Aphelandra crispata Leonard

Aphelandra crispata Leonard

Aphelandra crispata Leonard, Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb. 31: 151. 1953.

Suffrutescent herbs, to 1.5 m high; stems glabrous below, the upper portions sparingly hirsute, the hairs spreading, about 1 mm long; leaf blades oblong-elliptic, 30–40 cm long and 14 cm wide, acuminate, narrowed from middle or slightly above middle to a very narrow, obliquely truncate or subcordate base 1 cm wide, the veins terminating in broad teeth 1–2 mm high and 2–2.5 cm apart, the upper surface sparingly strigillose, the hairs about 1.25 mm long, the lower surface sparingly strigillose, the hair brownish, 0.75–1.25 mm long, subappressed, those of the costa and veins (about 20 pairs) spreading horizontally, the venation prominent, particularly below; petioles about 5 mm long, glabrous or sparingly hirsute; spikes solitary, terminal, 12–13 cm long and 5 cm broad, moderately dense, spreading with age, the peduncle abaut 5 mm long, hirsute, subtended by a pair of lanceolate, acuminate, leaf-like bracts about 2.5 cm long and 8 mm wide, the rachis glabrous; bracts oblongovate, 3.5–4.5 cm long and 17.5 mm wide, slightly obtuse at apex and minutely apiculate, livid purple or red, coriaceous, glabrous, noticeably crisped or twisted, closely veined, the margins subhyaline; bractlets oblong, 14 mm long, 5.5 mm wide at middle, acute, carinate and oblique at base, glabrous, the margins entire, subhyaline; calyx segments oblonglanceolate, the posterior segment 16 mm long and 4 mm wide, the anterior pair 16 mm long and 3.5 mm wide, the lateral pair 13 mm long and 3 mm wide, all acute, glabrous, their margins subhyaline; corolla (immature) canary-yellow, densely pubescent or subtomentose, the hairs 0.5 mm long, the upper lip shorter than the middle lobe of the lower lip, ovate, minutely 2-lobed tip, the lobes rounded, the lower lip 3-lobed, the middle lobe cordate, obtuse, the lateral lobes lanceolate, slightly shorter than the middle one; ovary glabrous; capsule not seen.

TYPE.—J. Cuatrecasas 11352 (holotype US), Colombia, Putumayo, in wet forest of Quebrada del Río Afán, near Mocoa, 570–680 m alt, 27 Dec 1940.

DISTRIBUTION.—Known only from around typelocality. COLOMBIA. PUTUMAYO: Mocoa and vicinity, 1800–2400 m alt, 16 Mar 1953, Schultes & Cabrera 19093 (US).

Aphelandra crispata can readily be distinguished by its oblong-elliptic leaves with their coarsely serrate margins, bright yellow corollas, and large coriaceous, crisped, livid purple bracts.