Shrubs up to 2 meters tall; stems subquadrangular, densely hirsute, the hairs spreading or retrorsely subappressed, up to 1.5 mm. long; leaf blades oblong-obovate, up to 36 cm. long and 12 cm. wide, short- acuminate at tip (the tip itself subobtuse), cuneate at base and
decurrent on the petiole, rather firm, entire or undulate, the upper surface sparingly hirsute, the lower rather densely so, the hairs spread- ing or ascending, up to 1.5 mm. long, the costa and lateral veins (about 16 pairs) prominent on the lower surface, obscure on the upper; petioles (unwinged portion) stout, 5 to 10 mm. long, densely hirsute; spikes terminal, solitary or in 3's, sessile or subsessile, up to 45 cm. long and 2.5 cm. broad, the rachis glabrous to puberulous with sub- appressed hairs up to 0.28 mm. long; bracts obovate, up to 30 cm. long and 13 mm. wide between middle and tip, obtuse and minutely apiculate, chartaceous, orange-red (Fosberg & Fassett), glabrous, striate-nerved, the nerves becoming reticulate toward margin; ocelli numerous, minute (the larger about 0.32 mm. long and 0.25 mm. wide), confined in an irregular oval area about 3 mm. long and 1.5 mm. wide; bractlets lanceolate, subcarinate, 1 cm, long, 3 mm. wide near base, thence gradually narrowed to an acute tip, appressed- pilose, striate-nerved; calyx 1 cm. long, the posterior segment ovate, 5 mm. wide near base, subobtuse, the anterior segments lanceolate, 3 mm. near base, acute, the lateral segments lanceolate, 2.5 mm. wide near base, acute and apiculate, all glabrous or sparingly puberul- ous and ciliolate, striate-nerved; corollas not seen; capsules 13 mm. long, 6 mm. broad, about 4 mm. thick, obtuse and minutely punctate, glabrous, nitid; retinacula linear, 3.5 mm. long, rounded and cucullate at tip; seeds brown, obovate, 4.5 mm. long, 4 mm. wide, 1.75 mm. thick, glabrous or the upper margin rather minutely puberulous.
Type in the U. S. National Herbarium, No. 2045416, collected in thick forest on steep slope at Jordán, on the north side of the Cuchillo de Los Micos, 20 km. north-northwest of Velez, 8 km. south-southeast of Landazuri, Department of Santander, Colombia, 1,100 meters altitude, April 17, 18, 1944, by F. R. Fosberg and N. C. Fassett (No. 21809). Isotype: US 2144298.
Aphelandra trichota can be recognized by its densely hirsute stems, large leaves, hirsute on the lower surface, and large spikes. The specific epithet is from the Greek , meaning beset with hairs.