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| Commelina rupestris Nandikar & Gurav
in Nandikar & Gurav, 2018.
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ABSTRACT
The present article describes and illustrates a new species of Commelina from dryland hillocks of Karnataka, India. The new species Commelina rupestris shares morphological similarities with C. badamica, C. hirsuta and C. attenuata, but differs in its perennial habit, knotted rhizomatous, definite base, broadly elongate, thickened tuberous roots, characteristically ligulate, linear to lanceolate leaves, minutely fused spathes, one- to two-seeded bilocular capsules, and stramineous to light brown, rostrate seeds.
KEYWORDS: Commelineae, new species, ligulate leaves, India
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| Figure 1. Commelina rupestris. (A) Habit. (B) Flowering branches. (C) Male flower. (D) Bisexual flower. (E) Ligule. (F) Opened spathe with flowering cincinni and capsule. (G, H) Dorsal and ventral surfaces of seed.
Photos: Mayur Nandikar.
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Commelina rupestris Nandikar & Gurav, sp. nov.
Etymology: As the species preferentially grows in rock crevices, the epithet ‘rupestris’ denotes its rocky habitat.
Mayur D. Nandikar and Rajaram V. Gurav. 2018. A New Species of Commelina (Commelinaceae) from India. Webbia: Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Geography. 73(2); 233-237. DOI: 10.1080/00837792.2018.1540743
