Justicia schunkei 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

33. Justicia schunkei J. R. I. Wood & R. Villanueva sp. nov.

Type.

Peru • San Martin, Prov. “ Mariscal Caceres ” [Tocache], Dist. Tocache, Quebrada de Santa Rosa, Carretera a Progreso , 500–700 m, 20 July 1974, J. Schunke Vigo 7599 (holotype F-1882751 , isotypes MO-2794266 , US-2798703 , USM) .

Diagnosis.

This species can be compared with Justicia yuyoensis Wassh. & J. R. I. Wood but is a scandent shrub (not a herb), the bracts are <6 mm long, mucronate and ciliate with eglandular hairs (not c. 8 mm long, ciliate with glandular hairs), the bracteoles nearly equal the bracts (not much shorter than bracts) and the calyx is c. 4 mm long, puberulent (not 2.5 mm long, glabrous).

Description.

Isophyllous scandent shrub 1–6 m in height; stems rounded, glabrous, greenish. Leaves petiolate, lamina 3–7.5 × 2–4 cm, ovate, acuminate to an obtuse apex, base broadly cuneate, margin irregularly undulate, both surfaces shiny, glabrous, paler beneath; petioles 0.5–0.8 cm, scurfy. Inflorescence of short axillary spikes, 1–3.5 cm long; peduncles 0–0.8 cm, puberulent; rhachis pubescent; bracts 5.5–6 × 1.5–2 mm, spathulate, apiculate, yellow-green, pilose and ciliate; bracteoles 5.5 × 1 mm, narrowly obovate, ciliate; calyx subequally 5 - lobed to base, lobes 4 × 0.75 mm, narrowly ovate, finely acuminate, densely puberulent; corolla c. 7 mm long, pink with white markings, shortly pubescent on exterior in bud, tube c. 3 × 1.5 mm, upper lip 3–4 mm long, entire, lower lip 3 - lobed, 3–4 mm long, lobes oblong, rounded; filaments glabrous, anther thecae weakly superposed, spreading, broadly oblong, c. 0.75 × 0.25 mm, pubescent dorsally, lower theca with a basal appendage; pollen prolate, 23 × 14–15 μm, 3 - aperturate, colporate, a distinct band of sexine on either side of aperture (Fig. 51 C ). Capsule 9 × 3 mm, narrowly clavate, pubescent, 4 - seeded; seeds 1.5–2 mm diam., rounded, flattened, ± smooth.

Illustration.

Fig. 32 .

Etymology.

This species is named for Jose Schunke Vigo, leading Peruvian plant collector and botanist. Not only did he collect the type of Justicia schunkei but some 80 other collections cited in this paper.

Phenology.

Flowering from July to September.

Habitat.

In shade of primary forest, 500– 700 m.

Distribution.

Endemic to San Martin in Peru. Fig. 64 .

Material examined.

Peru • San Martin: Prov. “ Mariscal Cáceres ” [Tocache], Dist. Tocache, the type ; • ibid., desembocadura del Río Mishollo, margen derecha del Río Huallaga , 8 Sept. 1972, J. Schunke Vigo 5011 (F, K, US, USM) .

Figures

Figure 32. Justicia schunkei A habit B bract C bracteole D calyx E corolla F anther G exterior of capsule valve H interior of capsule valve J seed. A, F drawn from Schunke Vigo 7599, G, J from Schunke Vigo 5011 by Margaret Tebbs.

Figure 51. Pollen images A Justicia warmingii (Villanueva 920) B J. werffii (Van der Werff 15565) C J. schunkei (Schunke 7599) D J. spathuliformis (Villanueva 1028) E J. saccata (Villanueva 997) F J. lactiflora (Woytkowski 34339). Scale bars: 10 μm.

Figure 64. Distribution of Justicia chlamydocardioides (red polygons), J. schunkei (blue circles), J. werffii (yellow square) and J. spathuliformis (green triangles) in Peru.