Aphelandra gracilis Leonard

Species

Angiosperms > Lamiales > Acanthaceae > Aphelandra

Characteristics

Shrub to 3 m high; stems subquadrangular near the apex, terete below, sparingly to moderately strigose with conspicuous, corky, cream colored lenticels to 0.7 mm in diameter. Leaves elliptic to obovate, to 18 cm long and 7.5 cm wide, apically acuminate, basally attenuate, glabrous above and beneath except for a few strigose hairs along the costa, the margins entire; petioles 0.5-1 cm long, strigose to glabrous. Inflorescences of terminal, subquadrangular spikes borne singly or in panicles, to 15 cm long and 1.5 cm wide at anthesis excluding the corolla; peduncles 5-7.5 mm long, strigose, the rachis puberulous, the internodes 6-8 mm long; bracts drying greenish to reddish brown, barely imbricate, subulate when fresh, oblong when flattened, 5-8 mm long. 3.5-4 mm wide, with two dorsal clusters of 3 to many, shiny, elliptic, submarginal glands ca. 0.5 mm long, 0.2 mm wide; bracteoles lanceolate, 5 mm long, 2 mm wide, puberulous. Flowers spreading at maturity clearly exposing the rachis; calyx puberulous, extending well above the bracts, segments lanceolate, ca. 8 mm long, apically subacute, the posterior segment 3 mm wide, other segments-2.3 mm wide, striate nerved; corolla scarlet, puberulous, the tube funnelformn glabrous inside, 5.5-6 cm long, 5 mm wide at the base, 9 mm wide at the mouth, the upper lip erect to 20 mm long and 10 mm wide, 2-lobed, the lobes apically acuminate, to 8 mm long and keeled at the apex, the middle lobe of the lower lip spreading, lanceolate, to 24 mm long and 9 mm wide, apically acuminate and keeled, the lateral lobes triangular, attached on one side to the upper lip, acute, the free portion to 1.1 mm long and 1.3 mm wide; stamens exserted, about equalling the upper lip and generally enclosed by it. Capsule clavate, coarsely puberulent, to 2 cm long, 6.5 cm broad above and 3 mm broad at the base, the surface muricate and shiny at maturity, apically obtuse; seeds 4, flattened, orbicular, ca. 3.5 mm in diameter and 2 mm wide.
Life form perennial
Growth form shrub
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Sexuality hermaphrodite
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Mature height (meter) 3.0
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Environment

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Usage

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Edible -
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Cultivation

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Distribution

Aphelandra gracilis world distribution map, present in Panama

Conservation status

Aphelandra gracilis threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:16198-2
WFO ID wfo-0000540113
COL ID FC6C
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Aphelandra gracilis