Justicia valenzuelae J. R. I. Wood & R. Villanueva, 2025

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

41. Justicia valenzuelae J. R. I. Wood & R. Villanueva sp. nov.

Type.

Peru • Cusco, [Prov. La Convención], Dist. Vilcabamba, Oyara, Cedropata , 13°04'37"S, 72°49'09"W, 2133 m, 19 Feb. 2007, L. Valenzuela et al. 8722 (holotype FHO-00141081 , isotype MO) .

Diagnosis.

The inflorescence is somewhat similar to that of Justicia colorata (Nees) Wassh. from Ecuador but the new species is distinguished by the yellow or cream corolla 2.3–2.7 cm long (not red or purple, 3.7–4.5 cm long) and shorter calyx up to 10 mm long (not 12–15 mm long).

Description.

Subshrub 0.4–1 m high, stems woody below, sulcate, bifariously pubescent with crisped, dark reddish hairs. Leaves petiolate, lamina somewhat oblique, 2.5–17 × 1–7.5 cm, quite variable in size on the same branch, narrowly elliptic, acuminate at apex and base, margin crenulate to subentire, somewhat hirsute with reddish multicellular hairs when young, especially on the margins and abaxial veins, ± glabrescent, lateral veins relatively prominent, 7–10 pairs; petioles 0.5–5.5 cm, bifariously hirsute, glabrescent. Inflorescence of lax, branched, cymose structures from the upper leaf axils, these up to 12 cm long; peduncles (1 –) 2.6–5 cm; bracts at inflorescence branching points resembling minute leaves, 0.5–1 (– 2.7) cm long, somewhat deciduous; secondary peduncles 0.5–3 cm; rhachis 0–3 (– 6) cm long; flowers mostly alternate, borne on short persistent pedicels 0.5–1 mm long; floral bracts narrowly oblanceolate, 3 × 1 mm, hirtellous; bracteoles similar, 2 × 1 mm, linear, hirtellous, caducous; calyx subequally 5 - lobed to base, lobes 7–10 × 1 mm, lanceolate, acuminate, hirtellous; corolla 2.3–2.7 cm long, yellow, hirsute in bud, tube c. 1.2 cm long, upper lip c. 13 mm, notched, lower lip c. 1.4 cm long, shallowly 3 - lobed; filaments glabrous, yellow; anthers purple, thecae c. 2 × 0.75 mm, linear, parallel, glabrous, very weakly superposed, lower with a small basal appendage; pollen prolate-perprolate, 46–50 × 22–25 μm, 3 - aperturate, colporate, 1 row of c. 7–9 distinct insulae on either side of aperture (Fig. 52 B ); ovary and style glabrous. Capsule and seed not seen.

Illustration.

Fig. 41 .

Etymology.

The epithet “ valenzuelae ” commemorates Luis Valenzuela, important Peruvian botanist and plant collector, who made nearly all collections of this species.

Phenology.

Found in flower from October to April.

Habitat.

Humid montane subtropical forest, 2133–2950 (– 3300) m.

Distribution.

Endemic to southern Peru. Fig. 69 .

Material examined.

Peru • Cusco: Prov. La Convención, Dist., Santa Teresa , Yanatile , 13°05'S, 72°23'W, 2950 m, 16 April 2005, L. Valenzuela et al. 5371 ( FHO, MO) ; • ibid., Dist. Vilcabamba, the type ; • ibid., Dist. Huayopata, Pistipata drainage, 10 km SW of Incatambo, 2380 m, 5 Oct. 1982, B. Peyton & S. King 1417 ( MO, US) ; • ibid., Incatambo, quebrada Curcur , 13°04'07"S, 72°27'05"W, 2477 m, 23 Nov. 2007, L. Valenzuela et al. 4521 ( CUZ) ; • ibid., 13°04'07"S, 72°26'49"W, 2630 m, 24 April 2007, L. Valenzuela et al. 9554 ( CUZ) ; • ibid., Espiritupampa , 13°03'S, 73°05'W, 3300 m, 15 Oct 2003, E. Suclli et al. 1318 ( US); ibid, Dist. Santa Ana, Poromate, 12°56'57"S, 72°47'20"W, 2302 m, 17 June 2003, G. Calatayud et al. 1504 ( CUZ) ; • ibid., Dist. Santa Ana, Tunquimayo , 12°54'47"S, 72°49'34"W, 2367 m, 25 Sept. 2004, G. Calatayud et al. 2890 ( FHO, MO) ; • ibid., Dist. Maranura , 12°52'01"S, 72°32'46"W, 2200 m, 15 April 2004, G. Calatayud et al. 2182 ( CUZ) ; • ibid., Dist. Santa Teresa, subida a Yerbabuenayoc, Rocotol , 13°04'S, 72°22'W, 2420 m, I. Huamantupa et al. 0712 ( FHO, MO) ; • ibid., Balconpata , 12°52'01"S, 72°32'46"W, 2200 m 15 April 2004, G. Calatayud et al. 2182 ( FHO, MO). Prov. Urubamba, Dist. Machu Picchu, Alcamayo, 13°09'59"S, 72°30'57"W, 2200–2500 m, 23 Feb. 2003, L. Valenzuela et al. 1482 ( CUZ) ; • ibid., 13°09'25"S, 72°30'58"W, 2600 m, 15 May 2003, I. Huamantupa et al. 3085 ( CUZ) .

Note.

Specimens of this species have been identified as Stenostephanus sp. but the anthers are bithecous. The flowers are variously reported as yellow or white (Valenzuela et al. 3014 as red). The leaves may be entire or crenate.

Figures

Figure 41. Justicia valenzuelae A habit B detail of indumentum of abaxial leaf surface C bract D bracteole E calyx F corolla G anther H ovary and style base. Drawn from Valenzuela 8722 by Margaret Tebbs

Figure 52. Pollen images A Justicia bambusiformis (Dudley 10440) B J. valenzuelae (Valenzuela 8722) C J. huallagensis (Knapp 7879) D J. oxapampensis (Villanueva 963) E J. falcifolia (Ortiz 660) F J. hyalina (Scolnik 909). Scale bars: 10 μm.

Figure 69. Distribution of Justicia bambusiformis (pink polygons), J. valenzuelae (red triangles), J. falcifolia (yellow squares) and J. hyalina (green circles) in Peru.