Strobilanthes glandulata (Acanthaceae), a new species from Sri Lanka based on the morphological and molecular evidences

Abstract

Strobilanthes glandulata, a new species of Acanthaceae is described from Sri Lanka. It has been previously misidentified as Strobilanthes lupulina. It is similar to S. lupulina having an inflorescence of heads, funnel-shaped gradually widened corolla, hispids on the stem, and both surfaces of leaves and petioles, but can be easily distinguished from the latter by having different pollens, bracts arranged in well-spaced, margin crenate, and densely covered with glandular-hairy. The phylogenetic analyses indicate that it is a member of the native species of the genus Strobilanthes in Sri Lanka. A full description, detailed illustrations, pollen morphology, and complete chloroplast genome are provided.