Dicliptera sumichrastii Lindau

Daniel, Thomas F., García-Morales, Leccinum J. & Mora-Olivo, Arturo, 2021, Taxonomic and Photographic Guide to the Acanthaceae of Tamaulipas, Mexico, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 67 (6), pp. 185-228 : 199

Dicliptera sumichrastii Lindau

PHENOLOGY.— Flowering: February–March, August–September, December; fruiting: March, September.

DISTRIBUTION.— Mexico (Oax., Pue., S.L.P., Tamps., Ver.), Central America.

HABITAT.— Oak woodland, grassland.

ELEVATION.— 270–900 meters.

NOTES.— This represents the first report of this species ( Fig. 1L ) from Tamaulipas, where it attains the northern extent of its distribution. Plants occurring in the state are part of a species complex consisting of D. brachiata (Pursh) Spreng. from the southern U.S.A. and Nuevo León (Daniel, in press), plants occurring in eastern and southern Mexico and treated as either D. acuminata (Ruiz & Pav.) Juss. var. spicata Nees or D. sumichrastii (the types of both are from Veracruz), plants treated in Central America as D. antidysenterica A. Molina R. ( Daniel 2005, 2010), D. acuminata from western South America, and probably other New World taxa as well. Specimens cited below show characteristics somewhat intermediate between extremes of D. brachiata and D. sumichrastii , but conform more closely to the latter species. The taxonomy of these entities remains to be satisfactorily resolved.

REPRESENTATIVE SPECIMENS.— Vic. of El Milagro, Cerro Zamora, H. Bartlett 11152 ( DS, US); Mpio. Victoria, Cañón de La Peregrina, ca. 13 km W de Ejido La Libertad, L. García-Morales 4180 ( ITCV); Mpio. Villa de Casas, Sierra de Tamaulipas, from Rancho “Las Yucas” to Santa María de los Nogales and Hac. Acuna, from Cerro de San Juan to Santa María de los Nogales, F. Martinez M. & G. Borja L. F-1982 ( TEX); Mpio. Soto la Marina, Cañón del Diablo, H. Puig 4150 (P).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Tamaulipan Acanthaceae I. A. Anisacanthus quadrifidus. B. Aphelandra scabra. C. Avicennia germinans. D. Barleria oenotheroides. E. Carlowrightia albiflora. F. Carlowrightia trichocarpa. G. Carlowrightia parviflora (blueflowered form). H. Carlowrightia neesiana. I. Carlowrightia hapalocarpa. J. Carlowrightia parviflora (white-flowered form). K. Dicliptera sexangularis. L. Dicliptera sumichrastii. Photos by T. Daniel (A, B, D, H, K), W. Eckerman (C), and L. García-Morales (E–G, I, J, L).