Staurogyne flava Braz & Monteiro (2006: 581)

Braz, Denise Monte & Monteiro, Reinaldo, 2017, Taxonomic Revision of Staurogyne (Nelsonioideae, Acanthaceae) in the Neotropics, Phytotaxa 296 (1), pp. 1-40 : 18

10. Staurogyne flava Braz & Monteiro (2006: 581) . Type: — BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Sacramento, “Campo Rupestre, beira de córrego, local sombreado. Flores tubulosas de cor amarela. Erva”, 3 August 1984, R.C. Vieira & N.M. Castro 288 (holotype: HUFU!). (Figure in Braz & Monteiro 2006: 582)

Herb to subshrub 40 − 80 cm tall, sparsely branched, sparsely pilose with glandular and simple trichomes. Petiole 6 − 15 mm long; blade broad-elliptic to elliptic, rarely subrhomboidal, 5.3 − 12 × 1.8 − 4.2 cm, apex acute to slightly-acuminate, base acute to attenuate, sparsely glandular and simple pilose on both surfaces, rarely restricted to veins. Inflorescence in lax, terminal, bracteate raceme, rarely panicle, 3 − 15 cm long, peduncle 1 − 2.5 cm long; flowers opposite; rachis, bract and bracteoles pilose with scattered glandular trichomes; bract and bracteoles green, sometimes yellowish-green, bract elliptic to subrhomboidal, 5 − 12 × 2 − 4 mm, 1 − 3-nerved, bracteoles oblong-lanceolate to obovate, 3 − 10 × 1 − 1.7 mm. Pedicel 4 − 8(− 10) mm long; calyx yellow to greenish-yellow, sparsely glandular pilose, non-ciliate, posterior segment 11 − 17(− 20) × 1.7 − 5 mm, 3-nerved, lateral pair of segments 6.5 − 12 × 0.3 − 0.8 mm, anterior pair of segments 10 − 14 × 1 − 2 mm; corolla yellow, 2.3 − 3.7(− 4.3) cm long, basal tube 2 − 4 mm long, anterior lobe 2 − 4.2 mm long, externally pilose with sparse to subdense glandular trichomes, internally glabrous; posterior stamens 1.6 − 2.7(− 3.2) cm long, anterior stamens 1.8 − 2.8(− 3.5) cm long, staminode 2 − 5 mm long; ovules 24 − 30(− 33) per locule, posterior lobe of the stigma concave or divided, sometimes deeply concave. Capsule 8 − 15 × 2 − 3.5 mm, sparsely glandular pilose.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Distrito Federal: Brasília, Parque Municipal do Gama, 25 May 1965, Sucre 270 (HB, IAN, RB), 20 October 968, Heringer 11757 (RB), 31 August 1964, Irwin &Soderstrom 5834. (K, RB, U), 20 March 1964, Pereira 9045 (HB, RB), 06 May 1963, Pires et al. 9623 (F, RB, SP), Chapada da Contagem, Parque Municipal do Gama, 3 February 1968, Irwin et al. 19491 (K, M, P, BR). Goiás: Caldas Novas, Serra de Caldas, 10 July 1976, Hatschbach 38790 (C, HB, MBM), 11 June 1996, Cavalcante 1978 (SPF); Corumbaíba, 22 June 1993, Cordovil 347 et al. (CEN, SPF). Minas Gerais: Carmo do Rio Claro, 7 September 1961, Andrade & Emerich 1069 (HB); Chapada dos Perdizes, Serra de Carrancas , 9 September 1939, Heringer 245 (BHCB); Guapé, Serra do Guapé, 7 September 1961, Andrade &Emerich1108 (R); Itabira, Serra de Itabira , 18 August 1948, Damasio 55642 (RB); Moeda, Serra da Moeda , 12 September 1998, Lombardi 2397 (BHCB), 4 August 1987, Andrade et al. 173 (BHCB); Nova Lima, 8 August 1998, Stehmann 2377 (BHCB), Retiro das Pedras, 14 June 2000, Lombardi 3954 (BHCB); Prados, 7 July 1991, Stehmann s.n. (BHCB-21500, SPF); Rio Preto, May 1897, Brandão 2314 (R); Sacramento, 3 August 1984, Vieira &Castro 288 (HUFU); São João Del Rey, 8 July 1936, Mello-Barreto 4711 (F, HB, R); Paraíso, 8 September 1945, Brade 17564 & Barbosa (RB).

Distribution and habitat:— This taxon has a relatively wide distribution in Brazil, occurring in the Brazilian Central Plateau and in several isolated mountain ranges to the southeast, usually above 600 m elevation. It is found in shaded and moist places, often occurring between rocks along the riverbanks of gallery forests and in semideciduous forests.

Phenology:— It was collected with flowers almost all the year, but especially from May to August, and with fruits in July and August.

Taxonomic notes:— Staurogyne flava is recognized by the glandular trichomes on all its parts, the tenuous branches with elliptic leaves, the elliptic to subrhomboidal bracts, the lax inflorescence and the long-pedicellate flowers. It is close to S. hirsuta in the corolla, the pilosity and the bracts and bracteoles usually green, but differs by the broad-elliptic to elliptic, rarely subrhomboidal (not lanceolate to lanceolate-elliptic) leaves, the shorter bracts (0.5 − 1.2 cm) (not 1 − 3.5 cm) and the lax (not dense) inflorescence.