Justicia sp.

Darbyshire, I. & Goyder, D. J., 2019, Notes on Justicia sect. Monechma (Acanthaceae) in Angola, including two new species, Blumea 64 (2), pp. 97-107 : 105

6. Justicia sp. aff. laeta S.Moore

Distribution & Ecology — This taxon is known only from a single collection from Malange province, where it was recorded from rainforest.

Angolan specimen seen. Nolde 229 (BM 2 sheets), hochland von Quela, fl. & fr., without date.

Notes — The specimen cited has previously been named J. laeta and is certainly closely allied to that species, sharing large leaves with prominent pinnate veins beneath, compound paniculate inflorescences and similarly sized corollas. How- ever, Nolde 229 differs in having narrower, linear-lanceolate bracts, bracteoles and calyx lobes, the latter c. 1.2–1.5 mm wide, and in the inflorescence having a mixed glandular and eglandular indumentum, the glandular hairs being longer and conspicuous, while in J. laeta s.str. the bracts and bracteoles are lanceolate-acuminate, the calyx lobes are 1.8–2.5 mm wide and the inflorescence has an eglandular indumentum only. The specimen was collected c. 100–170 km to the ENE of the known localities for J. laeta and apparently in a wetter, forest habitat. More material is desirable from this region of Angola to determine whether there are two species or one variable species involved.

One sheet of Nolde 229 includes a mature fruit which appears to be four-seeded but with two seeds aborting early; the mature seeds are unfortunately missing from this specimen but the immature seeds are smooth as in J. laeta and other members of Justicia sect. Monechma . This capsule type is similar to that of J. tetrasperma , the species that Hedrén (1990) considered to be intermediate between Justicia and Monechma (see Introduction).