''Buddleja vexans'' is a recently (2000) recognized species

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to central

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

, growing along streams, roads and cliffs at altitudes of 3,300 – 3,900 m. Norman adjudged the plant to be a probable hybrid between ''B. coriacea'' and ''B. incana''.Norman, E. M. (2000). Buddlejaceae. ''Flora Neotropica 81''. New York Botanical Garden, USA

Description

''Buddleja vexans'' is a sterile shrub 3 – 5 m high with a trunk < 30 cm in diameter, the bark brown and fissured. The younger branches are terete and

tomentose Trichomes (); ) are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants, algae, lichens, and certain protists. They are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae. A covering of any kind of hair on a plant ...

, bearing coriaceous elliptic leaves 4.5 – 8 cm long by 1 – 3 cm wide, glabrous and

rugose Rugose means "wrinkled". It may refer to: * Rugosa, an extinct order of coral, whose rugose shape earned it the name * Rugose, adjectival form of rugae Species with "rugose" in their names * '' Idiosoma nigrum'', more commonly, a black rugose tr ...

above, densely tomentose below. The fragrant golden-orange

paniculate A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a panicle are of ...

leafy-bracted inflorescences are 5 – 12 cm long by 5 – 9 cm wide, comprising 1 – 2 orders of branches bearing heads 1.5 – 2 cm in diameter, each with 16 – 20 flowers, the corollas 4 – 5 mm long. A popular garden plant in Peru, Norman considers ''B. vexans'' to have the greatest horticultural merit of all the American buddlejas.

Cultivation

The shrub is not known to be in cultivation beyond Peru.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4984734 vexans Flora of Peru Flora of Southern America