[Botany • 2015] A New Species, A New Combination And A New Subsection of Cycas from Odisha, northern Eastern Ghats of India; Cycas nayagarhensis, C. orixensis & Orixenses subsect. nov.

Figure 5. Cycas nayagarhensis R. Singh, P. Radha and J.S. Khuraijam sp.nov.
A. Robust habit, B-C. Male cone. D. Magnified portion of male showing sterile apex. E. Microsporophyll with forked sterile apex. F-I. Microsporophylls (F. upper surface. G. lower surface, H. lateral view, and I. lower view showing lateral spines).

Scale bar: 1 cm

ABSTRACT

Cycas circinalis var. orixensis Haines (Cycadaceae) is raised to species rank and a new species, Cycas nayagarhensis is described and illustrated from the state of Odisha in the northern Eastern Ghats of India. Both of these Odisha Cycas species described here, have characteristic megasporophylls having spinescent lateral teeth and a spear-like long apical spine. Male cones are the most peculiar in having microsporophylls with upturned, one to variously forked apical spines. Cycas nayagarhensis is distinguished from C. orixensis by its massive arborescent stem, large male cones, with microsporophylls having entire or variously forked apical spine and radially compressed ovules. A comparative table of the northern Eastern Ghats Cycas and a key to all the Indian species are provided. The infrageneric classification of the genus Cycas is modified and a new Subsection Orixenses under Section Cycas is created here to accommodate these two morphologically distinct endemic taxa from Odisha. 

Key words: Cycas orixensis, Cycas nayagarhensis, Eastern Ghats, Odisha, India

Rita Singh, P. Radha and J.S. Khuraijam. 2015. A New Species, A New Combination And A New Subsection of Cycas from Odisha, northern Eastern Ghats of India. Asian Journal of Conservation Biology. 4(1); 3-14. 

http://www.AJCB.in/journals/full_papers_july_2015/AJCB-Vol4-No1-Singh-et-al.pdf

New endangered species of plants of Dinosaur age discovered from Odisha https://shar.es/1tn4CU

Subsection Orixenses R. Singh and J.S. Khuraijam, subsect. nov. contains C. orixensis (Haines) R. Singh & J.S. Khuraijam comb. et. stat. nov. and C. nayagarhensis R. Singh, P. Radha & J.S. Khuraijam sp.nov.