Justicia sagasteguii J. R. I. Wood & R. Villanueva 2025, sp. nov.

27.Justicia sagasteguiiJ. R. I. Wood & R. Villanueva sp. nov. Type. Peru • Cajamarca, Prov. Contumazá, Dist. Contumazá, El Platanar – Planta Eléctrica por Ruta Cascas-Contumazá, 1400 m, 31 March 1994, A. Sagástegui et al. 15206 (holotype US-3291670, isotypes F-2138254, HUT). Diagnosis. Superficially resembling J. reginaldii and similar white-flowered, winter-flowering species from xerophytic habitats but distinctive because the axillary spikes are reduced to dense flower clusters, from which radiate distinct, elongate, linear-oblanceolate bracts up to 18 mm in length. The capsule is 4 - seeded. Description. Isophyllous branched subshrub of uncertain height; stems woody below, ± terete, bifariously scurfy, glabrescent when mature. Leaves shortly petiolate, lamina 1.5–11 × 0.5–5 cm, ovate to broadly oblong-ovate, less commonly oblong-lanceolate, base cuneate, margin undulate, both surfaces glabrous, abaxially paler and with numerous cystoliths; lateral veins 5–6 pairs; petioles 0.4–1 cm, glabrous to obscurely bifariously puberulent. Inflorescence of very shortly pedunculate axillary spikes, commonly reduced to axillary clusters, 1–3 cm long; peduncles 0–4 mm bifariously puberulent; bracts at base of spike foliose, narrowly oblong, subglabrous, but with some apical pubescens, mostly 10–16 × 3–4 mm; floral bracts 8–18 × 1.5–2.5 mm, narrowly oblong, finely acuminate, narrowed to a long petiole-like base, subglabrous; bracteoles 4–12 × 0.5–1 mm, linear, finely acuminate, glabrous to thinly (glandular-) puberulent; calyx subequally 5 - lobed to base, lobes 4–5 × 1 mm, oblong-lanceolate, acute, puberulent; corolla c. 1.5–2.2 cm long, pale lilac to white, densely pubescent, 2 - lipped, tube c. 10 mm long, slightly widened upwards, upper lip erect, shallowly bilobed, lower lip deeply 3 - lobed, the central lobe broadly ovate, rounded 8 × 7 mm, the laterals oblong, 7 × 2.5 mm rounded, filaments glabrous, anthers included in upper lip, thecae 1.75 × 0.7 mm, oblong, weakly superposed, glabrous, the lower with a short basal appendage; pollen subprolate,? 2 / 3 - aperturate, porate, grain covered in verrucae; style pubescent basally, glabrous above, 15 mm long. Capsule 8–11 × 3.5–4 mm, strongly clavate, glabrous; 4 - seeded; seeds 2.5–3 mm diam., rounded, flattened, smooth. Illustration. Fig. 25. Etymology. This species is named for Abundio Sagástegui, collector of all cited specimens of this species. Phenology. Flowering in March and April. Habitat. Scrubby slopes and roadsides 1400–1450 m. Distribution. Endemic to Peru occurring in the Corlás area on the La Libertad / Cajamarca border area. Fig. 61. Material examined. Peru • Cajamarca: Contumazá, the type. • La Libertad: Prov. Gran Chimú, Corlás, (Cascas-Contumazá), 7°26'7"S, 78°48'W, 1450 m, 26 April 2002, Sagástegui et al. 16879 (F); • ibid., Corlás, arriba de Cascas [7°28'S, 78°49'W], 1450 m, 16 April 1992, Sagástegui et al. 14539 (F, US). Note. The long, thin bracts and bracteoles give the inflorescence a “ whiskery ” appearance. Occurs at higher altitudes than similar species.