Justicia radicans Vahl

Villanueva-Espinoza, Rosa, Deng, Yunfei, Scotland, Robert & Wood, John R. I., 2025, Preliminary notes on Justicia (Acanthaceae) in Peru, PhytoKeys 258, pp. 1-123 : 1-123

17. Justicia radicans Vahl , Enum. Pl. 1: 137. 1804. ( Vahl 1804: 137)

Dianthera ciliata Ruiz & Pav. , Fl. Peruv. Prodr. 1: 12. 1798. ( Ruiz and Pavón 1798: 12) non Justicia ciliata Jacq. (1772) . Type. PERU. Ruiz & Pavon, s. n. (lectotype MA- 815493, designated here, isolectotypes BM- 000992617, OXF- 00194390).

Beloperone soukupii Standl. & F. A. Barkley , Madroño 9: 152. 1950 ( Standley and Barkley 1950: 152). Type. PERU. Huánuco, 10 km downstream from Tingo María, 630 m, 28 Oct. 1938, H. E. Stork & O. B. Horton 9532 (holotype F- 0040523 F, isotypes G- 00236204, K- 000529475, NA- 0026193, UC- 647116).

Justicia soukupii (Standl. & F. A. Barkley) V. A. W. Graham, Kew Bull. 43 (4): 604. 1988. ( Graham 1988: 604), syn. nov.

Type.

Based on Dianthera ciliata Ruiz & Pav.

Description.

Perennial herb usually 0.5–1 m high; stems thinly pubescent. Leaves petiolate, lamina 5–12 (– 16) × 2–3.5 (– 6) cm, oblong-elliptic, apex strongly mucronate, base narrowly cuneate, decurrent, glabrous, petioles mostly 1–1.5 cm. Inflorescence of short axillary and terminal foliose spikes, mostly c. 2 cm long but the terminal sometimes reaching 5 cm; peduncles 0–2 cm; floral bracts oblong to oblong-elliptic, conspicuously apiculate, 12–15 × 1.5–2.5 mm; bracteoles subulate c. 5 mm long; calyx subequally 4 - lobed to base, the linear subulate, ciliolate, c. 10 mm long; corolla 1.8–2.5 mm long, white, lilac or pink, pubescent, lower lip deflexed, “ herring bone ” patterning present, shallowly 3 - lobed, the lobes ovate, 1–2 mm long; thecae strongly superposed, the upper oblong-elliptic c. 1 × 0.5 mm, the lower separated by 1–1.5 mm, poorly developed; pollen perprolate, 37–40 × 23–25 μm, 2 - aperturate, colporate, reticulum with large circular elements forming 1 row of 7–8 insulae on each side of aperture (Fig. 50 A ). Capsule 7–8 mm, clavate, pubescent, 4 - seeded; seeds rugose.

Illustration.

Figs 16 , 17 .

Phenology.

Found in flower through much of the year but principally between May and September.

Habitat.

Open, often disturbed Andean woodland, especially forest margins, from about 300 to around 1800 m.

Distribution.

Endemic to Peru and frequent on the eastern Andean slopes from San Martin south to Cusco. Fig. 59 .

Material examined.

Peru • Ayacucho: Prov. La Mar, Río Marantari, below Santa Rosa Bridge , 580 m, 28 May 1975, D. C. Wasshausen & F. Encarnación 476 (K, MO, US, USM) . Cusco: Prov. La Convención , entre Potrero and Idma [Itma], 1050–1500 m, 19 April 1953, C. Vargas 10596 ( CUZ) ; • ibid., Río Mapituriani, opposite Hac. Luisiana, Cuenca Río Apurimac, 1000 m, 14 Sept. 1976, D. C. Wasshausen & F. Encarnación 647 (K, MO, US, USM) ; • ibid., Dist. Santa Ana, subcuenca Chuyapi, Poromate , 12°55'43"S 72°47'30"W, 1800–2300 m, 17 Sept. 2002, L. Valenzuela et al. 461 ( CUZ, HOXA, HUT, MO) . • Huánuco: Fundo Naranjillo , cerca de Tingo Maria, 700–750 m, 6 Aug. 1947, R. Ferreyra 2203 ( US, USM) . • Junín: Prov. Chanchamayo [Tarma], Dist. San Ramón , 3000 ft, Aug. 1945, C. Sandeman 4964 (K, OXF) ; • ibid., saliendo de Lourdes de Oxabamba , 11°03'47"S, 75°24'22.1"W, 1096 m, 3 Aug. 2023, R. Villanueva et al. 928 ( HOXA) ; • ibid., Satipo – La Merced , 6 km W of Pichanaki, 69 km E of La Merced, 850 m, 26 May 1979, D. C. Wasshausen & F. Encarnación 1122 (K, MO, US) ; • ibid., 6 km S of Vitoc, along road from San Ramón to Pucara , 1100 m, 28 May 1979, D. C. Wasshausen & F. Encarnación 1139 (K, MO, US, USM) ; • ibid., Satipo – La Merced , 4.3 km W of Río Pichinaki, 10°58'S, 74°58'W, 8 June 1998, T. Croat & M. Sizemore 81965 ( MO) ; • ibid., Santuario Nacional de Pampa Hermosa , 10°59'S, 75°25'W, 1400–1900 m, 14 March 2017, S. Riva et al. 122 ( MSM) . • Pasco: Prov. Oxapampa , 2 km W of Puente Paucartambo, 800 m, 27 May 1979, D. C. Wasshausen & F. Encarnación 1129 (K, MO, US, USM) ; • ibid., Pozuzo, P. N. Yanachaga-Chemillén, Humpal , 10°10'58"S, 75°34'25"W, 1100 m, A. Monteagudo et al. 12501 ( MOL) ; • ibid., Dist. Huancabamba-Pozuzo, Cañón de Huancabamba , 10°10'S, 75°35'W, 30 June 1985, R. Foster et al. 10363 ( MOL). Prov. Oxapampa, Dist. Pozuzo, Yanachaga-Chemillén, sendero Robin Foster, 27 Aug. 2019, Azevedo et al. 147 ( HOXA) . • San Martin: Prov. Bellavista, Dist. Alto Biavo, Sector las Palmas , P. N. Cordillera Azul , puesto de Control 20 Mojarra , 07°25'26"S, 76°11'50.8"W, 772 m, 13 Sept. 2019, L. Valenzuela et al. 36844 ( HOXA, USM). Prov. Huallaga, Mishquiyacu, cerca de Saposoa, 200–300 m, 29 Aug. 1948, R. Ferreyra 4639 ( MO, US) ; • ibid., Saposoa, Centro Poblado de Shima, 450 m, Apr 2017, M. Quispe 29 ( USM). Prov. Tocache [Mariscal Caceres], Dist. Tocache [Nuevo], Quebrada de Huaquisha , right bank of Río Huallaga , 16 May 1970, J. Schunke Vigo 3977 (K, US, USM) ; • ibid., 25 May 1970, J. Schunke Vigo 4014 ( US, USM) ; • ibid., Fundo Porvenir, Río Huallaga , 3 Sept. 1970, J. Schunke Vigo 4316 (F, K, US, USM) ; • ibid., 400 m, 25 June 1974, J. Schunke Vigo 6998 ( US) ; • ibid., 600–700 m, 27 March 1975, J. Schunke Vigo 8166 ( US) ; • ibid., 500–600 m, 5 May 1975, J. Schunke Vigo 8385 (F, US) ; • ibid., Quebrada de Challauayacu , 480–500 m, 4 Feb. 1979, J. Schunke Vigo 10788 ( MO) ; • ibid., Río Cañuto , cerca de Tanta, 500–520 m, 2 June 1980, J. Schunke Vigo 11760 ( BR, JBRJ, US, USM) ; • ibid., Río de la Plata, fundo del Sr Manuel Gatica , 550–700 m, 12 Aug. 1980, J. Schunke Vigo 12155 ( US) ; • ibid., Quebrada Cachiyacu de Huaquisha , 500–650 m, 5 Dec. 1980, J. Schunke Vigo 12446 (F, K, JBRJ, US, USM) . Ucayali: Prov. Coronel Portillo, Dist. Calleria, Cuenca del Río Utiquinia , quebrada Espjoyacu , afluente de la quebrada Manuela , 7°56.67'S, 73°53.61'W, 300 m., 8 Sept. 2003, J. G. Graham 2637 (F, US, USM) .

Notes.

The corolla resembles that of Justicia goudotii V. A. W. Graham , but is typically longer,> 2 cm in length, the bracts oblong or elliptic, strongly apiculate, 8–15 (– 20) × 2–5 (– 8) mm (not lanceolate 4–6 mm long) conspicuously exceeding the 5 - lobed calyx; leaves narrowly oblong-elliptic, 3–4 times as long as broad (not ovate-elliptic, 1.5–3 times as long as broad).

When describing Beloperone soukupii, Standley & Barkley compared it with B. cochabambensis Rusby (= Justicia ramulosa ), presumably being unaware of the existence of J. radicans and listed several characters which distinguish the two species, including the longer corolla and the broader more pilose bracts of J. ramulosa . J. radicans , in fact, largely replaces J. ramulosa in Peru.

J. G. Graham 2637 was collected in eastern Ucayali outside the main distributional range of Justicia radicans (Fig. 59 ). It appears to be correctly identified but confirmation of its presence in this area is desirable.

Two specimens resemble J. radicans Vahl but are immediately distinguished from both by the long 5–7 mm acumen of the bracts (not 1–3 mm); additionally, the inflorescence is strictly terminal, not terminal and axillary as is usual in J. radicans and J. rusbyi .

Additional material examined.

Peru • Pasco: Prov. Oxapampa, Dist. Pozuzo, Puesto de Vigilancia Huampal , 10°11'S, 75°34'W. 1100 m, 11 Aug. 2003, R. Rojas et al. 1178 ( MO) ; • ibid., P. N, Yanachaga-Chemillen, Puesto de Control. Huampal , 10°11'09"S, 75°34'12"W, 1300 m, 21 July 2006, A. Monteagudo et al. 12491 ( MO) .

Figures

Figure 16. Justicia radicans A habit B bract C calyx and bracteoles D corolla with stamens and separated thecae. Drawn from Wasshausen 476 by Cathy Pasquale.

Figure 17. Photographs of Justicia radicans (Villanueva 928) by Rosa Villanueva.

Figure 50. Pollen images A Justicia radicans (Azevedo 147) B J. angustituba (Campos & Diaz 2380) C J. reginaldii (Ferreyra 7070) D J. baguensis (Van der Werff 14633) E J. cajamarcensis (Woytkowski 5671) F J. tenuiflora (Azevedo 281). Scale bars: 10 μm.

Figure 59. Distribution of Justicia ramulosa (purple squares), J. radicans (yellow polygons) and J. angustituba (red circle) in Peru.