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| Argyreia sharadchandrajii Lawand & Shimpale in Lawand & Shimpale, 2021. |
Abstract
Argyreia sharadchandrajii Lawand & Shimpale,
a new species from the Western Ghats of Maharashtra,
India is described and illustrated. Argyreia sharadchandrajii
is morphologically similar to A. pilosa Wight & Arn.
but differs in habit, shape of leaves and bracts,
indumentum and size of peduncle, sepal and berries.
Notes on taxonomy and conservation status are
provided.
Keywords: Asia, Ipomoeae, Maharashtra, Morning
glory, Taxonomy.
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| Argyreia sharadchandrajii Lawand & Shimpale: a. Flowering twig; b. Bracts; c. Outer Sepals; d. Inner sepals; e. Dissected corolla with androecium; f. Gynoecium with disc; g. Berries (from P.R. Lawand 077; drawn by Pramod Lawand). |
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| Argyreia sharadchandrajii Lawand & Shimpale: a. Habitat; b. Habit; c. Flower–side view; d. Fruiting habit; e. Androecium; f. Gynoecium (photos by Vinod Shimpale). |
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| Comparison between Argyreia pilosa Wight & Arn. (a-d) and Argyreia sharadchandrajii Lawand & Shimpale (e-h): a & e. Abaxial leaf surface; b & f. Inflorescence; c & g. Bracts; d & h. Sepals (photos by Pramod Lawand). |
Argyreia sharadchandrajii Lawand & Shimpale, sp. nov.
Similar to A. pilosa but can be distinguished by its prostrate habit, terete petioles, widely ovate to orbicular leaves, white sericeous indumentum on abaxial leaf surface, short peduncles, oblong or lance-ovate bracts, unequal sepals and larger berries (2–2.5 cm across). The differences between the two species are presented in Table 1 and pictorially represented in Fig. 3.
Habitat: This species grows in open habitats and trails
amidst grassland but remain rooted near shrubs.
Etymology: The specific epithet ‘sharadchandrajii’ is
chosen after Shri. Sharadchandraji Pawar, former
Union Minister of Agriculture, Government of
India, New Delhi for his valuable contribution to
Indian agriculture.
Distribution: Known from a single locality (Fig. 4)
in the sub-ranges of Sahyadris (the Western Ghats),
India.
Pramod R. Lawand and Vinod B. Shimpale. 2021. Argyreia sharadchandrajii (Convolvulaceae), A New Species from the Western Ghats, India. RHEEDEA: Journal of the Indian Association for Angiosperm Taxonomy. 31(1); 18-24. DOI: 10.22244/rheedea.2021.31.01.03
