Justicia wilhelminensis

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Justicia wilhelminensis

Description

Herb or subshrub to 75 cm tall. Stem erect, ascending, quadrangular, densely puberulent. Petiole 10-20 mm long, puberulous; blade firm, oblong to lanceolate, 9-12 x 2.5-3.5 cm, entire or somewhat undulate, acute to acuminate at apex, attenuate at base, upper surface dark green when dry, lower surface a lighter green when dry, both surfaces glabrous except on veination puberulent with sordid trichomes; primary and secondary veins (4-6 pairs) conspicuous. Inflorescence terminal and axillary spikes, spikes densely bracteate, paired, 2-6 cm long; peduncle 10-12 mm long, subquadrangular, densely puberulous; rachis subquadrangular, densely puberulous; bract decussate imbricate, reddish brown when dry, 9-11 x 2-2.5 mm, densely hirtellous with both eglandular and glandular trichomes, margin ciliolate; bracteoles subequal, narrowly spathulate, 8-9 x 1.5 mm, densely hirtellous, margin ciliolate. Flowers sessile; calyx 5-lobed, 7 mm long, lobes subequal, narrowly triangular, 5-6 x 1 mm, sparingly hirtellous, margin ciliolate; corolla pale lavender, soon falling, 9-10 mm long,
lower portion of tube glabrous, upper portion (enlarged part) and limb sparingly puberulous, tube cylindrical, 6 mm long, 1-1.25 mm in diam. at base, slightly enlarged to 2 mm at 1-1.5 mm above base, then slightly constricted and gradually enlarged to 3 mm wide at mouth, upper lip erect, narrowly ovate to triangular, 3-4 x 2.5 mm, minutely 2-lobed, lower lip partially spreading to erect, 3-4 mm long, lobes oblong to narrowly obovate, delicately veined, rounded and ciliolate; stamens exserted 4 mm beyond mouth of corolla, anther thecae superposed, subequal, vertically attached to connective, both thecae apiculate, filaments flattened; pistil ± equaling stamens, style glabrous, stigma subcapitate, 2-lobed or rounded. Capsule clavate, 9-10 x 3 x 2 mm, puberulous; seeds dark reddish brown, lenticular to subspheric, 2.5 x 2 x 1 mm, surface and margin glabrous or covered with knoblike papillae.

Distribution

Suriname endemic
Endemic to Suriname, known only from the type locality.

Phenology

Flowering and fruiting in .