Anisotes Nees

Daniel, Thomas F., 2014, Taxonomy of nisotes Nees (Acanthaceae: Justicieae) in the Comoros Archipelago and a preliminary list of canthaceae in the Islands, Candollea 69 (1), pp. 45-54 : 50

Anisotes Nees in A. DC., Prodr. 11: 424. 1847.

Typus: Anisotes trisulcus (Forssk.) Nees (÷ Dianthera trisulca Forssk. )

For a complete list of generic synonyms, see VOLLESEN (2010).

Shrubs to small trees, cystoliths present, nodes often swollen. Leaves opposite, evergreen or deciduous, (sessile to) petiolate, margin entire to crenate. Inflorescence of sessile to pedunculate dichasiate spikes or racemes or of dichasia in leaf axils; dichasia sessile to pedunculate. Bracts opposite. Bracteoles 2. Flowers sessile to pedicellate. Calyx 5-lobed, lobes equal to unequal in length, 1 lobe sometimes reduced or absent. Corolla 2-labiate, purple, red, yellow, orange, greenish, or whitish, tube shorter than limb, subcylindric (at least near base) or sometimes ± expanded distally, with 2 invaginations (from the outer surface; i.e., appearing as pubescent projections internally) on lateral surfaces, upper lip arching forward and hoodlike, entire or 2-fid, rugulate within, lower lip tightly coiled or spirally twisted like a dangling corkscrew at maturity, 3-lobed. Stamens 2, exserted from corolla tube, inserted near base or apex of corolla tube, ± appressed to upper lip and opening toward lower lip (i.e., flower nototribic), anthers 2-thecous, thecae parallel to subperpendicular, subequally to unequally inserted, lacking basal appendages or with one or both shortmucronate at base; staminodes 0. Pollen 2-4-aperturate. Capsule stipitate, head subspheric to ellipsoid, sometimes with a slight medial constriction. Seeds 4 (or fewer by abortion), subdiscoid, surfaces usually rugose, rarely pubescent (with either glandular or hygroscopic/eglandular trichomes).

Anisotes is a Paleotropical genus of subfamily Acanthoideae , tribe Justicieae ( DANIEL & al., 2007; DANIEL & al., 2013) with 31 species currently recognized. 23 species occur on the African mainland, six species are endemic to Madagascar, and 2 species are endemic to the Comoros Archipelago.

Key to Anisotes in the Comoros Archipelago

1. Calyx lobes 5, subequal in length, lanceolate, 0.5-0.6 mm wide, margins not hyaline; bracts membranaceous, major veins evident but not conspicuous, margin ciliate with trichomes 0.1-0.3 mm long; bracteoles lanceolate, 0.3- 0.5 mm wide; corolla 20-22 mm long; stamens 10-13 mm long, thecae 1.5-1.8 mm long; pollen 2-colporate and 4- pseudocolpate; Grande Comore ........................................ ........................................... 1. A. comorensis T. F. Daniel

1a. Calyx lobes 4 or 5, if 4 then equal in length, if 5 then unequal in length with 4 lobes ovate, equal in length, 1.8- 2 mm wide and with 1 lobe conspicuously reduced (linear to lanceolate and 0.5-1 mm wide), margins hyaline; bracts coriaceous, major veins conspicuous, margin ciliate with trichomes to 0.8 mm long; bracteoles linear-oblanceolate 0.9-1.1 mm wide; corolla 24-32 mm long; stamens 17-18 mm long, thecae 2-2.5 mm long; pollen 4-colporate and 8- pseudocolpate; Mayotte..................................................... ........................................... 2. A. mayottensis T. F. Daniel