Aphelandra aurantiaca
Content
Description
Erect, suffrutescent herb or shrub, to 1 m tall. Younger stem subquadrangular, glabrous to velutinous, older stem terete. Petiole 1-3.5 cm long, glabrous; blade elliptic to ovate, 8-15 x 3.5-6.5 cm, apex acuminate, base attenuate and decurrent on the petiole, sometimes obliquely so, frequently thickened, glabrous on both surfaces primary vein and secondary veins sometimes bearing a few subappressed trichomes, upper surface nitid, often brilliant polished green, lower surface pale green, reticulation obscure, margin entire or undulate. Inflorescence terminal, spikes solitary or sometimes 2, quadrifarious, 6-13 x 1.5-3 cm (excluding corollas); peduncle short, to 3 mm long, puberulous; rachis similar, flattened and slightly excavated at nodes; bracts imbricate, elliptic or ovate, 20-30 x 7.5-10 mm, apex acute, base cuneate, margin with 2-4 pairs of short teeth (1-1.5 x 0.5 mm) on each side, green, puberulous and glandular on both surfaces, reticulation prominent on inner surface; bracteoles narrowly lanceolate, to 10 x 0.5 mm, puberulous, striate-ridged. Calyx lobes 10-12 mm long, posterior lobe oblong, 2.5-3 mm wide, cuspidate, anterior and lateral lobes linear-lanceolate, 1-1.5 mm wide, all lobes puberulous with striate ridges culminating at base in callus tissue ca. 1 mm thick; corolla red, orange-red or scarlet, 50-60 mm long, sparingly puberulous, tube 40 mm long, 3 mm wide, upper lip erect, oblong-ovate, 20 x 10 mm, bilobed, lobes minute, triangular, 0.5 mm long, forming a partial hood over anthers, middle lobe of lower lip elliptic, 20 x 12 mm, apically obtuse, lateral lobes elliptic-ovate, to 12 x 7.5 mm, acute, puberulous on both surfaces; stamens 35-50 mm long, filaments pubescent with eglandular trichomes, thecae 4-5 mm long, pubescent with cobwebby trichomes; ovary puberulous at apex, style to 46 mm long, sparingly puberulous with ascending trichomes. Capsule 16 mm long, sparingly puberulous; seeds hispidulous.
Distribution
Amazonian Brazil present, C America present, French Guiana present, Guianas present, S Mexico present, south to Bolivia present
Ranging from S Mexico through C Americasouth to Bolivia and east to French Guiana and Amazonian Brazil; 120 collections studied of which 17 from the Guianas (GU: 1; SU: 10; FG: 6).