Journal of Threatened Taxa |
www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 February 2020 | 12(3): 15395–15399
ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893
(Print)
doi: https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.5423.12.3.15395-15399
#5423 | Received 24 September 2019 | Final
received 19 November 2019 | Finally accepted 10 January 2020
Gynochthodes cochinchinensis (DC.) Razafim.
& B. Bremer (Morindeae: Rubioideae:
Rubiaceae): an addition to the woody climbers of
India
Pradeep Kumar Kamila 1,
Prabhat Kumar Das 2, Madhusmita Mallia 3, Chinnamadasamy
Kalidass 4, Jagayandatt
Pati 5 & Pratap Chandra Panda 6
1,2,3,4,6 Taxonomy & Conservation
Division, Regional Plant Resource Centre, Ekamrakanan,
Nayapalli, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751015, India.
5 Deputy Director, Similipal Tiger Reserve, Bhanjpur,
Baripada, Odisha 757002, India.
1 pradeepkamila.bapi@gmail.com, 2
prabhatdasnou@gmail, 3 madhusmita.mallia91@gmail.com,
4 kalidassrprc@gmail.com, 5 drjdifs@gmail.com,
6 pcpanda2001@yahoo.co.in (corresponding author)
Editor: Pankaj
Kumar, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG)
Corporation, Hong Kong S.A.R., China. Date
of publication: 26 February 2020 (online & print)
Citation: Kamila, P.K., P.K. Das, M. Mallia,
C. Kalidass, J. Pati &
P.C. Panda (2020). Gynochthodes cochinchinensis (DC.) Razafim. & B. Bremer (Morindeae:
Rubioideae: Rubiaceae): an
addition to the woody climbers of India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 12(3): 15395–15399. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.5423.12.3.15395-15399
Copyright: © Kamila et al. 2020. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
License. JoTT
allows unrestricted use, reproduction, and distribution of this article in any
medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of
publication.
Funding: Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, New Delhi
(Project No. BT/Env/BC/01/2010).
Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
Acknowledgements: The authors are thankful to the
Field Director, Similipal Biosphere Reserve, Baripada, Odisha, India for granting permission to carry
out fieldwork and to the Chief Executive, Regional Plant Resource Centre,
Bhubaneswar for providing necessary facilities.
Financial assistance from Department of Biotechnology, Government of
India is gratefully acknowledged.
The family Rubiaceae, with
611 genera and approximately 13,143 species, is distributed in the tropical,
subtropical, temperate, and arctic regions (Davis et al. 2009). The subfamily classification based on
morphological characters divided Rubiaceae into four
subfamilies, viz., Cinchonoideae, Ixoroideae,
Antirheoideae, and Rubioideae
(Robbrecht 1988), though recent molecular
phylogenetic studies recognize three subfamilies such as: Cinchonoideae,
Ixoroideae, and Rubioideae
(Bremer 2009). One of the tribes of the
subfamily Rubioideae is Morindeae
(Bremer & Manen 2000; Bremer & Eriksson
2009), which is comprised of six genera namely, Appunia
Hook.f., Coelospermum
Blume, Gynochthodes Blume, Morinda L., Pogonolobus
Muell., and Siphonandrium
Schum. (Razafimandimbison et al. 2008).
Blume (1827) described the genus Gynochthodes
by putting together the species having similar morphological features such
as presence of 8–9 flowers per umbel on the inflorescence, flowers being
villous inside the tube; 4–5 stamens, one style, bifid verrucous stigma,
globose stipule, umbilicate drupe, 4-locular ovary and erect albuminous embryo. Gynochthodes can be segregated from other genera of
the tribe Morindeae by having inflorescences that are
never paniculate, small flowers (corolla tubes 0.7–5.5 mm long and corolla
lobes 1.5–11.0 mm long) and partly exserted anthers (Razafimandimbison et al. 2009; Suratman
2018). Razafimandimbison
et al. (2009) also discussed the circumscription of Gynochthodes
in a wider sense to accommodate all lianescent
species of Morinda with small flowers
in order to make Morinda monophyletic
based on molecular phylogeny. The
majority of lianescent species of Morinda
having multiple fruits have been transferred to Gynochthodes
and necessary nomenclatural changes made (Razafimandimbison
& Bremer 2011). According to
Johansson (1987), the genus can be distinguished from Morinda
by its lianescent habit, stipules and bracts with
marginal hairs, terminal umbellate inflorescences, flowers with recurved calyx
tubes, corollas with long hairs within the tubes and on the adaxial side of the
lobes. As per the present
circumscription, the genus Gynochthodes is
comprised of 93 species distributed mainly in tropical and subtropical
Madagascar, Asia, and Australasia (Mabberley 2017).
During the population inventory of threatened plants
of Odisha, we collected some interesting specimens of Rubiaceae
from Nuagaon and Jenabil
forest areas of Similipal Biosphere Reserve,
Mayurbhanj District, Odisha, India at an altitude of 800–900 m. On critical examination of their
morphological characters and consultation of relevant literature (Loureiro 1790; de Candolle 1830), we identified the species
as Gynochthodes cochinchinensis
(DC.) Razafim. & B. Bremer. Perusal of relevant literature revealed that
this species has not yet been reported from within the geographical boundary of
India and thus, turned out to be a new distribution record for India. A detailed botanical description along with
notes on nomenclature, ecology, phenology, distribution, and color photographs of different plant parts are provided to
facilitate easy identification of the species in the field. The herbarium specimens have been deposited
in the Herbarium of Regional Plant Resource Centre (RPRC), Bhubaneswar, Odisha,
India.
Gynochthodes cochinchinensis
(DC.)
Razafim. & B. Bremer, (Image 1)
Adansonia 33(2): 288 (2011). Morinda cochinchinensis
DC., Prodr. 4: 449. 1830. Morinda
trichophylla Merr.,
Philipp. J. Sci. 23: 267. 1923.
Lianas; branches woody and at base with persistent
leafless stipules, when young densely ferruginous or yellow villosulous,
terete to weakly quadrangular. Leaves
opposite, mature leaf 12.0 × 6.5 cm, apex acuminate, base obtuse, veins 14
pairs, petiolate, petiole up to 1.0cm in length, young leaf 8 × 3 cm, apex
acuminate to terete, base obtuse, 15 pairs of secondary veins, petiole 0.5mm,
elliptic to ovate and sometimes oblanceolate, margin entire, adaxially sparsely
strigose to strigillose, abaxially densely
ferruginous or yellow hirtellous to villosulous with pubescence denser along veins. Stipules fused into the tube or spathe, 1cm
in length, densely hispidulous to hispid on each side
with two bristles, usually quickly deciduous.
Inflorescence terminal, peduncles 8─15, umbellate, 4─5 cm long, densely
ferruginous or yellow hirtellous, as a group
subtended by two to several bracts of 1─3 mm long, two to several lobed. Each peduncle with one umbelliform
inflorescence, sub-globose, 5─6 mm in diameter, 5─15 flowered; bracteoles
linear, 0.2-─1.0 mm long. Limb sometimes
unequal or reflexed, 3─4 mm in length, 2.2mm in diam., pilosulous. Flower with hypanthia partially fused,
gamopetalous. Calyx with hypanthium,
densely strigose to strigillose, sepals 4─5, narrowly
triangular, 1─2 mm long, sometimes unequal on an individual flower. Corolla white, gamopetalous, rotate, 4─5
lobed, lower surface pilosulous, upper part of petal hispidulous, inside densely villous around the tube onto
lobes; tube 1.5─2.0 mm; lobes 4 to 5, narrowly oblong to lanceolate, 4.0─4.5
mm, apically thickened and rostrate.
Anthers four, oblong, 0.5mm in length, yellow in color,
single margined in crimson red veined, basifixed, filament 1.0─1.5 mm in
length, brown, stigma bilobed, attached directly to the ovary, linear, exerted,
greenish in colour, papillose, 0.1mm in length, style 0.4mm, slightly
pubescent. Ovary 2-celled with four locules, formed due to secondary false septa. Fruit drupaceous, subglobose
or oblong or irregular, orange yellow to orange─red,
1─2 cm in diameter, peduncle elongating up to 4cm. Seeds 2 × 3 mm, slightly pubescent in nature,
kidney shaped, orange to red in colour.
Flowering: May─June.
Fruiting: September─October.
Habitat: Gynochthodes
cochinchinensis was found growing along forest
roads close to perennial streams in the moist deciduous and semi-evergreen
forest patches of Similipal Biosphere Reserve,
Odisha, India at an altitude of about 900m (Figure 1).
Associated species: The species was observed to form
association with Lasiococca comberi Haines, Leea
indica (Burm.f.) Merr., Uvaria hamiltonii Hook.f. & Thoms., Celastrus paniculatus Wild., Aphanamixis
polystachya (Wall.) R. Parker, Styrax serrulatus Roxb., Polyalthia simiarum
(Buch.-Ham. ex Hook.f. & Thoms.)
Benth. ex Hook.f. & Thoms., Cipadessa baccifera (Roth) Miq, Combretum
album Pers. and Xantolis tomentosa (Roxb.) Raf.
Distribution: The species is native to southeastern China to Indo-china and reported to
occur in Vietnam, and Thailand. In
India, the species was not so far known to occur and the present report on wild
occurrence of the species in Odisha extends the range of distribution of the
species to India.
Specimens examined: 11038 (RPRC), 06.ix.2016, India,
Odisha, Mayurbhanj District, Similipal Biosphere
Reserve, Nuagaon, Jenabil,
21.710N & 86.340E, 887m; 21.730N &
86.360E, 900m, coll. P.K. Kamila & P.K. Das. (Image
2).
Common name: Lata Achhu
(Odia), Bagackich (Vietnamese).
Use: Fruits are occasionally consumed by the tribals of Similipal Biosphere
Reserve for its medicinal properties and assumed to reduce body weight. The birds and other frugivorous animals also
feed on ripe fruits.
Taxonomic
affinity: Gynochthodes
cochinchinensis has morphological similarities
with its closely related species Gynochthodes
umbellata but both can be distinguished from each
other by some distinct vegetative and floral characters. A comparative
morphological differences between the two species is presented in Table 1.
Table 1. Comparison of
morphological characters of Gynochthodes umbellata and Gynochthodes
cochinchinensis.
|
Morphological characters |
Gynochthodes umbellata |
Gynochthodes cochinchinensis |
|
Branches |
Glabrous, shiny and smooth,
when young weakly angled often channelled, bluish-black to reddish-brown. |
Scarbulous, rough and hard,
when young densely ferruginous or yellow villosulous,
quadrangular, dark brown to greyish-brown. |
|
Leaves |
Petiole 0.4─0.6 cm in length, glabrous, adaxially shiny and greenish, mid vein pale
brown or brownish-black, abaxially matte, greenish. |
Petiole 0.9─1.0 cm in length,
pubescence, adaxially sparsely strigose to strigillose,
mid vein light green to greenish-white, abaxially densely ferruginous or
yellow hirtellous to villosulous.
|
|
Secondary veins |
4─5 pairs. |
14─15 pairs. |
|
Stipules |
Fused into a tube, 2─6 mm, scarious to membranous, puberulous,
broadly rounded to truncate |
Fused into the tube or spathe,
1cm, densely hispidulous to hispid, broadly
triangular to truncate. |
|
Peduncles |
Peduncles 3─11, fasciculate,
umbellate, or shortly racemiform, 4─11 mm, puberulous
to glabrescent. |
Peduncles 8─15, umbellate, 4─5
cm, densely ferruginous or yellow hirtellous. |
|
Limb |
Limb 0.2─0.8 mm in length,
truncate to denticulate. |
Limb 3─4 mm in length, unequal
or reflexed. |
|
Flower |
Calyx glabrous,
truncate to denticulate. Corolla campanulate, outside glabrous
to puberulent; tube 1.2 mm, inside densely villous from middle to throat;
lobes 4 or 5, narrowly oblong to ligulate, 2.2─3.0 mm, apically thickened and
hooked. |
Calyx with hypanthium portion
densely strigose to strigillose. Corolla rotate to
salver-shaped, lower surface pilosulous, upper part
of petal hispidulous, inside densely villous
throughout the tube onto lobes; tube 1.5 mm; lobes 4 to 5, narrowly oblong to
lanceolate, 4.0─4.5 mm, apically thickened. |
For
figure & images - - click here
References
Blume, C.L. (1827). Gynochthodes.
In: Bijdragen tot de flora van Nederlandsch
Indie. 16: 993.
Bremer, B. (2009). A review of molecular
phylogenetic studies of Rubiaceae. Annals of the
Missouri Botanical Garden 96(1): 4–26. https://doi.org/10.3417/2006197
Bremer, B. & J.F. Manen (2000). Phylogeny and classification of the subfamily Rubioideae (Rubiaceae). Plant
Systematics and Evolution 225(1–4): 43–72. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00985458
Bremer, B. & T. Eriksson
(2009). Time tree of
Rubiaceae; Phylogeny and dating the family,
subfamilies and tribes. International Journal of Plant Sciences 170(6):
766–793. https://doi.org/10.1086/599077
Davis, A.P., R. Govaerts, D.M. Bridson, M. Ruhsam, J. Moat & N.A. Brummitt
(2009). A global
assessment of distribution, diversity, endemism, and taxonomic effort in the Rubiaceae. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden
96: 68–78.
De Candolle, A.P. (1830). Prodromus
systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis. Pars IV: 449. Sumptibus Sociorum Treuttel & Wurtz, Paris. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.286
Johansson, J.T. (1987). Pollen morphology of the tribe Morindeae (Rubiaceae). Grana
26: 134–150.
Loureiro, J.de (1790). Flora cochinchinensis:
sistens plantas in regno Cochinchina nascentes. Volume I:
140. Ulyssipone, Lisbon. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.560
Mabberley, D.J. (2017). Mabberley’s
Plant-Book: A portable dictionary of plants, their classification and uses. 4th
edition. Cambridge Univ. Press. Cambridge.
Razafimandimbison, S.G., C. Rydin & B. Bremer
(2008). Evolution
and trends in the psychotrieae alliance (Rubiaceae)—A rarely reported evolutionary change of
many-seeded carpels from one-seeded carpels. Molecular Phylogenetics and
Evolution 48: 207–223. https://doi.10.1016/j.ympev.2008.03.034
Razafimandimbison, S.G., T.D. McDowell, D.A.
Halford & B. Bremer (2009). Molecular phylogenetics and generic assessment in the
tribe Morindeae (Rubiaceae-Rubioideae):
How to circumscribe Morinda L. to be
monophyletic? Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 52(3): 879–886. https://doi.10.1016/j.ympev.2009.04.007
Razafimandimbison, S.G. & B. Bremer (2011). Nomenclatural changes and
taxonomic notes in the tribe Morindeae (Rubiaceae). Adansonia (sér. 3) 33(2): 283–309. https://doi.10.5252/a2011n2a13
Robbrecht, E. (1988). Tropical Woody Rubiaceae. Opera Botanica Belgica
1: 1–271.
Suratman (2018). The genus Gynochthodes (Rubiaceae)
in Sumatra. Blumea 62: 230–239. https://doi.org/10.3767/blumea.2018.62.03.05