Staurogyne vauthierana (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 : 35-36

26. Staurogyne vauthierana (Nees) Kuntze (1891: 497) . Ebermaiera vauthieriana Nees von Esenbeck (1847a: 15) . Type: — BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Ouro Preto, 1833, A.C. Vauthier 182 (holotype: W!; isotype: P!). ( Fig. 2C , 23 )

Staurogyne macrantha Lindau (1897: 643) , non S. macrantha Clarke (1908: 642) . Type: — BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: without date, C.A.W. Schwacke 10495 (holotype: RB!).

Subshrub ca. 50 cm tall, especially branched at the base, densely pilose with simple and glandular trichomes. Petiole 1.1 − 2.3 cm; blade elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 9 − 14.5 × 3.6 − 6 cm, apex slightly acuminate, base cuneate, with sparse glandular trichomes on both surfaces. Inflorescence in lax, leafy raceme; flowers opposite; bracteoles green, sometimes yellowish-green, elliptic to obovate-elliptic, 6.9 − 15.0 × 3 − 6 mm, sparsely pilose with glandular trichomes. Pedicel 1.2 − 1.7cm long; calyx yellow, sometimes greenish at apex, sparsely glandular pilose, non-ciliate, posterior segment 27 − 35× 8 − 15 mm, 3 − 7-nerved, lateral pair of segments 15 − 22× 0.5 − 1.6 mm, anterior pair of segments 24 − 31× 3 − 6.1 mm; corolla yellow, greenish in the lobes, 3.2 − 4.4cm long, basal tube 3 − 4.5 mm long, anterior lobe 2.5 − 4.5 mm long, externally pubescent with dense simple and glandular trichomes, internally glabrous; posterior stamens 2.1 − 3.3 cm long, anterior stamens 2.3 − 3.5 cm long, staminode 3.5 − 6 mm long; ovules 24 − 26 per locule, posterior lobe of the stigma deep-concave to divided. Capsule 12.3 − 13× 2.9 − 3.1 mm, sparsely glandular pilose.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Ouro Preto, Itacolomi, Taquaral, May 1892, Magalhães 447 (OUPR), Riedel s.n. (LE-464); Parque Estadual do Itacolomi, 13 May 1998, Lombardi 2280 (BHCB), Monte Itacolomi, Riedel s.n. (LE-5), Mata do Baú, 17 July 1997, Souza & Argolo (HRCB, OUPR 7411), 17 July 1997, Souza & Argolo (HRCB, OUPR 7412).

Distribution and habitat:— Staurogyne vauthieriana is only recorded in the State of Minas Gerais, in the municipality of Ouro Preto, on and around the Serra do Itacolomy, between 1100-1450 m elevation.

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

Taxonomic notes:— Although rarely collected, Staurogyne vauthieriana is a well-defined species based on the presence of glandular trichomes all over the plant, the elliptic leaves and the leafy inflorescence with showy flowers. S. vauthieriana resembles S. warmingiana in the indumentum and shape of the leaves and the form of the inflorescence, but it differs from the latter by the leaves 9 − 14.5 cm long (not 4.4 − 10 cm), the bracteoles 3 − 6 mm broad (not 1.3 − 3 mm broad) and the pedicel 3.4 − 11 mm long (not 12 − 17 mm), as well as in their distinct geographical distributions.

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 23. Staurogyne vauthieriana. A.Flowering branch. B. Flower and bracteoles. C. Bracteole. D. Calyx. E. Anther in frontal view. F. Anther in dorsal view. G. Staminode. H. Stigma in lateral view. I. Corolla lobes (A–B, D, G–I from Souza & Argolo (OUPR 7411);C, E–F from J. C. Lombardi 2280).