Asystasia Blume
EOL Text
Asystasia
Perennial herbs, erect, decumbent, or clambering. Leaves opposite; blades simple, with numerous linear cystoliths on the upper surface, the secondary veins conspicuous; stipules absent. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, arranged in spikes or one-sided, terminal racemes, accompanied at the base by 2 small bracts and 2 bracteoles. Calyx of 5 linear or lanceolate sepals of equal size; corolla zygomorphic, pale violet, pink, white, or pale yellow, infundibuliform, with 5 rounded lobes; stamens 4, didynamous; ovary superior, bicarpellate, bilocular, the stigmas bilobed or capitate. Capsules ellipsoid or claviform; seeds 2-4, lenticular. A genus of about 40 species, of paleotropical origin.
Asystasia gangetica (L.) T. Anderson
BASÓNIMO: Justicia gangetica L.
Hierba decumbente, rastrera o sarmentosa, de 1-3 m de largo. Tallos cuadrangulares, puberulentos. Hojas 2.5-11 × 2.5-6.5(8) cm, ovadas a lanceoladas, cartáceas, pubescentes en ambas caras, especialmente sobre los nervios, el ápice acuminado, agudo u obtuso, la base obtusa, truncada, redondeada o cordiforme, los márgenes crenulados; pecíolos 0.5-3(4.5) cm de largo. Flores dispuestas en espigas terminales en las ramas axilares; brácteas y bractéolas ovadas, ciliadas. Cáliz verde, 5-7 mm de largo, los sépalos lanceolados; corola amarillo claro o violeta pálido, 2.3-5 cm de largo, con pelos glandulosos en su exterior; estambres y pistilo insertos en el tubo floral. Cápsulas 2-2.5 cm de largo, claviformes, marrón claro al madurar, densamente cubiertas por pelos glandulares; semillas marrón claro, con márgenes irregulares.
Fenología: Coleccionada en flor y fruto durante todo el año.
Estatus: Exótica, ornamental, naturalizada en Puerto Rico e Islas Vírgenes, bastante común.
Especimenes Estudiados: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 3083; 7001; 7082.
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) Stats
Specimen Records:19
Specimens with Sequences:35
Specimens with Barcodes:25
Species:5
Species With Barcodes:5
Public Records:8
Public Species:4
Public BINs:0
Asystasia gangetica (L.) T. Anderson in Thwaites, Enum. Pl. Zeyl. 235. 1860.
Basionym: Justicia gangetica L.
Decumbent herb, creeping or clambering, 1-3 m in length. Stems quadrangular. Leaves 2.5-11 × 2.5-6.5(8) cm, ovate to lanceolate, chartaceous, pubescent on both surfaces, especially on the veins, the apex acuminate, the base obtuse, truncate, rounded, or cordiform, the margins crenulate; petioles 0.5-3(4.5) cm long. Flowers arranged in terminal spikes on axillary branches; bracts and bracteoles ovate, ciliate. Calyx green, 5-7 mm long, the sepals lanceolate; corolla light yellow or pale violet, 2.3-5 cm long, with glandular hairs on the outer surface; stamens and pistil inserted on the floral tube. Capsules 2-2.5 cm long, claviform, light brown when ripe, densely covered with glandular hairs; seeds light brown, with irregular margins.
Phenology: Collected in flower and fruit throughout the year.
Status: Exotic, ornamental, naturalized in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, quite common.
Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 3083; 7001; 7082.
"Procumbent, perennial herbs, 30-80 cm long; stem branched, quandrangualr, scandent, densely adpressed puberulent; internode 3.5-10.5 cm long. Leaves opposite decussate, 3.5-5.5 x 2.5-4.5 cm, ovate deltoid, sub-cordate to cordate at base, acute or rarely obtuse at apex, entire, adpressed puberulent above, pale and tomentose beneath; lateral veins 6- 8 pairs; petiole 1-2 cm long, densely adpressed puberulent. Inflorescence 7-8 flowered lax spike like raceme; rachis 5-14 cm long; bracts and bracteoles c. 1.5 cm long, green, linear, acute, pubescent, persistent. Calyx divided to the base or nearly so, lobes 5, linear-lanceolate, 6-.8 mm long, acute, densely pubescent on both surface. Corolla tube funnel- shaped, 3-3.2 cm long, pubescent, limb 3.5-4 cm across, moderate yellow or white, lobes 5, rounded. Stamens 4, didynamous, included, filaments 6-8 mm long, with few small hairs, connate at the base in pairs; anthers oblong, 2-3 mm long, muticous. Ovary c. 2 cm long, pubescent, 2 celled, ovules 2 in each cell; style linear, 1.5-1.8 cm long, basal portion hairy; stigma 2-fid or subcapitate. Capsule clavate shaped, 2.7-3 x 0.3-0.4 cm, densely pubescent, opening widely in a reflexed curve; seeds 4, 3-4 mm across, compressed angular, orbicular, wrinkled sub-tuberculate, rugose with double dentate margin."
The genus Asystasia belongs to the family Acanthaceae and comprises approximately 70 species found in the tropics, including the weedy species Asystasia gangetica.
Selected species
- Asystasia africana (S. Moore) C.B. Clarke
- Asystasia alba Ridl.
- Asystasia albiflora Ensermu
- Asystasia ammophila Ensermu
- Asystasia atriplicifolia Bremek.
- Asystasia bella (Harvey) Benth. et Hook. fil.
- Asystasia bojeriana Nees
- Asystasia buettneri Lindau
- Asystasia calycina Benth.
- Asystasia charmian S.Moore
- Asystasia chalnoides Nees
- Asystasia chinensis S.Moore
- Asystasia comoroensis S.Moore
- Asystasia crispata Benth.
- Asystasia dalzelliana Santapau
- Asystasia decipiens Heine
- Asystasia gangetica (L.) T.Anderson
- Asystasia glandulifera Lindau
- Asystasia hedbergii Ensermu
- Asystasia longituba Lindau
- Asystasia moorei Ensermu
- Asystasia mysorensis (Roth) T.Anderson
- Asystasia neesiana Nees
- Asystasia subbiflora C.B.Clarke
- Asystasia vogeliana Benth.
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| Source | http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asystasia&oldid=541062797 |
Habit: Straggling Climbing Herb
Erect or scrambling perennial, up to c. 1 m. Leaves opposite, ovate, occasionally finely hairy; margin entire. Flowers in a terminal, often one-sided raceme, white to pale mauve-blue with purple markings in the lower lip.
"Degraded forest areas, also in the plains"