Taxonomie : D'après C.M. Taylor (2016,
Studies in Tropical Rubiaceae, sub
Gonzalagunia spicata (Lam.) M.Gómez 1894): "Authors have long disagreed on the correct name for this Caribbean species. It was named twice in the 18th century, once as
Justicia hirsuta Jacq. (1760) and again as
Lygistum spicatum Lam. (1791). The name
Justicia hirsuta
was published first but was based on a mixed collection. Howard (J.
Arnold Arbor. 54:
456-
457, 1973) detailed the identity of this name: it
was first only described in text in two works by Jacquin, then later it
was illustrated and transferred to
Barleria (Acanthaceae), again
by Jacquin (Observ. Bot. 2:
7,
tab. 32, 1767). Howard noted that the
stem and leaves in this illustration belong to a species of
Gonzalagunia in the Rubiaceae, while the flowers belong to
Odontonema in the Acanthaceae. Howard then argued that the name
Justicia hirsuta should be applied to the vegetative element, and used for the
Gonzalagunia
species; but he did not publish a formal typification. He also did not
mention (or know) that previously, Lamarck had already noted the mixed
elements of
Justicia hirsuta and had treated them under two different names. Lamarck [Tabl. Encycl. 1(2):
38, 1791] accepted the name
Justicia hirsuta Jacq. for the species of Acanthaceae, and then published the new name
Lygistum spicatum for the Rubiaceae plants that were included by Jacquin in
Justicia hirsuta. Thus Lamarck's publication seems to be an indication of preference for application of the name
Justicia hirsuta,
and seems to agree with Jacquin's preference when he transferred his
species to another Acanthaceae genus. Lamarck's preference was followed
by numerous subsequent authors including Candolle and Urban, who seem to
have been familiar with Jacquin's materials and species. Urban
discussed this problem in some detail and noted (Symb. Antill. 8: 585,
1921) that Lindau (Symb. Antill. 2:
221) had also addressed it and
clearly assigned the name
Justicia hirsuta to the Acanthaceae element. Formal typification of
Justicia hirsuta
will be needed to resolve the identity of this name, but here Lamarck,
Candolle, Urban, and Steyermark (1972: 313-314) are followed and
Jacquin's name is considered to apply to a species of
Odontonema and the Rubiaceae species is called
Gonzalagunia spicata. Schumann later adopted the name
Gonzalagunia hirsuta for this species, and included in it plants here separated in
Gonzalagunia dicocca; he cited no original material of Jacquin's nor typified Jacquin's name."
Voir aussi R.A. Howard, Fl. Lesser Ant., 6:
417-
418. 1989 [10/1989, fide
p. ii].
