Buddleja soratae

Buddleja soratae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Buddlejaceae
Genus:	Buddleja
Species:	B. soratae
Binomial name
Buddleja soratae Kraenzl.

Buddleja soratae is a rare species endemic to one small area of Bolivia around Sorata, growing along forest edges at altitudes of 2,700 - 3,200 m; it was first described and named by Kraenzlin in 1913.^{[1] [2]}

Description

B. soratae is a dioecious shrub or small tree 5 – 6 m high. The younger branches are quadrangular, the youngest sections tomentose, bearing membranaceous lanceolate to elliptic leaves with 0.5 – 1 cm petioles, and are 7 – 14 cm long by 2 – 4 cm wide, glabrescent above but tomentose below. The orange leafy-bracted inflorescences are 12 – 15 cm long by 10 – 15 cm wide, comprising 2 – 3 orders of branches bearing cymes of 6 – 9 flowers on peduncles 0.5 – 1  cm long. ^[2]

B. soratae is considered very similar to B. cardanasii and B. multiceps, differing from the latter only in the shape of the leaves.^[2]

Cultivation

The shrub is not known to be in cultivation.

References

1. Kraenzlin, F. W. L. (1913). Bot. Jahrb Syst. 50: Beibl. 111, 47. 1913
2. Norman, E. M. (2000). Buddlejaceae. Flora Neotropica 81. New York Botanical Garden, USA