Justicia discolor subsp. discolor, J. R. I. Wood & R. Villanueva

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

7 a. Justicia discolor subsp. discolor

Diagnosis.

Closely related to Justicia discolor subsp. filisepala but more robust, the leaves discolorous, purple abaxially, lanceolate or ovate, acuminate, firm in texture, 1.5–9.5 × 0.6–4 cm, mostly more than 3 times as long as broad (not discolorous or purple abaxially, elliptic, obtuse, thick in texture, 2–5 (– 6) × 1–4 cm, c. twice as long as broad), inflorescence imbricate above, the flower pairs c. 8 mm apart below, (not up to 22 mm apart in fruit); calyx lobes linear (not filiform).

Illustration.

Figs 9 – 10 .

Etymology.

The name “ discolor ” refers to the leaves which are characteristically green on the upper surface but purple on the lower surface.

Phenology.

Flowering from May to August with a single record from December.

Habitat.

Rainforest, “ bosque alto ”, 300– 900 m.

Distribution.

Endemic to Amazonian Peru, widespread but scattered in occurrence. Fig. 54 .

Material examined.

Peru • Huánuco: Prov. Leoncio Prado, E of Las Palmas, 15 km S of Tingo María , 900 m, 20 June 1982, D. C. Wasshausen & O. Tovar 1275 ( K, US) ; • ibid., Dist. Luyando, Tulumayo , July 1938, C. A. Ridoutt s. n. ( USM 10003 ) ; • ibid., Dist. Rupa-Rupa, Jacintillo, left margin of Río Monzón , 18 July 1978, J. Schunke Vigo 10373 ( MO, US) ; • ibid., Tingo María , 9°18'S, 75°59'W, 700–780 m, 9 Dec. 1981, T. Plowman et al. 11251 ( F, US) ; • ibid., Fundo El Encanto , 700 m, 15 Aug. 1943, C. A. Ridoutt USM 13149 ( USM) . Prov. Puerto Inca [Pachitea], Dist. Honoria, carretera Miel de Abejas (1 km arriba de Tornavista) a 3 km del Campamento , 300–400 m, 19 May 1967, J. Schunke V. 1969 ( F) ; • ibid., Dist. Codo de Pozuzo, Carretera Pozuzo-Codo del Pozuzo , 28 Aug. 2019, I. Azevedo & R. Villanueva 162 ( HOXA) . • Junín: Prov. Satipo, the type ; • ibid. 17 Aug. 1960, F. Woytkowski 5824 ( MO, US) . • Madre de Dios: Prov. Manu, Manu Park, Cocha Cashu uplands , 11°45'S, 71°0'W, 400 m, 28 July 1986, P. Nuñez 5521 ( CUZ, MO) ; • ibid. 11°45'S, 71°00'W, 19 Aug. 1986, P. Nuñez 5848 ( MO, USM) ; Prov. Tahuamanu, 8 km del Fundo Noaya, hacia la Quebrada Putirija , 29 May 1978, F. Encarnación 1156 ( US) . • San Martin: Prov. Mariscal Cáceres, Dist. [Dept.] Uchiza, Cachiyacu de Lepuna , 450–500 m, 10 July 1974, J. Schunke V. 7298 ( F, MO, USM) . • Ucayali: Prov. Coronel Portillo, Ivita, km 59 Carretera Federico Basadre , 17 July 1974, F. Encarnación 432 ( US) . Prov. Padre Abad, Dist. Padre Abad, Catarata Santa Rosa , 9°09'S 75°45'W, 882 m, 8 Aug. 2023, R. Villanueva et al. 976 ( HOXA) .

Note.

Usually recognisable even when sterile by the discolorous leaves.

Figures

Figure 9. Justicia discolor subsp discolor A habit B section of stem showing indumentum C bract D bracteole E calyx F corolla opened out showing lips and androecium G anther thecae H capsule valves, exterior (right), interior (left) J seed. Drawn from Encarnación 1156 by Margaret Tebbs.

Figure 10. Photographs of Justicia discolor. Note glandular inflorescence and violet corolla with “ herring bone ” patterning A (Azevedo 162) Igor Azevedo B – D (Villanueva 976) Rosa Villanueva.

Figure 54. Distribution of Justicia cuspidulata (yellow polygon), J. discolor subsp. discolor (orange circles), J. discolor subsp. filisepala (red squares) and J. rojasiae (green triangles) in Peru.