Aphelandra macrosiphon Lindau

Aphelandra macrosiphon Lindau

Aphelandra macrosiphon Lindau. Bull. Herb. Boiss. 3:367. 1895.

Shrub 2–3 m high; branches terete, velvetypubescent, the hairs appressed; leaf blades oblong, 20–27 cm long, 5–9 cm wide, probably larger near base, gradually acuminate at apex, narrowed at base, pubescent, the margins coarsely serrate, the teeth spine-tipped; petioles 0.5–2 cm long; spikes terminal, racemose, pedunculate, the peduncles to 8 cm long, appressed-pubescent; bracts lanceolate, to 20 cm long, 4 mm wide, acuminate and spinetipped at apex, green, pubescent, the margins armed with 4–7 pairs of acute teeth; bractlets lanceolate, 20 mm long, 4 mm wide, long-acuminate at apex, concave, glabrous or sparingly puberulent at tip; calyx segments lanceolate, long-acuminate, slightly unequal, glabrous, the posterior 16.5 mm long and 4 mm wide, the anterior pair 16 mm long and 3 mm wide, the lateral pair 14 mm long and 2.5 mm wide; corolla red, the tube 47 mm long, gradually and obliquely enlarged from 2 mm at base to 7 mm at mouth, puberulent without, glabrous within, the upper lip 12 mm long, 3 mm wide at base, scarcely bifid, the lobes of the lower lip equal, 18 mm long, 6 mm wide; filaments 46 mm long; anthers 6 mm long; pollen grains typical, 57μ–65μ long, 38μ–42μ wide; style 62 mm long; mature capsule not seen.

TYPE.—O. Kuntze s.n. (holotype B, destroyed, F photo 8673, isotype NY), Bolivia, on the Río Yuntas, 1000–2000 m alt, 13–21 Apr 1892.

DISTRIBUTION.—Peru and Bolivia at elevations above 1000 meters. PERU. CUZCO: Río Marcapata, 1000 m alt, 21 May 1954, Rauh-Hirsch P-1304 (F). BOLIVIA. Lobb s.n. (W); Pearce 733 (K).

According to Lindau, Aphelandra macrosiphon is closely related to A. runcinata; it differs, however, from it and other closely related species by its bracts which have spiny-toothed margins.