Salvia coriana
Encyclopedia
Salvia coriana is a perennial plant
that is endemic to tropical cloud forest in Guatemala
, growing at approximately 2000 m (6,561.7 ft) elevation on the northwestern slopes of Pico Zunil in the Sierra Chuatroj range.
S. coriana is a liana
which grows up to 12 m (39.4 ft) into the tree canopy, with erect arching branches. Leaves are opposite, with 3 to 5 cm (1.2 to 2 in) petioles and leaf blades that are 7 to 12 cm (2.8 to 4.7 in) long and 5 to 9 cm (2 to 3.5 in) wide. Inflorescences are lax 3-6 flowered verticillasters. The calyces are dark purple as they age. The corollas are sky blue, with the upper lip 12 to 16 mm (0.47244094488189 to 0.62992125984252 in) long, and the lower lip 9 to 11 mm (0.354330708661417 to 0.433070866141732 in), flowering in late December to early January.
It is apparently related to Salvia recurva
, but grows as a liana, with smaller leaves, and shorter upper and lower corollas which are blue. The specific epithet honors Jean Coria (1926-2008), a longtime Salvia grower who was associated with the San Francisco Botanical Garden
.
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
that is endemic to tropical cloud forest in Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, growing at approximately 2000 m (6,561.7 ft) elevation on the northwestern slopes of Pico Zunil in the Sierra Chuatroj range.
S. coriana is a liana
Liana
A liana is any of various long-stemmed, woody vines that are rooted in the soil at ground level and use trees, as well as other means of vertical support, to climb up to the canopy to get access to well-lit areas of the forest. Lianas are especially characteristic of tropical moist deciduous...
which grows up to 12 m (39.4 ft) into the tree canopy, with erect arching branches. Leaves are opposite, with 3 to 5 cm (1.2 to 2 in) petioles and leaf blades that are 7 to 12 cm (2.8 to 4.7 in) long and 5 to 9 cm (2 to 3.5 in) wide. Inflorescences are lax 3-6 flowered verticillasters. The calyces are dark purple as they age. The corollas are sky blue, with the upper lip 12 to 16 mm (0.47244094488189 to 0.62992125984252 in) long, and the lower lip 9 to 11 mm (0.354330708661417 to 0.433070866141732 in), flowering in late December to early January.
It is apparently related to Salvia recurva
Salvia recurva
Salvia recurva is a woody-based perennial native to the cloud forests of Central America, limited to the northern slopes of Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Guatemala at elevations around . It grows where there is year-round warmth and abundant moisture in the air and on the forest floor...
, but grows as a liana, with smaller leaves, and shorter upper and lower corollas which are blue. The specific epithet honors Jean Coria (1926-2008), a longtime Salvia grower who was associated with the San Francisco Botanical Garden
San Francisco Botanical Garden
The San Francisco Botanical Garden is a large botanical garden in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Its 55 acres include over 50,000 individual plants, representing over 8,000 taxa from around the world, with particular focus on Magnolia species, high elevation palms, and cloud forest species...
.