A new species of Aphelandra (Acanthaceae: Acantheae)

from Panama with notes on some Colombian species

THOMAS F. DANIEL1 AND GORDON MCPHERSON2
1
Department of Botany, California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, San
Francisco, CA 94118, USA; e-mail: tdaniel@calacademy.org
2
Missouri Botanical Garden, P.O. Box 299, St. Louis, MO 63166-0299, USA;
e-mail: gordon.mcpherson@mobot.org

Abstract. Aphelandra merelloae, a new species from north-central Panama is

described, illustrated, and mapped. It is compared to morphologically similar species
from southern Central America (A. dolichantha) and Colombia (A. cuatrecasasii). It
differs from both by its pinkish to purplish limb of the corolla, among other charac-
ters. Aphelandra killipii is treated as distinct from its Colombian congener
A. cuatrecasasii based on color and pubescence of the corollas and pubescence of the
medial and distal bracts. Twenty species of Aphelandra are now known to occur in Panama.
Key Words: Aphelandra, Colombia, endemism, new species, Panama, taxonomy.

Aphelandra R. Br. is an entirely American
genus of Acanthaceae subfamily Acantheae
with about 200 species distributed from
Mexico to Argentina. The major concentra-
tion of species occurs in Andean Colombia,
Ecuador, and Peru. Panama has more species
of the genus than any other Central American
nation. The Caribbean slope of Panama has
not been well collected, and as a result the
overall distributions of several species of
Aphelandra that occur from Costa Rica to
Colombia or that are restricted to southern
Central America are not well known
(McDade, 1984). Recent collecting from a
little-explored region of the Caribbean es-
carpment in western Colón (District of
Donoso) reveals the presence of at least seven
species of Aphelandra there, including A.
campanensis Durkee (G. McPherson 19726,
MO, PMA; C. Guerra et al. 1373, MO), A.
panamensis McDade (G. McPherson & M.
Merello 21031, MO), A. scabra (Vahl) Sm.
(G. McPherson 20038, MO; M. Merello et al.
3053, MO), A. dolichantha Leonard (G.
McPherson & M. Merello 21126), and two
unidentified species noted below. The seventh
species, represented by numerous collections,
is not among those treated by Daniel and
McDade (1995), Durkee (1978, 1986), Leonard
(1953), Llamozas S. (1993), or Wasshausen
(1975, 1989, 2013). We describe it as a new
species known only from north-central
Panama.
Aphelandra merelloae T. F. Daniel &
McPherson, sp. nov. Type: Panama. Colón:
Distr. Donoso, site of proposed copper mine
(MPSA), 08°51'47"N, 080°38'25"W, 130 m,
forested slopes, 8 Dec 2009 (fl, fr), G.
McPherson & M. Merello 21223 (holotype:
PMA; isotypes: CAS, MO).
Aphelandra merelloae differs from A. dolichantha by
its corolla with the limb light pinkish to purplish (vs.
usually white), lower lip shorter (9–11 vs. 13–22 mm
long), and lobes of the lower lip narrower (e.g., lower-
central lobe 3–6 vs. 5–12 mm wide); rachis bearing
glandular (vs. mostly eglandular only) trichomes during
anthesis; and medial bracts of the inflorescence mostly
shorter (14–26 vs. 25–38 mm long) and apically rounded
to acute (vs. acuminate).
Shrubs or treelets to 1.9 m tall. Young
stems subquadrate or becoming ± flattened
on drying, irregularly striate, glabrous.
Leaves petiolate, petioles to 50 mm long,
glabrous (or distal-most petioles sometimes
pubescent with antrorsely appressed

Brittonia 66(4): 321–328 (2014), DOI 10.1007/s12228-014-9338-0

ISSN: 0007-196X (print) ISSN: 1938-436X (electronic)
© 2014, by The New York Botanical Garden Press, Bronx, NY 10458-5126 U.S.A.

Published Online: 24 July 2014

322 BRITTONIA
eglandular trichomes), blades discolorous
(paler abaxially), ovate-elliptic to elliptic to
obovate-elliptic, 120–260 × 38–108 mm,
2.1–3.8 (–4.6) times longer than wide,
attenuate to attenuate-decurrent at base,
acuminate at apex, surfaces and margin
glabrous. Inflorescences of 1–3 terminal
and/or subterminal (i.e., in axils of distal-
most 1–2 pairs of leaves), sessile or
pedunculate spikes, peduncles (if present)
to 6 mm long, glabrous or nearly so,
fertile portion of spike densely bracteate,
45–120 × 10–15 mm (during anthesis and
excluding flowers), rachis puberulent with
mostly glandular trichomes to 0.1 mm long
during anthesis, sometimes also with a
sparse to dense overstory of (erect to)
antrorsely appressed eglandular trichomes
0.1–0.3 mm long as well, glandular tri-
chomes sometimes inconspicuous or not
evident following anthesis on rachises.
Bracts imbricate, pale green, proximal-most
1–2 pairs subfoliose or reduced in size and
ovate to lanceolate, medial bracts elliptic to
oblong, 14–26 × 4.5–10 mm, erect during
anthesis, sometimes spreading from rachis
following anthesis, rounded to acute at
apex, lacking a mucro, abaxial surface
lacking nectaries (conspicuous patches of
sessile glands), glabrous (or proximal-most
bracts sometimes with eglandular tri-
chomes), ± venose with numerous longitu-
dinal and cross veins forming a reticulum,
margin entire, hyaline (thin and translucent
region extending from edge inward up to
0.6 mm), ciliolate with ± dense, straight to
flexuose, eglandular and often glandular
trichomes 0.05–0.3 mm long. Bracteoles
lance-linear, 6–13 × 0.5–1.5 mm, abaxial
surface and margin pubescent with glandu-
lar (throughout) and eglandular (especially
distally) trichomes to 0.3 mm long. Calyx
1.6–3 mm long, lobes lance-subulate, 1.5–
2.6 × 0.2–0.3 mm, abaxial surface and
margin pubescent with mostly glandular
trichomes to 0.1 mm long or trichomes
sometimes ± restricted to margin. Corolla
greenish white (tube) and light pinkish to
purplish (limb), 40–51 mm long, externally
pubescent with conspicuous glandular tri-
chomes 0.05–0.2 mm long and with less
conspicuous, scattered, eglandular tri-
chomes 0.05–0.3 mm long, tube 32–39
[VOL 66
mm long, cylindric proximal portion often
curved (especially with age), sometimes
narrowed distally, 28–34 mm long, 1.4–
1.6 mm in diameter (measured flat) near
midpoint, throat 4–5 mm long, 2.3–2.5 mm
in diameter (measured flat), upper lip
lanceolate, 6.5–8 mm long, apically 2-
lobed, lower lip 9–11 mm long, 3-lobed,
lateral lobes linear to linear-lanceolate to
oblanceolate, 7.5–8.5 × 1.5–3.3 mm, low-
er-central lobe elliptic to broadly elliptic to
oblanceolate, 9–10 × 3–6 mm. Stamens
inserted at base of throat and not extending
beyond mouth of corolla, diadelphous with
each pair consisting of a longer and a
shorter stamen, shorter stamens 4.5 mm
long, longer stamens 4.5–5 mm long,
thecae 2–2.2 mm long, dorsally pubescent
with eglandular trichomes. Pollen spherical
to subspheroidal (P:E = 0.95-1.06), 53-57
μm in diameter, pantocolpate, colpi ar-
ranged tangentially over surface. Style
36–38 mm long, glabrous, stigma ca. 1
mm long, asymmetrically funnelform, ova-
ry stipitate glandular. Capsules 14–18 mm
long, punctate-rugose, usually pubescent
(only near apex) with antrorse to antrorsely
appressed eglandular trichomes to 0.5 mm
long, valves usually with 4–12 transverse
and parallel cracks throughout following
dehiscence. Seeds 3–4 × 2.2–4.2 mm,
surface smooth to scurfy-scaly, lacking
elongate trichomes.
Phenology.—Flowering: May through Jan-
uary. Fruiting: July through February.
Distribution and habitat.—Aphelandra
merelloae is endemic to north-central Panama
(western Colón and northwestern Coclé;
Figure 1). All collections from the province
of Colón are from the lowlands of the
Caribbean slope in the District of Donoso
and the Corregimiento of Coclé del Norte
where plants occur, often along streams, in
lowland rain forest (bosque tropical muy
humedo) at elevations from 45 m to 300 m.
Collections from the vicinity of the continen-
tal divide in Coclé occur in wet montane rain
or cloud forests at elevations from 900 m to
1200 m.
IUCN.—conservation assessment
Aphelandra merelloae is known from 31
collections, 30 of which could be plotted on
2014] DANIEL & MCPHERSON: APHELANDRA (ACANTHACEAE)
FIG. 1. Map of Panama showing distribution of
Aphelandra merelloae.
a map (26 map localities) yielding an EOO of
354 km sq and an minimum AOO (grid cell
size 3.16 km per side, 16 cells) of 160 km sq.
Based on grid adjacency, four subpopulations
are evident. Nine collections in one of the
subpopulations come from within or along
the boundaries of the Omar Torrijos National
Park. The major threat to the species is
deforestation in conjunction with mining
activities. Although the geographic range is
quite restricted, with both EOO and AOO
falling within the thresholds for EN, we
estimate 12 locations and insufficient future
population reduction to meet the level (30 %)
for VU. Because the criteria for VU are
nearly met, including a projected continuing
decline of the population (e.g., three of the
locations are on the mining footprint), we
conclude that A. merelloae merits an assess-
ment of NT (Near Threatened).
323
Etymology.—The species is named in rec-
ognition of our colleague, Mary C. Merello,
co-collector of the type specimen and careful
collector of many other fine specimens from
both the Old World and New World tropics.
Additional specimens examined. PANAMA. Coclé: El
Copé, Atlantic side, T. Antonio 1171 (MO); lumber road N of
El Copé, 9.4 km above El Copé (2.2 km N of sawmill), T.
Croat 44616 (MO), 44649 (MO); Distr. La Pintada, Parque
Nacional G.D. Omar Torrijos H., area de Calle Larguita
(Palmarazo), Río San Juan, 08°42'55"N 080°38'37"W, A.
Espinosa 6185 (MO, PMA); lumber camp at Alto Calvario, 7
km N of El Copé, J. Folsom 1310 (MO); Rivera Sawmill,
Alto Calvario, 7 km N of El Copé, J. Folsom 3204 (MO);
lumber road, 2.2 km beyond sawmill above El Copé, B.
Hammel 1043 (MO); Distr. La Pintada, Parque Nacional
G.D. Omar Torrijos H., Caño Sucio, área del Alto Tífe,
08°42'16"N 080°38'03"W, O. Ortíz 1383 (MO, PMA); Distr.
La Pintada, Parque Nacional G.D. Omar Torrijos H., Caño
Sucio, área del Tífe, 08°43'11"N 080°37'47"W, O. Ortíz
1444A (MO, PMA); Distr. La Pintada, Parque Nacional G.D.
Omar Torrijos H., La Rica, área del Alto Tífe, 08°42'43"N
080°35'30"W, O. Ortíz 1458 (MO, PMA); above El Potroso
sawmill at continental divide, 08°38'N, 080°36'W, K. Sytsma
1824 (MO); Distr. La Pintada, Parque Nacional G.D. Omar
Torrijos H., área del Río Tife, 08°42'16–22"N 080°38'03"W,
A. Zapata 3170 (MO, PMA), 3186 (MO, PMA); Distr. La
Pintada, Parque Nacional G.D. Omar Torrijos H., área del
Río Tife, 08°43'17"N 080°38'03"W, A. Zapata 3235 (MO,
PMA); Distr. La Pintada, Parque Nacional G.D. Omar
Torrijos H., correg. El Harino, comunidad de La Rica, área
del Río Juan Julio, 08°42'50"N 080°35'27"W, A. Zapata
3262 (MO, PMA); Distr. La Pintada, Parque Nacional G.D.
Omar Torrijos H., correg. El Harino, comunidad de La Rica,
área del Río Juan Julio, 08°43'08"N 080°36'50"W, A. Zapata
3317 (MO, PMA). Colón: Donoso, Coclé del Norte, Minera
Panamá, Helipat C22, UTM 17 P 526384 976172, A. Espinosa
& B. Fuentes 5792 (MO); Donoso, Belén 03, UTM NAP27
517420 980444, A. Espinosa et al. 5971 (MO); Donoso, Coclé
del Norte, área del helipad T02A, caminando hacia la ruta norte,
08°53'N, 080°40'W, A. Espinosa et al. 5994 (MO); Donoso,
Petaquilla, Punto C05, cerca al Cerro Petaquilla, 08°54'35"N,
080°43'19"W, L. Martínez & I. Rojas 641 (MO); Donoso, Coclé
del Norte, Punto C10, orillas del Río Belencillo, 08°48'31"N,
080°43'25"W, L. Martínez & O. Rodríguez 653 (MO); Donoso,
Coclé del Norte, Helipat T21, 08°52'28"N, 080°40'03"W, L.
Martínez et al. 685 (CAS, MO); Donoso, Coclé del Norte, Helipat
T21, 08°52'27"N, 080°40'01"W, L. Martínez et al. 689 (MO);
Donoso, Coclé del Norte, Helipat CR15W, 08°55'26"N,
080°40'37"W, L. Martínez et al. 710 (MO); Donoso, Coclé del
Norte, área del helipad T02A, tomando la ruta sur, 08°53'34"N,
080°40'44"W, L. Martínez et al. 874A (MO); Donoso, Coclé del
Norte, área del Río Escribano, cercano al Río Belén, limite de la
prov. Colón y Veraguas, 08°52'15"N, 080°51'04"W, L. Martínez et
al. 926 (MO); Teck Cominco Petaquilla mining concession, near
plot C003, 08°50'22"N, 080°38'51"W, G. McPherson 19662 (MO);
Teck Cominco Petaquilla mining concession, near helipad,
08°49'12"N, 080°40'52"W, G. McPherson 20581 (CAS, MO);
Teck Cominco Petaquilla mining concession, ridge road,
08°49'33"N, 080°40'11"W, G. McPherson & M. Merello 20198
(CAS, MO); Donoso, Coclé del Norte, área del Helipat C29, UTM
WGS84 528345 978733, A. Zapata & J. González 2544 (MO).
324 BRITTONIA [VOL 66

With the addition of Aphelandra which are present in all of the highland plants
merelloae, 20 species of Aphelandra are studied.
known from Panama. Collections of two
Aphelandra merelloae appears particularly
species from the District of Donoso in
close to A. dolichantha Donn. Sm., which
western Colón remain unidentified: L.
occurs in wet forests from Costa Rica to
Martínez et al. 729 and 730 (MO) appear
Colombia. Both species have bracts that lack
to represent the same species, but were
both marginal teeth and nectariferous glands
collected without corollas or fruits, and J. on the abaxial surface, corollas that turn
Aranda 4216 (MO) is a flowering collec-
brownish with age and that have very narrow
tion that does not resemble other Panama-
and often curved tubes, pollen with tangen-
nian species noted by Daniel and McDade tially oriented colpi, and capsule valves that
(1995).
usually bear numerous transverse cracks
The lowland plants of Aphelandra throughout their length. Although there is
merelloae from western Colón resemble those slight overlap in some of the characters used
from the highlands of adjacent Coclé except to circumscribe them, these species can be
that in some lowland plants the inflorescence distinguished by the characters noted in the
rachises lack overstory eglandular trichomes, following couplet:
1. Corolla limb light pinkish to purplish, lower lip 9–11 mm long, lower-central lobe 3–6 mm wide, lateral
lobes 1.5–3.3 mm wide; rachis puberulent during anthesis with conspicuous glandular trichomes to 0.2 mm
long (appressed eglandular trichomes sometimes present as well); medial floral bracts elliptic to oblong, 14-
26 mm long, rounded to acute at apex................................ A. merelloae
1. Corolla limb usually white, lower lip 13–22 mm long, lower-central lobe 5–12 mm wide, lateral lobes
(3–)3.5–7 mm wide; rachis pubescent during anthesis with appressed eglandular trichomes to 0.5 mm long
(a few inconspicuous glandular trichomes to 0.2 mm long rarely present as well); medial floral bracts oblong
to lanceolate, mostly 25–38 mm long, acuminate at apex.......... A. dolichantha

The differences in color and size of the
corolla limb suggest the possibility of differ-
ent pollinators for these two species (Fig. 2).
Most species of Aphelandra have red or
orangish corollas with funnelform tubes and
are visited (and presumably pollinated by)
hummingbirds (e.g., Wasshausen, 1975;
McDade, 1984; Daniel, 1991). Floral visitors
have not been documented to flowers of
species with white, pinkish, purplish, or pale
yellowish corollas that have long, narrow, and
subcylindric tubes. The form of the corolla is
suggestive of flowers that are visited by
butterflies.
A collection from the vicinity of lowland
plants of A. merelloae in Colón (Distr.
D o n o s o , 0 8 ° 5 6 ' 5 4 " N , 0 8 0 ° 4 1 ' 4 2 " W,
McPherson & Merello 21126, MO) resembles
that species by its pink and white corolla
limb. It is treated here as A. dolichantha on
the basis of the length of the lower lip of the
corolla (22 mm long), the width of the lower-
central lobe of the corolla (9 mm wide), the
width of the lateral lobes of the lower lip (6
mm wide), and the length of the medial bracts
(33–35 mm long). In addition, the young
stems and leaves are pubescent with
eglandular trichomes and the bracts are
abaxially pubescent with glandular trichomes;
both of these characters are sometimes pres-
ent in A. dolichantha, but are unknown in A.
merelloae.
Most species of Aphelandra (and related
genera of Acantheae) have prolate and 3-
colpate pollen (Raj, 1961; Wasshausen, 1975;
Daniel, 1998; McDade et al., 2005).
Encephalosphaera Lindau and several species
of Aphelandra (Wasshausen, 1975; McDade et
al., 2005) have more or less spheric and
pantocolpate pollen with short colpi that tend
to delineate polygonal or rectangular regions.
This unusual type of pollen is common to both
A. dolichantha and A. merelloae (Fig. 3).
Aphelandra merelloae is also morphologi-
cally similar to the Colombian endemic, A.
cuatrecasasii Leonard, which occurs in lowland
rain forest (wet to pluvial) at elevations between
50 m and 230 meters. Both species have similar
inflorescences with the bracts greenish, entire,
elliptic to oblong (excluding proximal one to
three pairs), hyaline near margin, and ± venose;
flowers with calyces short, corollas with the
proximal basal portion of the tube both elongate
and narrow, and stamens entirely or mostly
2014] DANIEL & MCPHERSON: APHELANDRA (ACANTHACEAE) 325

included in the throat of the corolla; and capsules transverse cracks following dehiscence. They
14–18 mm long, punctate-rugose but usually can be distinguished by the characters and
lacking elongate trichomes, and usually bearing distributions in the following couplet:

1. Young stems and petioles glabrous (distal-most pair of petioles sometimes pubescent); abaxial surface
of leaves glabrous; bracts glabrous (proximalmost bracts rarely abaxially pubescent with eglandular
trichomes), rounded to acute at apex, lacking a mucro, margin ciliolate with ± dense eglandular and
often glandular trichomes 0.05–0.3 mm long; corolla limb light pinkish to purplish, externally
pubescent with conspicuous glandular trichomes to 0.2 mm long and less conspicuous eglandular
trichomes to 0.3 mm long; Panama............. A. merelloae.
1. Young stems and petioles densely pubescent with retrorsely appressed eglandular trichomes; abaxial
surface of leaves usually pubescent; bracts usually pubescent on lower half and central portion of
upper half with conspicuous eglandular trichomes, acute- to attenuate-mucronulate at apex, margin
eciliate or very sparsely ciliolate with widely scattered trichomes to 0.1 mm long; corolla limb pale
yellow to whitish, externally densely pubescent with ± appressed eglandular trichomes ca. 1 mm long;
Colombia........... A. cuatrecasasii.

Seventeen relatively recent (collected between Wasshausen 1975). The type of A.

1979–1993) collections of A. cuatrecasasii from cuatrecasasii, which is also from Valle
the Bajo Calima region near Buenaventura in the del Cuaca, notes white-cream flowers for
department of Valle del Cauca in Colombia were this species, as well. In addition, some
studied for the above comparison: T. Croat variation in pubescence was noted among
69366 (MO), 04°14'50"N, 77°19'30"W; T. Croat these specimens: Croat 71043 (MO) lacks
69426 (MO), 03°56'N, 77°07'30"W; T. Croat most of the usually conspicuous trichomes
71043 (MO), 04°10'N, 77°12'W; T. Croat & D. on the bracts and abaxial surfaces of the
Bay 75715 (MO), 04°03'N, 77°05'W; T. Croat & leaves, but corresponds to A. cuatrecasasii
J. Watt 70185 (MO), 04°03'N, 77°08'W; A. in all other diagnostic characteristics.
Gentry 35244 (MO), 03°56'N, 77°08'W; A. Wasshausen (19 75) i ncluded bo th
Gentry et al. 40343 (MO), 03.56'N, 77.08'W; Aphelandra killipii Leonard and A. craura
A. Gentry et al. 47834 (MO), 03°55'N, 77°02'W; Leonard within an expanded concept of A.
A. Gentry et al. 56713 (MO), 03°59'N, 77°02'W; cuatrecasasii. Aphelandra killipii from Chocó
A. Gentry et al. 59607, 03°58'N (MO), 77°00'W; i n Co l o m b ia a p p e a r s s i m il a r t o A.
L. McDade et al. 957 (CAS), 03°57'N, 77°01'W; cuatrecasasii but differs in several features
M. Monslave B. 200 (MO), 03°55'N, 77°W; M. that would appear significant. Based on study
Monslave B. 237 (MO), 03°55'N, 77°W; M. of three specimens conforming to Leonard’s
Monslave B. 963 (MO), 03°55'N, 77°W; M. description of A. killipii from the department
Monslave B. 2063 (MO), 03°55'N, 77°W; M. of Chocó (i.e., F. García C. 39 at MO, A.
Monslave B. 3190 (MO), 03°55'N, 77°W; and J. Gentry & M. Fallen 17615 at MO, A.
van Rooden et al. 450 (MO), 03°56'N, 77°10'W. Juncosa 2570 at MO) and the type collection
These generally agree with the descriptive (E. Killip 35374 at COL and US, images
information provided by Wasshausen (1975: seen), this species appears very similar to A.
124 to 125), except that the few flowers on these cuatrecasasii in trichomes of the stems,
collections were noted to be pale yellow or leaves, and bracteal margins, but appears to
whitish (vs. “reddish to cream-white differ from that species by the attributes
( L e h m a n n ’s s p e c i m e n a t K ) ” fi d e enumerated in the following couplet:
1. Corollas pinkish or reddish, externally pubescent with glandular trichomes 0.1–0.2 mm long;
medial and distal bracts abaxially glabrous; Chocó.......... A. killipii.
1. Corollas pale yellow, cream, or whitish, sometimes with pink on lower lip, externally pubescent with appressed
eglandular trichomes ca. 1 mm long; medial and distal bracts abaxially pubescent; Valle del Cuaca........... A.
cuatrecasasii.

Lehmann s.n. at K (image seen) with Leonard (1953), who also noted that the
flowers “röthlich-gelbweiß” has not been flowers of this species were purplish. The
studied by us; it was treated as A. craura by holotype of A. craura (O. Haught 5337 at
326 BRITTONIA [VOL 66

FIG. 2. Aphelandra merelloae (A, C, D) and A. dolichantha (B). A. Inflorescence. B. Inflorescence. C. Limb of
corolla. D. Spike with corolla (side view) and bud. A, C. D photos by L. Martínez and used with permission of Minera
Panamá, S.A. (Martínez 926); B photo by R. Kriebel, used with permission (not collected).
2014] DANIEL & MCPHERSON: APHELANDRA (ACANTHACEAE) 327

FIG. 3. Morphological characteristics of Aphelandra spp. A. Pollen of A. merelloae (McPherson &

Merello 20198, CAS). B. Pollen of A. dolichantha (Daniel & Herrera 5512, CAS). C. Capsule of A.
merelloae (note transverse cracks throughout; Martínez et al. 710, MO). D. Seed of A. merelloae (Martínez
et al. 710, MO).

US, image seen; “flowers purplish”) and
Lehmann s.n. are both from the Buenaventura
region in the Department of Valle del Cuaca
where many collections of A. cuatrecasasii
have been made. Based on Leonard’s de-
scription of this species (Leonard, 1953), the
primary difference between A. cuatrecasasii
and A. craura would appear to be color of the
corolla, which is somewhat ambiguous given
the data on the Lehmann specimen at K.
328 BRITTONIA
Otherwise, based on the characters noted by
Leonard (1953) for A. craura and its distri-
bution, it would not appear to differ signifi-
cantly from those of A. cuatrecasasii, as
suggested by Wasshausen (1975).
Pollen remains unknown for the two
Colombian endemics recognized here, A.
cuatrecasasii and A. killipii, but based on
their similaritiy in macromorphological char-
acteristics we predict that it would resemble
that of A. merelloae and A. dolichantha.
Acknowledgments
We thank M. Correa for providing an
image of the holotype, L. Martínez and R.
Kriebel for permission to reproduce their
photographs, G. Schatz for assistance with
the conservation assessment, C. Anderson for
deciphering and translating a specimen label
in German, D. Wasshausen and an anony-
mous reviewer for helpful comments, C.
Pfeiffer for assistance with the map, and S.
Serata for assistance with SEM. The follow-
ing herbaria generously provided specimens
for this study: CAS, MO, and PMA.
Literature Cited
Daniel, T. F. 1991. A revision of Aphelandra
(Acanthaceae) in Mexico. Proceedings of the
California Academy of Sciences 47: 235–274.
[VOL 66
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