Monday, January 7, 2019

[Botany • 2019] Eugenia megamalayana (Myrtaceae) • A New Species from the Western Ghats, India


Eugenia megamalayana Murugan & Arum.

in Murugan & Arumugam, 2019. 

Abstract
Eugenia megamalayana sp. nov., is described and illustrated as a new species from the Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India. It is very closely allied to Eugenia calcadensis Bedd. but differs in habit, leaf, floral and fruit characters. The comparison of the two species is tabulated here.

Keyword: Eugenia, India, Myrtaceae, New species, Western Ghats

Fig. 2. Eugenia megamalayana Murugan & Arum. sp. nov.
A-B. Habit; C-D. Flowering Twigs; E. Pistil without Petals; F. Fruiting Twig.

Eugenia megamalayana Murugan & Arum., sp. nov.


Ecology: This new species is hitherto known only from the type locality. Here it grows as big trees between 1100 m and 1500 m asl. The main associated species are, Acrocarpus fraxinifolius Arn., Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam., Bischofia javanica Blume, Chukrasia tabularis A. Juss. and Coffea sp. the coffee plantation. 

Etymology: The specific epithet is derived from the type locality Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary, a potential area for plant diversity.

Fig. 1. Eugenia megamalayana Murugan & Arum, sp. nov. (Myrtaceae).
A. Flowering twig; B, Fruiting twig; C. Flower bud; D. Flower; E. Petal; F. Stamens; G. Pistil with calyx; H-I. Ovary (C.S. & L.S.) 



Chidambaram Murugan and Senniappan Arumugam. 2019. Eugenia megamalayana sp. nov. (Myrtaceae), A New Species from the Western Ghats, India.  Taiwania. 64(1); 23-27. DOI: 10.6165/tai.2019.64.23