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| Ceropegia ansariana Murug. & A.A. Mao in Murugesan & Mao, 2021. |
Abstract
Ceropegia ansariana (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae: Ceropegieae: Chionopegia: Macranthae), a new species is described and illustrated from Blue mountain forests in Champhai district of Mizoram, Northeast India. The new species is superficially similar to Ceropegia khasiana Murug. et al., but it can be distinguished easily by its longer and fewer fascicled roots, 3–15-flowered cymes with 1–3 flowers open at a time, smaller greenish flowers 3.7–4.5 cm long, greenish with purplish maroon streaked and blotched on outer surface of corolla tube, greenish and shorter ovate-lanceolate corolla lobes, shorter inflated base with a few downwardly pointed hairs of different length at the throat and shorter and sparsely ciliate corona lobes. Detailed descriptions, photographic illustrations, phenology and a note on conservation status are provided here.
Keyword: Asia, Blue Mountain forests, Ceropegia khasiana, Ceropegieae-Stapeliinae, Champhai district, Flora of India
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| Ceropegia ansariana sp. nov.: A & B. Under Ex-situ conservation, C. Under natural Habitat, D. A flowering branch, E. Branch showing internodes F. Mature flowers, G. Young flower, H. L.S. of flower, I. L.S. of flower with corona, J. Calyx, K. Corona, L. Pollinia, M. Follicular mericarp N. Fascicled roots. |
Ceropegia ansariana Murug. & A.A. Mao sp. nov.
Type: INDIA, Mizoarm, Champhai District, Blue
mountain forest areas (22°_'_''N 93°_'_''E ),
1250 m elevation, 14 July 2018, Naim Ansari & M.
Murugesan 137396 (holotype ASSAM; isotype MH!).
Diagnosis: The new species is morphologically
closely allied to Ceropegia khasiana but it differs in
having longer and fewer fascicled roots, 3–15-flowered
cymes with 1–3 flowers open at a time, smaller greenish
flowers 3.7–4.5 cm long, greenish with purplish maroon
streaked and blotched on outer surface of corolla tube, greenish and shorter ovate-lanceolate corolla lobes with short ciliate, shorter inflated base with a few downwardly pointed trichomes of different length at the throat and shorter and sparsely ciliate corona lobes (Table 1).
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| Comparison of Ceropegia ansariana sp. nov. with its closely allied species C. khasiana. A–F. Ceropegia khasiana: A. Habit, B. A flowering branch, C. Mature flower, D. Corona, E. Fascicled root, F. Follicular mericarp. G–L. Ceropegia ansariana: G. Habit, H. Mature flowers, I. Young flower, J. L.S. of flower with corona, K. Fascicled root. L. Follicular mericarp. |
Distribution: So far known only from Blue
Mountain forested areas, Champhai district of Mizoram,
India. Also introduced in Botanical Garden of Botanical
Survey of India, Shillong, Meghalaya, India for ex situ
conservation purposes.
Ecology: Occasional along forest margins at an
altitudinal range between 1000 and 1250 m above sea
level. A total of nine mature individuals were located in
the type locality.
Etymology: The new species is named in honour of
Dr. M.Y. Ansari for his significant contribution on
Indian Ceropegia.
Maruthakkutti Murugesan and Ashiho A. Mao. 2021. Ceropegia ansariana (Apocynaceae: Ceropegieae), A New Species from Mizoram, Northeast India. Taiwania. 66(2);121-125. DOI: 10.6165/tai.2021.66.121
