Lobelia sumatrana Merr.

Lammers, Th. G., 2011, Revision of the Malesian species of Lobelia section Rhynchopetalum (Campanulaceae: Lobelioideae), Blumea 56 (3), pp. 218-224 : 223-224

5. Lobelia sumatrana Merr.

Lobelia sumatrana Merr. (1940) 9. — Type: Ripley & Ulmer 62 (holo PH), Indonesia, Sumatera,[Aceh], Mt Löser, Bivouac 5, in open ‘blang’ (meadow), 7900 ft, 25 Apr. 1939.

Plants with thick horizontal rhizomes. Stems herbaceous, 0.2 – 0.4 m tall, 1– 2.5 mm diam, simple, erect, glabrous or sparsely hispid. Leaves sessile, basally rosulate with only 4 –8 cauline; lamina of basal leaves oblanceolate or spatulate, 1.8 – 5 by 0.5 –1.4 cm, coriaceous, sparsely hispid on margin and often midvein, apex obtuse, base attenuate, margin callose-crenulate and revolute; lamina of cauline leaves oblanceolate basipetally, becoming elliptic acropetally, 1.4 – 5 by 0.3– 0.7 cm, otherwise similar to basal leaves. Inflorescence not clearly differentiated, 4–10-flowered, simple; bracts lanceolate or elliptic, 4 –18 by 1.2– 6.5 mm, twice as long as their pedicels basipetally, decreasing to only half as long acropetally, sparsely hispid on margin and often midvein, acute or acuminate at apex, the margin callose-crenulate; pedicels ascending, 6 – 8 mm, bibracteolate toward the base, hispid; bracteoles linear, 1.5– 2.5 mm. Hypanthium campanulate or obconic, 3 –4 by 2 – 3 mm, glabrous or hispid; base acute or obtuse. Calyx lobes lanceolate or oblong, 5– 8 by 1.1–1.5 mm, 1.5 – 2.5 times longer than hypanthium, erect, hispid on margin and sometimes midrib; apex acuminate; margin entire, revolute. Corolla lilac-blue to pink and darkveined, bilabiate, 16– 21 mm, 4.5 –7 times longer than hypanthium, glabrous or pubescent externally; tube straight but its axis depressed ventrally, 6 –9 by 2– 3.5 mm, 2.8– 4 times longer than broad; dorsal lobes narrowly spatulate, 10 –14 by 1–1.5 mm; ventral lobes oblong or elliptic, 10–15 by 2.5 – 4.5 mm, connate for about 1/4 their length. Staminal column exserted from corolla via its dorsal slit; filament tube 7–11 mm, 1.7–3 times longer than the dorsal anthers, glabrous or sparsely short pubescent; anther tube 1.5–1.6 mm diam, its surface sparsely to densely pubescent toward apex; dorsal anthers 3.5– 4.5 mm long; ventral anthers 2.5–3 mm long, bearded at apex with white trichomes c. 1.5 mm long. Capsule ellipsoid, 7–8 by 3.5 –4.5 mm, the beak 2.5 –3 mm. Seeds not seen.

Distribution — Endemic to Aceh Province in northern Sumatera.

Habitat & Ecology — Meadows, heath, and bogs at 2400– 3460 m. Flowering: February through August.

Icon . Moeliono (1960) f. 11.