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| Portulaca laljii P. Sivaramakrishna & P. Yugandhar, in Sivaramakrishna et Yugandhar, 2020. |
Highlights
• Portulaca laljii P. Sivaramakrishna & P. Yugandhar sp. nov. (Portulacaceae), from the Eastern Ghats, India is described and illustrated along with conservation status for the first time.
• It is highly distinct in respect to morphology of vegetative and floral characters and there are no significant similarities with any of the previously described species of Portulacaceae.
• The new species is characterized by prostrate decumbent herbaceous habit, tuberous root, herbaceous stem without scaly bark, leaves narrowly lanceolate, flat with acute or sub-acute apex, leaf axis without hairs, solitary inflorescence with sessile or sub sessile flowers, pink or pinkish-orange flowers with 2-3 bracteoles, emarginated or mucronate petals, 6-7 stamen, style3 fid, globose to conical fruits with 14-20 sub-reniform seeds.
Abstract
Portulaca laljii (Portulacaceae), a new species from the Eastern Ghats (Prakasam District, Andhra Pradesh), India, is described and illustrated along with conservation status. Perennial prostrate-decumbent much branched herb with tuberous fleshy roots, glabrous, stem without scaly bark, nodal axils without hairs, lanate nature of narrowly lanceolate, flat leaves, glabrous, leaf axis without hairs, solitary, bracteate flowers with very short pedicel and 2–3 bracteoles, petals with emarginate, sometimes mucronate apex, pistil with trifid style, prolate-shaped capsule, bilobular to subglobular, conspicuously beaked seeds without golden luster and with slightly elongated seed testa distinguishes it from all previously known species. A key to the species of Portulaca from India is also provided.
Keywords: Eastern Ghats, India, New species, Portulaca L., Portulacaceae
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| Portulaca laljii P. Sivaramakrishna & P. Yugandhar sp. nov.: A, twig with tuberous root and flower; B, leaf base; C, leaf; D, flower bud with bract; E–G, flower; H, bracts; I, bracteoles; J, sepal; K, petals; L, stamens; M, gynoecium; N, fruit; O, dehisced fruit with seeds; P, seeds. |
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| Portulaca laljii P. Sivaramakrishna & P. Yugandhar sp. nov.: A, habit; B, leaves; C, leaf base; D, flower bud with bract; E, flower; F, sepals; G, bracts; H, bracteoles; I, petals; J, stamens; K, gynoecium. |
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| Portulaca laljii P. Sivaramakrishna & P. Yugandhar sp. nov.: A–B, habit; C, flowering twig. |
Portulaca laljii P. Sivaramakrishna & P. Yugandhar sp. nov.
Diagnosis. It is markedly distinct by having prostrate-decumbent herbaceous habit, tuberous root, stem herbaceous, smooth without scaly bark, leaves narrowly lanceolate, flat, acute or subacute at apex, glabrous, leaf axis without hairs, inflorescence solitary and base with hairs, flower sessile or subsessile sometimes with very short pedicel, bracteate, pentamerous with 2–3 bracteoles, pink on the back surface and pinkish-orange on the upper surface with deep pinkish orange throat, sepals light yellow and light greenish tinge at ape, petals emarginate, sometimes mucronate at apex, pink, stamen 6–7, style 3 fid, fruit prolate capsule with 14–20 bilobular to subglobular, conspicuously beaked seeds, seeds without golden luster and stellulate, isodiametric or slightly elongated seed testa.
Etymology. The specific epithet laljii honors Indian Botanist, Dr. Lal Ji Singh, Joint Director and Head office, Botanical Survey of India, Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre, Port Blair, for his significant contributions to the taxonomy of flowering plants.
Pasupuleti Sivaramakrishna and Pulicherla Yugandhar. 2020. A New Species of the Genus Portulaca L. (Portulacaceae) from the Eastern Ghats, India. Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity. 13(4); 755-761. DOI: 10.1016/j.japb.2020.08.010