erect 2 − 3 stems not branched, pedunculate inflorescence (with the terminal ones elongated and the axillary ones short, subcapitate), green1-nerved bracts, pedicelate flowers, white corolla and glandular trichomes restricted to the flower. It is similar to S. riedeliana ( Nees von Esenbeck 1847a: 18) Kuntze (1891: 497) , S. mandioccana ( Nees von Esenbeck 1832: 80) Kuntze (1891: 497) , S. eustachya Lindau (1897: 644) and S. sylvatica Lindau ex Braz & Monteiro (2006: 584) in the corolla morphology and the geographical distribution, but beside the aspects above mentioned, several distinctive feature between these species and S. alba are listed in Braz & Monteiro (2006).