Justicia cayennensis
Content
Description
Erect perennial herb, 0.3-0.5 m tall. Stems subquadrate, pubescent or ultimately glabrescent, 2-ribbed. Petiole 2-10 mm long; blade lanceolate or lanceolate-elliptic, (3.5-)6-11 x (1.1)1.6-4.5 cm, margin indistinctly revolute, acute to acuminate at apex, acute to attenuate at base, glabrous except primary vein and secondary veins, these appressed pubescent on lower surface. Inflorescence terminal and axillary spikes, these usually solitary, occasionally in groups of 2-3, subsessile or pedunculate spikes, 2-9 cm long, flowers borne either in superposed pairs or solitary and accompanied by a rudiment of a second flower in axils of bracts; bracts decussate, lanceolate to narrowly ovate, 4-5 x 1.5-2 mm, green, glabrous or minutely puberulous, margin ciliate; bracteoles linear, 4-5 x 0.5 mm, 1-veined, glabrate, margin ciliate. Flowers sessile; calyx 5-lobed, 4 lobes linear, equal, 4.5 x 0.25-0.4 mm, posterior lobe reduced, margin sparingly ciliolate; corolla violet, marked with lighter streaks on lower lip, 10-12 mm long, puberulous abaxially, upper lip 5-5.5 x 2 mm, entire, lower lip obovate, 5-5.5 x 5 mm, middle lobe orbicular, 1.5 x 2 mm, lateral lobes oblong, 1.75 x 0.8-1 mm, all apically rounded; stamens exserted ca. 2 mm beyond mouth of corolla tube, anther thecae 0.4 mm long, subparallel. Capsule clavate, 7 x 2 x 1 mm, puberulent, stipe 2-2.5 mm long; seeds 4, lenticular, brown, 1 x 1.25 mm.