Cyphacanthus atopus Leonard

Authority

Leonard, Emery C. 1953. The Acanthaceae of Colombia, II. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 31: i-viii, 119-322.

Family

Acanthaceae

Scientific Name

Cyphacanthus atopus Leonard

Type

Type in the herbarium of the New York Botanical Garden, collected on streamside in high, thick forest at El Umbo, region of Mount Chapón, Department of Boyacá, Colombia, "2,500 feet" altitude, October 1, 1932, by A. E. Lawrance (No. 502).

Etymology

The specific epithet is from the Greek άτοπος, meaning strange or marvelous.

Description

Latin Diagnosis - Frutex, caulibus subquadrangularibus, hirtellis; lamina foliorum oblongo-obovata, breviter acuminata, basi angustata, in petiolum decurrens, membranacea, leviter dentata, supra, glabra vel parce pilosa, costa et venis lateralibus obscuris, subtus aliquanto pilosis, costa et venis lateralibus prominentibus, venulis crasse reticulatis; petioli crassi, glabri vel minute et parse strigosi; panicula terminalis, pedunculis et rhachibus dense brunneo-hirtellis, pilis patulis; spicae angustae, floribus inferioribus deciduis bracteae ovatae, acutae, mucronulatae, puberulae, apice glanduloso-hirtellae, costa prominente braceteolae bracteas aequantes, ovatae, apice rotundatae et mucronulatae, glanduloso-hirtellae; calycis segments oblongo-ovata, obtusa, glanduloso-hirtella, striata, marginibus subhyalinis; corolla purpurea, sursum glanduloso-hirtella, tubo hypocrateriformi, leviter curvato, labiis subaequalibus, labio superiore obovato, erecto, apice truncato, cucullato, labio inferiors gibboso, trilobato, lobis suborbicularibus; stamina, inclusa, filamentis dense pilosis ovarium glabrum; capsulae ignotae.

Description - Shrubs up to 2 meters high; stems subquadrangular (the angles rounded), hirtellous, the hairs 0.5 to 0.75 mm. long, spreading, brownish; leaf blades oblong-obovate, up to 47 cm. long and 15 cm. wide, short-acuminate (the tips blunt), gradually narrowed from approximately 15 cm. below tip to the base and decurrent on the petiole, sub-membranaceous, shallowly dentate (the teeth broad, obtuse, about 2 mm. high), the upper surface glabrous or sparingly pilose, the hairs up to 1.5 mm. long, ascending, the costa and lateral veins (about 30 pairs) rather obscure, the lower surface moderately pilose, the hairs up to 1 mm. long, ascending, more numerous on the costa and lateral veins than elsewhere, the costa and veins prominent, the veinlets coarsely reticulate, a veinlet ending at the tip of each tooth; petioles up to 5 cm. long ?), stout, 3 mm. in diameter, glabrous or minutely and sparingly strigose panicles terminal, once- or twice-branched, the peduncles 1 to 2 cm. long, these and the rachises (5 to 7 cm. long) densely brown-hirtellous, the hairs spreading, about 0.5 mm. long, the spikes compact, the lowermost flowers soon deciduous, leaving prominent raised scars; bracts subtending the branches of the inflorescence triangular-ovate, about 7 mm. long and 4 mm. wide near base, acute, carinate, sparingly puberulous flower bracts ovate, 7 mm. long, 4 mm. wide, acute, mucronulate (the mucro 0.25 mm. long), puberulous, bearing also toward tip a number of stouter glandular hairs up to 0.5 mm. long, the costa prominent, the margins subhyaline bractlets ovate, 7 mm. long, 4 mm. wide, rounded and mucronulate at tip, in other respects similar to the bracts; calyx segments oblong-ovate, 13 mm. long, 5 mm. wide, obtuse, hirtellous, the hairs spreading or ascending, some of them glandular, the lower portion of the segments glabrous, the margins subhyaline; corollas purple, about 5 cm. long, moderately hirtellous except the basal glabrous portion, the hairs about 0.25 mm. long, spreading or slightly retrorse, many of them glandular, the tube curved, 4 mm. broad at base, 2 mm. broad at 5 mm. above base, 7 mm. broad at mouth, the lips subequal, about 9 mm. long, the upper lip obovate, arched, about 8 mm. wide, cucullate, truncate, the lower lip somewhat spreading, gibbous, 3-lobed, the lobes suborbicular, about 3 mm. broad, the medial area within minutely tomentose, the margins glabrous; stamens decurrent on the dorsal portion of the corolla tube becoming free at about 5 mm. below the base of the corolla lips, the anthers oblong, 5 mm. long, 1.25 mm. wide, webby-pilose at tip, otherwise glabrous, enclosed by the curved upper lip of the corolla, the filaments densely pilose dorsally, the hairs 0.5 mm. long; pollen grains slenderly oblong, smooth, about 82 µ long and 43 µ in diameter ovary glabrous; capsules not seen.