Notes on the acanthaceae of Java - DWC

NOTES ON THE ACANTHACEAE OF JAVA 25
the slightly protruding anthers: the stamens of Asystasia were described
by BLUME as included. BLUME's description, however, is inaccurate: the
anthers of the type species are in realüy, exactly like those of the plant
described by MIQUEL, slightly protruding.
A reinvestigation of the specimen on which MIQUEL had based his new
genus, has shown ,that it is conspecific with the type of A. nemorum N ees,
the plant originally described by BLUME under the illegitimate name A.
intrusa. The only point in which Isochoriste javanica Miq. differs from
the latter are the slightly longer pedicels, but as the leng th of the pedicels
appears to bea rather variabIe character, no weight can be attached to this
difference. Isochoriste javanica Miq., therefore, is to be considered a mere
synonym of Asystasia nemorum Nees.
The Buitenzorg taxonomists, to whom the type of Isochoriste javanica
was not available and who had to rely on MIQUEL'sdescription, referred
to -this species a number of specimens collectedin the eastern part of the
Archipelago, which differ from Asystasia nemorum in the greater leng th
of the corolla tube and in the narrowness of the throat. They were doubtlessly
lead to this identification by the "corollae tubulosaeringentis tubus
rectiusculus" of MIQUEL'S generic description. In reality, however, the
corolla of the type specimen is by no means tubular, but consists exactly
like that of BLUME'S ,type of a terete tube widening into a nearly equally
long campanulate throat and a spreading limbo The species from the
eastern part of the Archipelago, whose area extends from East Java to the
Moluccas and New Guinea, is not only different but also unnamed. A
description, however, has been given by BACKER in his "Onkruid flora der
Javasche Suikerrietgronden" (p. 667, 1931) under the name Isochoriste
javanica Miq. In the latter's key to thegenera the distinction between
Isochoriste and Asystasia is Oased on the two characters discussed above:
the exserted anthers of .the longer stamens and the narrow corolla tube.
These differences, however, are not present in the original types, and they
can, moreover, not be considered sufficiently important to justify the
distinotion of two genera.
Asystasia oppositiflora Brem. n. spec.; Isochoriste javanica Miq. in
errore apud Backer, Onkruidfl. Javasche Swkerrietgr., p. 667, 1931. non
Miq., FI. Ind. Bat. 11, p. 822, 1858, quae est Asystasia nemorum Nees;
typus florifer: BACKER 37687 L; co-typus fructifer: id. 31161 L; maxime ut
A. nemorum Nees, sed corollae tubo longiore, floribus omnibus vel minime
inferioribus oppositis faciliter ab ea distinguenda.
Herba erecta, ramosa, 0.50-1.25 malta. Caulis ramique quadrangulares,
internodiis quadrisulcatis 4-14 cm longis et usque ad 2 mm diam., primum
pilis longioribus sparsi, mox nodis exceptis glabrescentes. Folia in petiolum
gracilem, 0.5-5 cm longum, marginibus primum pubescentem contracta;
lamina ovata, 3.5-10 cm long a et 2-6.5 cm Iata, acuminata, basi contracta,
tenuis, primum utraque facie setulis paucis sparsa, deinde costa