A New Species of Justicia (Acanthaceae) from Venezuela

Current floristic research in Venezuela has resulted in the recognition of another new species of Justicia. This new species, Justicia aymardii, presently known from the slopes of the eastern Andes, the Sierra Nevada de Merida, is described, illustrated, and compared to its closest relative, Justicia ischnorhachis Leonard, which is from Colombia. It alone among Justicia has the combination of (1) a 4-parted calyx, (2) multicellular purplish colored trichomes along the stem, peduncles, and rachis, and (3) a conspicuous purplish to reddish purple, long, somewhat curved, tubular corolla (20-28 mm long) with relatively short lips (8-9 mm long). This new species does not appear to be closely related to any of the known species of Justicia from Venezuela.