Justicia flaviflora
Encyclopedia
Justicia flaviflora is a species of herbaceous
plant in the family Acanthaceae
. The species is endemic to the island of Trinidad
in the Caribbean republic of Trinidad and Tobago
. Specifically, it is only known from several locations in the Heights of Aripo
, one of the highest points in Trinidad's Northern Range
. Justicia flaviflora is an erect herb with leaves up to 27.5 centimetres (11 inches) long and around 11 centimetres (4 inches) broad. The corolla of the flower is cylindrical, about 2.8 cm (1.1 in) long.
The species was originally described as Beloperone flaviflora in 1922 by the English botanist William Bertram Turrill
based on collections made by Robert O. Williams in the same year. Turrill considered it a close relative of a Mexican species, Beloperone tenera (now J. tenera). Its currently accepted name, Justicia flaviflora was coined by the American botanist Dieter C. Wasshausen in 1995, reflecting the predominant view that the members of the genus Beloperone should actually be considered members of the genus Justicia
. As of 2006, the species was last known to have been collected in 1993. Collections of J. flaviflora are known to exist in the herbaria
of the British Museum
and at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
.
Although Justicia flaviflora is not listed as an endangered species
on the IUCN Red List
, the authors of a recent assessment of the endemic plant species of Trinidad and Tobago
considered the species critically endangered. Reasons cited for this were the fact that the species is known only from only two localities, and that this area is shrinking. The species is experiencing a severe case of habitat degradation. The IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria published in 2001 specifically states that a species is considered critically endangered if it has limited geographic range both in the extent of the species' occurrence (criterion B1) and the area (criterion B2) that the individuals occupy within that range.
Herbaceous
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
plant in the family Acanthaceae
Acanthaceae
The family Acanthaceae is a taxon of dicotyledonous flowering plants containing almost 250 genera and about 2500 species....
. The species is endemic to the island of Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
in the Caribbean republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
. Specifically, it is only known from several locations in the Heights of Aripo
Aripo
Aripo is the name of several places in Trinidad.* The Heights of Aripo and the Aripo Massif are part of the Northern Range and include El Cerro del Aripo, the highest point in Trinidad and Tobago....
, one of the highest points in Trinidad's Northern Range
Northern Range
The Northern Range is the range of tall hills across the northern portion of Trinidad, the major island in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The hills rise abruptly from the lowlands of northern Trinidad , but only the two tallest peaks, El Cerro del Aripo and El Tucuche top 900 m...
. Justicia flaviflora is an erect herb with leaves up to 27.5 centimetres (11 inches) long and around 11 centimetres (4 inches) broad. The corolla of the flower is cylindrical, about 2.8 cm (1.1 in) long.
The species was originally described as Beloperone flaviflora in 1922 by the English botanist William Bertram Turrill
William Bertram Turrill
William Bertram Turrill OBE was an English botanist.He was born in Woodstock, Oxfordshire to William Banbury and Thirza Mary Turrill and educated at the Woodstock National School...
based on collections made by Robert O. Williams in the same year. Turrill considered it a close relative of a Mexican species, Beloperone tenera (now J. tenera). Its currently accepted name, Justicia flaviflora was coined by the American botanist Dieter C. Wasshausen in 1995, reflecting the predominant view that the members of the genus Beloperone should actually be considered members of the genus Justicia
Justicia
Justicia is a genus of flowering plants in the bear's breeches family, Acanthaceae. The roughly 420 species it contains are native to tropical to warm temperate regions of the Americas, with two species occurring north into cooler temperate regions...
. As of 2006, the species was last known to have been collected in 1993. Collections of J. flaviflora are known to exist in the herbaria
Herbarium
In botany, a herbarium – sometimes known by the Anglicized term herbar – is a collection of preserved plant specimens. These specimens may be whole plants or plant parts: these will usually be in a dried form, mounted on a sheet, but depending upon the material may also be kept in...
of the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
and at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to as Kew Gardens, is 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. "The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew" and the brand name "Kew" are also used as umbrella terms for the institution that runs...
.
Although Justicia flaviflora is not listed as an endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
on the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
, the authors of a recent assessment of the endemic plant species of Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
considered the species critically endangered. Reasons cited for this were the fact that the species is known only from only two localities, and that this area is shrinking. The species is experiencing a severe case of habitat degradation. The IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria published in 2001 specifically states that a species is considered critically endangered if it has limited geographic range both in the extent of the species' occurrence (criterion B1) and the area (criterion B2) that the individuals occupy within that range.