Justicia pectoralis Jacq. Enum. Pl. Carib. 11. 1760. Type locality: "Insulis

Caribaeis."

Dianthera pectoralis Gmel. Syst. Nat. 36. 1796.

Jacq.

Based on Justicia pectoralis

Stethoma pectoralis Raf. Fl. Tellur. 4: 61. 1836 [1838].

Peacadocalymma pectorale Bremekamp, Verh. Kon, Ned. Akad. Wetensch. Afd. Natuurk., Sect. 2, 45: 55. 1948.

Herbs up to 1 meter high; stems weak, erect or ascending, simple or moderately branched, often rooting at the lower nodes, subquad- rangular, shallowly and coarsely grooved, glabrous or hirsutulous, the hairs retrorsely curved, up to 0.5 mm. long, disposed more or less in two lines, the internodes 1 to 7 cm. long, the cystoliths numer- ous, subpunctiform; leaf blades narrowly to rather broadly lanceolate, 3 to 11 cm. long, 3 to 25 mm. wide, acuminate (the tip itself acute to obtuse), acute to obtuse at base, entire or undulate, moderately firm, the upper surface glabrous or the costa hirtellous, the hairs curved, up to 0.2 mm. long, the cystoliths prominent under a lens, 125 to 200 long, the lower surface glabrous, the cystoliths obscure, the costa and lateral veins (5 or 6 pairs) barely prominent but more so than above; petioles slender, 2 to 12 mm. long, hirtellous, the hairs curved, about 0.2 mm. long; flowers borne in rather loose terminal panicles usually 5 to 16 cm. long and up to 6 cm. broad, the branches paired or verticillate, simple or the lower ones branched, subterete, puberulous, the eglandular hairs numerous, spreading, 50μ long, the glandular ones fewer, stouter, 754 long, with broad turbinate tips, the lower internode usually 2 or 3 cm. long, the others succes- sively shorter toward tip of panicle; lower bracts narrowly lanceolate, 5 to 10 mm. long, 0.5 mm. wide, acuminate, costate, glabrous or the margins and costa more or less hirtellous, the succeeding bracts subulate, 1 to 2 mm. long, about 0.2 mm. wide at base, acuminate, costate, puberulous with glandular and eglandular hairs; bractlets similar to the bracts but smaller; calyx 5-parted, deeply segmented, the segments subulate, 2.5 mm. long, about 0.25 mm. wide at base, acuminate, puberulous with both glandular and eglandular hairs; corollas white, lilac, or purple, up to 8 mm. long, the throat trans- versely plicate, sometimes spotted with dark purple, the outer surface of the corolla moderately pubescent, the hairs spreading, 125 to 175μ long, the tube about 1 mm. broad at base, 1.5-2.5 mm. broad at throat, the upper lip triangular, erect, 2.5 mm. wide at base, terminating in a subtubular oblong subcucullate tip 1.5 mm. long and 1 mm. broad, the tip itself truncate and coarsely erose, the lower lip more or less spreading, cuneate, 4 mm. wide near tip, 3-lobed, the lobes 1.5 mm. long, the middle one 2 mm. wide, the lateral ones 1.5 mm. wide, all rounded; stamens attached to corolla tube, their free portions 2.5 mm. long, exserted

Justicia pectoralis is closely related to J. comata, but typical plants of the former can be readily recognized by their terminal inflorescence with subterete glandular puberulous branches. The inflorescence of J. comata, on the other hand, is often both terminal and lateral with flattened branches, these hirtellous, usually bearing few if any gland- ular hairs.

The species is found in woods, waste places, and in cultivated fields

in the West Indies as well as in continental tropical America. It prefers the lower altitudes, usually below 600 meters.

BOLÍVAR: Quebrada in forest, Tierra Alta, on the Río Sinú, Pennell 4654 (GH, US). Forests of Boca Verde on the Río Sinú, Pennell 4206 (in part) (NY).

MAGDALENA: Thin dry woods of Mines, Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, Cardona, Gutiérrez & Barkley 18C.049 (US). Forest of Poponte, Cyril Allen 913 (Mo). Santa Marta region, H. H. Smith 1407 (Ph, US).

VAUPÉS: Cachivera de Jirijirimo, on the Río Apaporis, Schultes & Cabrera 14033 (US); 14079 (US); Garcia-Barriga 13718 (US). Soratama, Río Apaporis, Schultes & Cabrera 12575 (US), 16124 (US). Raudal Itapinima, on the Río Kuduyarí, Schultes, Baker & Cabrera 18556 (US). Raudal de Jirijirimo, Río Apaporis, November 27, 1951, Schultes & Cabrera 14568 (US), 14619 (US), 14941A (US).

WITHOUT LOCALITY: Apolinar-Maria 157 (GH).

Humboldt collected a specimen of this species at Turbaco, Department of Bolívar.