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| Sonerila epeduncula J.Mathew, in Mathew, Usha, Salim, Madhavan et Yohannan, 2019. |
ABSTRACT
A new species of Sonerila (Melastomataceae), S. epeduncula from South Western Ghats is described here. Taxonomic descriptions, morphological differences to their allied taxa and colour photographs are provided to facilitate easy identification in the field.
A new species of Sonerila (Melastomataceae), S. epeduncula from South Western Ghats is described here. Taxonomic descriptions, morphological differences to their allied taxa and colour photographs are provided to facilitate easy identification in the field.
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| Sonerila epeduncula J.Mathew. A: Whole plant. B-D:Long stem and leaves. E-G: Inflorescence on plant twig |
Sonerila epeduncula J.Mathew. sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Sonerila epeduncula is fairly similar to Sonerila nairii Soumya & Maya, in both vegetative and floral morphology but differs mainly in having: quadrangular, grooved and glabrous stem (vs cylindrical and hirsute stem in S. nairii), glabrescent leaves with five prominent nerves (vs hirsute leaves 3 prominent nerves in S. nairii), 1-5 flowered compressed cyme (1-2 flowered cyme in S. nairii), glabrous hypanthium (vs hypanthium with sparse glandular trichomes in S. nairii ) and anthers as long as filaments (vs anthers half the length of filaments in S. nairii )
Etymology: The specific epithet ‘epeduncula’ refers to the absence of the peduncle of the new species.
Distribution and Habitat: Found in the montane forest ca. 1250 m. of the Parunthumpara Hills, 15 km away from Periyar Tiger Reserve, Western Ghats, India. Grows on the crevices of rocky cliffs in association with Didymocarpus tomentosa Wight and Drosera peltata Thunb and Satyrium nepalense D. Don
Conservation status: The conservation status of this variety is data deficient. However the distribution is limited with only a few plants observed at the few known locations (each with c. 30–100 plants). Further survey for this variety is suggested, which would need to be conducted in June to August when Monsoon starts and plants are flowering.
Jose Mathew, Usha S.S., Pichan M. Salim, Radhamany P. Madhavan and Regy Yohannan. 2019. Sonerila epeduncula (Melastomataceae): A New Species from South Western Ghats, India. Species. 20, 72-75.
Etymology: The specific epithet ‘epeduncula’ refers to the absence of the peduncle of the new species.
Distribution and Habitat: Found in the montane forest ca. 1250 m. of the Parunthumpara Hills, 15 km away from Periyar Tiger Reserve, Western Ghats, India. Grows on the crevices of rocky cliffs in association with Didymocarpus tomentosa Wight and Drosera peltata Thunb and Satyrium nepalense D. Don
Conservation status: The conservation status of this variety is data deficient. However the distribution is limited with only a few plants observed at the few known locations (each with c. 30–100 plants). Further survey for this variety is suggested, which would need to be conducted in June to August when Monsoon starts and plants are flowering.
Jose Mathew, Usha S.S., Pichan M. Salim, Radhamany P. Madhavan and Regy Yohannan. 2019. Sonerila epeduncula (Melastomataceae): A New Species from South Western Ghats, India. Species. 20, 72-75.
