Strobilanthes cordifolia

Strobilanthes cordifolia (Vahl) J. R. I. Wood, comb nov. (Basionym: Ruellia cordifolia Vahl, Stenosiphonium cordifolium (Vahl) Alston in H. Trimen, Stenosiphonium russellianum Nees in Wallich, Stenosiphonium subsericeum Nees in Wallich, Stenosiphonium russellianum var. subsericeum (Nees) T. Anderson, Stenosiphonium cordifolium var. subsericeum (Nees) L. H. Cramer in M. D. Dassanayake & W. D. Clayton,
Stenosiphonium confertum Nees in DC.) as per New Names and Combinations in Indian Acanthaceae by John R. I. Wood- Novon: A Journal for Botanical Nomenclature 23(3):385-395. 2014;
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Stenosiphonium cordifolium (Vahl) Alston, Handb. Fl. Ceylon 6(Suppl.): 226 1931. (Syn: Ruellia cordifolia Vahl; Stenosiphonium russellianum Nees) as per A Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon -, Volume 12 By M. D. Dassanayake (1998);
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Acanthaceae Fortnight :: Stenosiphonium russellianum :: MK MAR 006 : 2 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (6)
Name: Stenosiphonium russellianum Nees
Family: Acanthaceae
Habit: Shrub
Habitat: shady understorey of moist forests / roadsides
Date: 17 March 2015
Place: Manimuthar falls, Tirunelveli, TN
Alt.: 600 m asl
Earlier discussion on our group here. 

Less known beauty, and very nice set of photos.

Images by A. Lalithamba (Validation by JRI Wood) (Inserted by J.M.Garg) (For more images & complete details, click on the links)

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Stenosiphonium russelianum Wight : 2 posts by 1 author.
Plant name: Stenosiphonium russelianum Wight, Icon. Pl. Ind. Orient. 3: t. 873. 1844.
Ver.names: Christmas pride (Eng.); Nelakurnji నీలకురుంజి (Tel.)
Family: Acanthaceae
Description:
Annual herbs, glabrescent, 1-1.5m tall. Leaves opposite; 7-15 × 3-6cm; ovate, margin serrate, apex acute; upper pair sessile, smaller, subtending the spikes; lower ones petioled. Flowers 2- 2.5cm long, blue-violet in 10-15cm long terminal interrupted spikes; bracts ovate-oblong, 3 ribbed. Calyx lobes 5, 1cm long, unequal, glabrous or puberulent. Corolla ventricose, tube1.5-2 cm long, limb 1.5-2 cm across, lobes 5, blue-violet, with dark patches on throat. Stamens 4, connate and decurrent; 2 anthers longer with large anthers than the posterior short stamens. G(2), ovary 2 celled, ovules 4 per cell; style exerted, curved; stigma linear, slightly inflated. Capsule clavate, 8 seeded. Seed 1mm across, compressed, discoid, densely hairy alround.
Habitat & location: Common in hill side forest undergrowth.
Thanks, ….
GBIF states it to be doubtful species, The Plant List Ver. 1.1 as unresolved. It is not available in Catalogue of Life.
Accepted name for  Stenosiphonium russellianum Nees in Wallich is Strobilanthes cordifolia as per details herein.
Images look a bit different from those in Strobilanthes cordifolia
Is this a variation or either one of them is incorrect ?

I don’t know the South Indian Strobilanthes very well but the plant illustrated here looks like Strobilanthes cordifolia.

Images by A. Lalithamba (Inserted by J.M.Garg) (For more images & complete details, click on the links)

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Stenosiphonium confertum Nees : 6 posts by 1 author. Attachments (4)
Plant name: Stenosiphonium confertum Nees, Prodr. 11: 105. 1847.
Family: Acanthaceae
Description:
Viscid under shrubs, 0.3-1m tall. Leaves opposite; lamina 4-7 × 2.5-5cm, ovate, base subcordate, subsessile, margin serrate; upper ones reduced, subtending floral spikes. Flowers blue, about 1.5cm, in 3-8cm long axillary or terminal inturrepted spikes that are viscid and pubescent. Bracts oblong concave, not ribbed. Calyx lobes 5, connate, subequal. Corolla blue, tube ventricose, 1.5 cm long, limb 1.5 cm across, lobes obtuse. Stamens 4, connate below, didinamous, included. G(2), ovary 2 celled, ovules 4 per cell. Capsule 1 cm long, clavate, 8 seeded. Seeds orbicular.
Habitat & location: Common in forest undergrowth on hills. 

Thanks, …, for a new species in efi. Adding a subject.

Accepted name now is Strobilanthes cordifolia as per details herein.
Images look a bit different from those in Strobilanthes cordifolia
Is this a variation or eith one of them is incorrect ?

I am not sure  what this is but the leaf shape and bracts don’t look right for Strobilanthes cordifolia. There are several 2-stamened Strobilanthes species around Strobilanthes cuspidata such as S. humilis. It might be worth looking at these. The leaf shape looks distinct.
I might have a look in the Kew herbarium when I am next there. Are the leaves with gland dots on the lower (abaxial) surface?

Comparative images of species so far in efi at Strobilanthes

I have not had the chance to look for this at Kew. Equally … has not answered my query about gland dots.

There are no glands on the abaxial surface of the leaf; glands are seen on the inflorescence, I am attaching one more image; it is identified with the help of P.Venu of BSI Hyderabad, and from the herbarium specimen of B.Suryanarayana and A.Srinivasa Rao, the authors of Flora of Nellore district. I am thank ful to you for the correction.
Attachments (1)
I agree that this is Strobilanthes cordifolia (Vahl) J.R.I.Wood.
Until recently, this species was treated as Stenosiphonium, a group I revised some years ago (please see attached). However, it is clearly sitting within Strobilanthes and John Wood made the necessary new combination in a new paper. It is a variable species and I considered S. confertum to be a synonym.
Attachments (1) – Stenosiphonium paper.pdf

Thank you … for all the information provided by …, and …

A further reply from another thread:
“Many thanks. S. cordifolia is a variable species in terms of pubescence. S. confertum was previously described from the Courtallus Hills for a densely pubescent form that would match your plant but reliably differentiating taxa based on this character is not possible. “
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Fwd: Request for the identification : 7 posts by 1 author. 2 images.

Need your help for the identification of this plant.
strobilanthes ?

I am puzzled by this. It  is certainly not Strobilanthes atropurpurea. The arrangement of the stamens looks odd for Strobilanthes (Although 2 long, 2 short is okay) though the habit and corolla shape seem okay. There are relatively few Strobilanthes with 4 exserted stamens. Are there more photos or is there a specimen available which could be photographed?

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The situation hasn’t changed. I cannot recognise it. It may be Strobilanthes but I would like to see more photos or a photo of a dried specimen or, ideally, a specimen.

Based on the imbedded image from Sikkim below, I think it appears close to images at Strobilanthes cordifolia (Vahl) J. R. I. Wood (Images by A. Lalithamba (id by Mark Carine))
Pl. confirm

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Attachments (2) – around 800 kb each.
It could be Stenosiphonium russelianum Nees
Thanks, …, for the id.
I agree with you as per images at Strobilanthes cordifolia
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MS/2023/120 – ID of the plant.: Mixed thread: 3 correct images.

I am forwarding herewith a set of photographs of the tree. Photographed in Chennai. Is it an  Anisomeles species (A.indica ???)
Please confirm or suggest new ID.

Images 2 and 3 Strobilanthes cordifolia (Vahl) J.R.I.Wood

Many many thanks … for the correct ID & pointing out the 2 different species. I had the photos of both sent by a friend for ID via WhatsApp. Since I uploaded from the mobile in a hurry I  did the mistake due to eyesight problem (cataract). Generally I upload only from my laptop as I can see pictures correctly. Now I will separate them & post in different ID numbers.

Strobilanthes cordifolia

 

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References:

A Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon -, Volume 12 By M. D. Dassanayake (1998- details)
The Plant List Ver.1.1  India Biodiversity Portal  Kerala Plants  IBIS Flora  Herbarium Catalogue 

The Plant List Ver.1.1 (Stenosiphonium russellianum Nees- Unresolved)  Tropicos  IPNI 

An Excursion Flora of Central Tamilnadu, India By K. M. Matthew (1995- Details with keys) 

Rarity of Strobilanthes Blume and Stenosiphonium Nees 

Systematics of Stenosiphonium Nees (Acanthaceae): the Legacies of Hooker and Thompson

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