Staurogyne anigozanthus (Nees) Kuntze (1891: 497)

Braz, Denise Monte & Monteiro, Reinaldo, 2017, Taxonomic Revision of Staurogyne (Nelsonioideae, Acanthaceae) in the Neotropics, Phytotaxa 296 (1), pp. 1-40 : 6-9

2. Staurogyne anigozanthus (Nees) Kuntze (1891: 497) . Ebermaiera anigozanthus Nees von Esenbeck (1847a: 16) . Lectotype (designated by Braz & Monteiro 2011b: 174): — BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Ouro Preto, August 1824, L. Riedel 348 (lectotype: LE!; isolectotype: GZU). ( Fig. 2A–B , 4 )

Herb 0.5 − 1.0 m tall, rarely branched, sparsely pilose with simple trichomes, glabrescent at the base. Petiole 6 − 30 mm long; blade elliptic to lanceolate-elliptic, 6.5 − 16 × 2.2 − 5.2 cm, apex acute to acuminate, base acute to attenuate, adaxially with scattered simple trichomes, general restricted to the veins abaxially and rarely with disc-shape trichomes. Inflorescence in dense, terminal, bracteate spike-like raceme, 3.5 − 8 cm long, peduncle 0.3 − 1.5 cm long; flowers opposite; rachis densely simple pilose; bracts and bracteoles yellow to yellowish-green, sparsely simple pilose, bract suborbicular to broad-elliptic, 10 − 17 × 6 − 11 mm, with 3 acrodromous veins, bracteole elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, 6 − 11.9 × 1.7 − 5 mm. Pedicel 3 − 7 mm long; calyx yellow, sparsely simple pilose, rarely also glandular, non-ciliate, posterior segment 18.8 − 33 × 6 − 13 mm, 5 − 7-nerved, lateral pair of segments 12 − 18 × 1 − 2.5 mm, anterior pair of segments 16 − 20× 3 − 5.2 mm; corolla yellow at the base, greenish toward the lobes, 2.4 − 2.8 cm long, basal tube 2 − 3 mm long; anterior lobe 1.5 − 2.8 mm, externally pilose with dense glandular trichomes, internally glabrous; posterior stamens 1.8 − 2.0 cm long, anterior stamens 2 − 2.3 cm long, staminode 2 − 3.2 mm long; ovules 18 − 23 per locule, posterior lobe of the stigma deeply concave to slightly divided. Capsule 14 − 20 × 4 mm, sparsely glandular pilose.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Espírito Santo: Muniz Freire, 4 August 1983, Hatschbach 46703 (C, CEPEC, F, MBM, RB), 21 July 1982, Hatschbach 45168 (CEPEC). Minas Gerais: Alto Caparaó, Serra do Caparaó, 30 June 1988, Krieger et al. 107 (CESJ); Fervedouro, Serra do Brigadeiro, 10 July 1999, Lombardi 3092 (BHCB); Mariana, July 1824, Riedel s.n. (LE 10); Ouro Preto, Morro de São Sebastião, no date, Damazio s.n. (OUPR 92); Ouro Preto, Serra do Itacolomi, 21 June 1957, Pereira 3049 & Pabst (HB, RB); Ouro Preto, Serra do Itacolomi, February 1892, Ule 2662 (R), July 1824, Riedel s.n. (LE 348), Serra do Baú, 5 March 1994, Roschel &Diass.n. (OUPR 9952). Without locality, 1936, Rodini s.n. (OUPR95), 1831, Ackermann s.n. (BR 840390), 29 July, Damazio s.n. (RB55645), no date, Damazio 1511 (RB), no date, Scüch s.n. (W32.707).

Distribution and habitat:— Staurogyne anigozanthus occurs in forests at 530 − 1250 m elevation, the higher elevations being registered on the hills surrounding Ouro Preto, in the State of Minas Gerais, and the lower elevations in eastern State of Espírito Santo in the lowlands arround the Caparaó Mountain.

Phenology:— Collected with flowers and fruits between April and August.

Taxonomic notes:— Staurogyne anigozanthus is easily recognized by the showy congested racemes, with the colored bracts, bracteoles and calyx, and by corolla lobes externally densely hirsute and green. It resembles S. minarum ( Nees von Esenbeck 1847a: 17) Kuntze (1891: 497) by the pilosity of the corolla, but these species differ especially by the dense raceme (not lax) and the bracts suborbicular to broad-elliptic, 6 − 11 mm broader (not elliptic, 3 − 7 mm broader). The showy inflorescence, with yellow bracts, bracteoles and flowers, visited by hummingbirds (D. M. Braz personal observation), gives it ornamental potential, especially in areas similar to its natural habitats or with similar climate.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Staurogyne with tubular corolla. A–B. S. anigozanthus. C. S. vauthieriana. D. S. itatiaiae.E. S. rubescens. (photoed by the authors)

FIGURE 4. Staurogyne anigozanthus. A.Flowering branch. B. Flower, bract and bracteoles. C. Bract. D. Bracteole. E. Calyx. F.Anther in frontal view. G. Anther in dorsal view. H. Staminode. I. Stigma in lateral view (Ia) and frontal view (Ib). J. Corolla lobes. (A, C–D from Hatschbach 46703; B, E–J from Roschel & Dias (OUPR 9952).