Aphelandra phaina D. C. Wassh.

Aphelandra phaina Wasshausen

Aphelandra phaina Wasshausen, Phytologia 25:492. 1973.

Suffrutescent, branched shrub, 2 m high; stems sparingly subtomentose toward tips, terete; leaf blades oblong, 12–15 cm long, 4.5–5.5 cm wide, acuminate, gradually narrowed and obtuse at base, firm, coriaceous, glabrous or the costa and veins (numerous) bearing a few hairs, the margins serrate-dentate, the teeth triangular, 4–5 mm high, ending in sharp spreading spines 2–3 mm long, the upper surface drying bright yellowish green, the lower surface drying a dull olivaceous, the venation very prominent, especially on the lower surface, the veinlets coarsely reticulate toward margins; petioles 1–1.5 cm long, glabrous or sparingly tomentose; interpetiolar bracts oblong to ovate, 16 mm long, 9 mm wide, serrate-dentate, the teeth terminating in spines, the terminal one short, 1 mm long, the lateral ones 4 mm long; flowers borne in terminal, peduncled spikes 17.5 cm long and about 3 cm broad (excluding corollas), the peduncle (about 5.5 cm long) and rachis glabrous; bracts reddish, ovate, 20–23 mm long, 11.5–12 mm wide, acuminate and occasionally spine-tipped, nitid, coriaceous, striate-nerved, entire, glabrous: bractlets lanceolate, 12 mm long, 4 mm wide, shortacuminate, the tip a small mucro, subcarinate, coriaceous, striate-nerved, glabrous; calyx segments red, oblong-elliptic, 16–17 cm long, acute and mucronulate, striate-nerved, glabrous, the segments subequal, the posterior one 4.5 mm wide, the anterior pair 4 mm wide and the lateral pair 3.5 mm wide; corolla crimson, glabrous, 5–5.5 cm long, the tube 4 mm broad at base, narrowed to 3 mm at 1 cm above base, thence gradually enlarged to 7 mm at mouth, the upper lip erect, elliptic, 14 mm long, 7 mm wide, the tip obtuse and entire, the lower lip 3-lobed, more or less spreading, the middle lobe obovate, 8 mm long, 7 mm wide, obtuse, the lateral lobes 8 mm long, 7 mm wide, obtuse or rounded; stamens terminating at tip of upper corolla lip; anthers 9 mm long, 1.5 mm wide, acute, glabrous; capsule not seen.

TYPE.—W. H. Camp E-4292 (holotype US, isotype NY), Ecuador, Azuay, Eastern Cordillera, 1–8 km N of Sevilla de Oro, 2400–2700 m alt, 27 Jul 1945.

DISTRIBUTION.—Endemic to Ecuador, in the provinces of El Oro and Azuay at elevations between 2135–2700 meters. ECUADOR. EL ORO: Near Pampa de los Cedros, south of Cerro Chivo-Turco, forested slopes along quebradas tributary to Río Palma, 2135–2285 m alt, 11 Aug 1943, Steyermark 53783 (F).

Aphelandra phaina is closely related to A. chrysantha Wasshausen, but the bracts of that relative are pale green, the calyx yellowish green, and the corolla yellow.

Aphelandra phaina is a species of plant in the family Acanthaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.