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| Eriocaulon meenachilense Anoop & Robi in Anoop & Robi, 2021. |
ABSTRACT
Eriocaulon meenachilense, a new species of the family Eriocaulaceae from the southern Western Ghats, India, is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to Eriocaulon idukkianum and E. tuberiferum but differs in its short, linear-subulate, stiff leaves, solitary 6-angled peduncle, inflexed involucral bracts, eglandular petals, and yellow anthers and seeds.
Keywords: Eriocaulon, India, Kerala, new species, pipewort, root tuber, Western Ghats
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| Eriocaulon meenachilense Anoop & Robi, sp. nov. A, Habit; B, root tubers; C, sheath; D, twisted peduncle; E, head (side view); F, head (lower view); G, involucral bract; H, floral bract; I, male flower; J, male sepal; K, anther; L, female flower; M, female sepal; N, female petal; O, light and scanning electron microscopic images of seed. All from Anoop. P. B. & A. J. Robi 15934. |
Eriocaulon meenachilense resembles E. tuberiferum A.R.Kulk. & Desai in its root tubers, short, linear leaves and free female sepals. However, the new taxon differs in its solitary, 6-angled peduncle, short sheath, white inflorescences, inflexed involucral bracts, free male sepals, eglandular petals, yellow anthers and unappendaged yellow seeds. It also similar to Eriocaulon idukkianum Manudev, Robi & Nampy, another tuberous species from the Western Ghats that has linear leaves, white inflorescences, male flowers with free sepals and unappendaged seeds, but differs from that species in the absence of a root stock, its hairy, not glabrous root tubers, its solitary, 6-angled peduncle, and its glabrous receptacle, eglandular petals and yellow anthers and seeds.
– Type: India, Kerala, Kottayam District, Meenachil, Illikkal Hills, c.1000 m a.s.l., 7 x 2019, Anoop. P. B. & A. J. Robi 15934 (holotype MH!, isotype BAM!, MBGH!). Figures1, 2.
Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the type locality, Meenachil Taluk in Kottayam District, Kerala, India.
Habitat and ecology. Wet rocky grasslands in association with Eriocaulon thwaitesii Körn., Exacum sessile L., Impatiens stolonifera Robi & Manudev, Phyllocephalum scabridum (DC.) K.Kirkman, Smithia bigemina Dalzell, etc.
Distribution. Eriocaulon meenachilense is known only from the type locality, the Illikkal Hills in the southern Western Ghats, India.
P. B. Anoop and A. J. Robi. 2021. Eriocaulon meenachilense, A New Tuberous Species of Eriocaulaceae from the southern Western Ghats, India. Edinburgh Journal of Botany. 78; 1-8. DOI: 10.24823/EJB.2021.336
