Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 November 2017 | 9(11): 10977–10979

 

 

 

An extended distribution of Natesh’s Cape-pondweed Aponogeton nateshii (Aponogetonaceae), a new record to the state of Goa

 

Rutuja Rajendra Kolte 1, Anup Satish Deshpande 2, Prabha Muraleedharan Pillai 3 & Shrirang Ramchandra Yadav 4

1,2,3 Department of Botany, Goa University, Taleigao plateau, Goa 403206, India

4 Department of Botany, Shivaji University, Vidyanagar, Kolhapur, Maharashtra 416004, India

1rutuja24kolte@gmail.com (corresponding author), 2anoopdesh@gmail.com, 3prabha3188@gmail.com, 4sryadavdu@rediffmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

doi: http://doi.org/10.11609/jott.3372.9.11.10977-10979

 

Editor: N.P. Balakrishnan, Coimbatore, India. Date of publication: 26 November 2017 (online & print)

 

Manuscript details: Ms # 3372 | Received 25 February 2017 | Final received 06 November 2017 | Finally accepted 10 November 2017

 

Citation: Kolte, R.R., A.S. Deshpande, P.M. Pillai & S.R. Yadav (2017). An extended distribution of Natesh’s Cape-pondweed Aponogeton nateshii (Aponogetonaceae), a new record to the state of Goa. Journal of Threatened Taxa 9(11): 10977–10979; http://doi.org/10.11609/jott.3372.9.11.10977-10979

 

Copyright: © Kolte et al. 2017. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. JoTT allows unrestricted use of this article in any medium, reproduction and distribution by providing adequate credit to the authors and the source of publication.

 

Funding: The Rufford Foundation, London, UK.

 

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

 

Acknowledgements: The authors are grateful to Prof. M.K. Janarthanam, Department of Botany, Goa University and to Dr. S.S. Kambale, Assistant Professor, MVP Samaj’s Arts, Commerce and Science College Tryambakeshwar, Nashik for critical comments and suggestions. For financial support RRK is thankful to Rufford Small Grant (20301-1).

 

 

 

 

 

The genus Aponogeton L.f. comprises 57 species (The Plant List 2013). Recently two species have been added to the list (Yadav et al. 2015; Manawaduge et al. 2016). In India, eight species represent this genus (Yadav & Gaikwad 2003; Yadav et al. 2015) and except for Aponogeton lakhonensis A. Camus, all are found in the Western Ghats. A. bruggenii S.R.Yadav & Govekar, A. nateshii S.R. Yadav, and A. satarensis Sundararagh., A.R. Kulk. & S.R. Yadav are endemic to the northern part of the Western Ghats; and A. appendiculatus H. Bruggen is endemic to the southern part of the Western Ghats. The present authors collected specimens of Aponogeton from Dhargal, North Goa and after perusal of relevant literature (Yadav & Gaikwad 2003; Yadav et al. 2015; Kambale et al. 2016), they were identified as A. nateshii, an unreported species from the state. A detailed description, photographs and notes on morphological variations have been provided.

 

 

Aponogeton nateshii

S.R. Yadav, Rheedea 25(1): 9–13, 2015; Kambale et al., JoTT. 8(4): 8742–8744, 2016.

Natesh’s Cape-pondweed is a submerged freshwater aquatic perennial herb. Tubers around, 1.5–2 cm in diam., fibrous roots from top of the tuber. Leaves petiolate, elliptic-lanceolate; petioles 45–65 cm long. Leaf lamina 30–40×3.5–4.5 cm, undulate, elliptic lanceolate, central nerve prominent and broad, two parallel nerves on either side of lamina (3rd at periphery), cuneate at base, obtuse at apex. Peduncle cylindrical, 55–85 cm long; spike simple, up to 17cm long; spathe c. 2.5cm long, enclosing young inflorescence; flowers arranged all around axis. Tepals 2, persistent, 1×1–1.2 mm, obovate, fleshy. Stamens 6, two whorled, filaments narrow at tip, 0.8–1 mm long; anthers basifixed, yellow to brown. Carpels 3, c. 1mm long; ovules two per carpel. Follicles ovoid, beaked, surfaces rough, 8–9 mm diameter, slightly curved, c. 5mm long; pericarp smooth; embryo globular, 6–7 mm across, slightly pointed at base; appendages elliptic-lanceolate, 12–15 in number, spirally arranged in upper 3/4th part of embryo.

Specimen examined: India. Goa: North Goa, Dhargal (15.68328330N & 73.8347580E), 28.vi.2016, R.R. Kolte, A.S. Deshpande & P.M. Pillai 470 (BSI Pune, SUK and Herbarium of Department of Botany, Goa University India, Goa).

Flowering and fruiting: July–September.

Distribution: So far this species has been reported only from two localities. One is the low altitude lateritic plateau at Rajapur (Maharashtra), which is a type locality (Yadav et al. 2015). The other is the high altitude lateritic plateau of Surla/Chorla (Karnataka), which is at the intersection of Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka states (Kambale et al. 2016). And the present collection is from a seasonal pond in a paddy field at Dhargal (Goa). The species is endemic to the northern Western Ghats (Fig. 1).

Habitat: Habitat of this species is fresh water seasonal pond.

Conservation status: Aponogeton nateshii is assessed as Data Deficient (IUCN 2010) and now known only from three localities (including Goa). The pond in which it grows in Goa is a junction very close to the National Highway no. 66 which is a road that leads to the proposed airport of Goa at Mopa.

Note: This species prefers varied type of habitats from seasonal ponds at low altitude lateritic plateau to high altitude lateritic plateau and seasonal ponds in paddy fields. Variation in habitat preference has resulted in variation in morphology of this species which is shown in Table 1. It shows variability in leaf morphology and embryo appendages at three localities of its occurrence. The presence of appendages on the embryo is a unique character of A. appendiculatus and A. nateshii. The number and shape of appendages on the embryo is variable in all three populations of A. nateshii. Leaf shape and length of the collected species is similar to A. appendiculatus. Appendages being a unique and important character, this species is identified as A. nateshii. The population from Goa is similar to Surla/ Chorla population of A. nateshii in embryo appendages but leaf morphology is similar to that of A. appendiculatus. Extensive field surveys are required to locate more populations to understand the range of variations in morphology and habitat preferences of this species.

 

 

 

 

 

References

 

 

Kambale, S.S., R.R. Kolte & M.K. Janarthanam (2016). An extended distribution of recently described Natesh’s Cape-pondweed (Aponogetonaceae: Aponogeton nateshii) to the state of Karnataka, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 8(4): 8742–8744; http://doi.org/10.11609/jott.2395.8.4.8742-8744

Manawaduge, C.G., D. Yakandawala & D.H. Les (2016). Morphometric analysis reveals a new species of Aponogeton (Aponogetonaceae) in Sri Lanka. Phytotaxa 275(3): 243–262; http://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.00.0.0

The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1. Published on the Internet; http:// www.theplantlist.org/. (Accessed 1st January 2017)

Yadav, S.R. & S.P. Gaikwad (2003). A revision of the Indian Aponogetonaceae. Bulletin of Botanical Survey of India 45: 39–76.

Yadav, S.R., V.S. Patil, A.R. Gholave, A.N. Chandore, U.S. Yadav & S.S. Kambale (2015). Aponogeton nateshii (Aponogetonaceae): a new species from India. Rheedea 25(1): 9–13; http://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.1167.4729