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| Christisonia flavirubens J.Mathew & P.M.Salim, in Mathew & Salim, 2022 |
ABSTRACT
Christisonia flavirubens J.Mathew & P.M.Salim (Orobanchaceae), a new holoparasitic plant species from the southern Western Ghats, Kerala, India, is described based on morphological data. The diagnostic morphological characters, distribution and images of the new species are presented. Images and comparative characters of the reddish yellow coloured Christisonia species of the south Western Ghats are also provided for its easy identification.
KEYWORDS: holoparasitic plant, India, Kerala, new species, Strobilanthes, taxonomy
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| Christisonia flavirubens J.Mathew & P.M.Salim: A – opened flower, B-C – inflorescence, D-E – uprooted plant with inflorescence, F – dissected flower, G-J – stamen and spur, K – gynoecium, L – ovary cross section (photograph by J. Mathew) |
Christisonia flavirubens J.Mathew & P.M.Salim
Diagnosis: Christisonia flavirubens is morphologically similar to C. mira (Fig. 2) especially in the reddish yellow flower colour and host specificity. However this new taxon differs in: anthers of equal length to filaments, 0.6-0.7 mm long, yellow in colour, hairs present at the base of the filaments (vs. anther filaments are 3-4 times longer than anther lobes, 2.5-3 cm long, light purplish in colour, glandular hairs present throughout the filaments in C. mira); both anther locules having fertile pollens (vs. one anther locule has fertile pollen and the other one is sterile in C. mira) and spur originating from the connective and having same length of anthers (vs. spur originating from the sterile locule and having double size of the anthers in C. mira). Distinguishing characters from other reddish yellow coloured species of Christisonia found in the south Western Ghats are listed in Table 1. Pollen viability of both locules of anther the anther is an interesting character among Christisonia. Apart from this, Christisonia subacaulis is the only known Indian species having this peculiarity. However, C. subacaulis can be easily distinguished by the violet colour corolla and didynamous conditions of the stamen.
Etymology: The epithet (‘flavirubens’) is used to indicate the reddish yellow colour of the corolla in this taxon.
Jose Mathew and Pichan M. Salim. 2022. Christisonia flavirubens (Orobanchaceae), A New Species from south Western Ghats, India. Biodiversity: Research and Conservation (Biodiv. Res. Conserv.). 68;
