Journal of Threatened Taxa |
www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 February 2020 | 12(3): 15400–15404
ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893
(Print)
doi: https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.5673.12.3.15400-15404
#5673 | Received 01 January 2020 | Final
received 07 February 2020 | Finally accepted 11 February 2020
Record of Oldenlandia
hygrophila Bremek. (Spermacoceae: Rubiaceae), a lesser known herb from Palghat Gap of Western
Ghats, Kerala, India
Vadakkeveedu Jagadesh
Aswani 1, Vasudevan Ambat
Rekha 2, Pathiyil Arabhi
3, Manjakulam Khadhersha
Jabeena 4, Kunnamkumarath
Jisha 5 & Maya Chandrashekaran
Nair 6
1,2,4,5,6 Post Graduate and
Research Department of Botany, Govt. Victoria College (University of Calicut),
Palakkad, Kerala 678001, India.
2 Department of Botany,
Mercy College (University of Calicut), Palakkad, Kerala 678006, India.
3 Department of Botany,
Baselius College (Mahatma Gandhi University),
Kottayam, Kerala 686001, India.
1 aswaniv0@gmail.com (corresponding author), 2 vasudevanrekha94@gmail.com, 3
arabhip1@gmail.com, 4 jabeena1993@gmail.com,
5 balujisha@gmail.com, 6 drmayadhoni@gmail.com
Editor: K.P. Rajesh, Zamorin’s
Guruvayurappan College, Calicut, India. Date
of publication: 26 February 2020 (online & print)
Citation: Aswani, V.J., V.A. Rekha,
P. Arabhi, M.K. Jabeena, K.
Jisha & M.C. Nair (2020). Record of Oldenlandia hygrophila Bremek. (Spermacoceae: Rubiaceae), a
lesser known herb from Palghat Gap of Western Ghats, Kerala, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 12(3): 15400–15404. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.5673.12.3.15400-15404
Copyright: © Aswani 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: Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), Govt. of Kerala,
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
Acknowledgements: First author and Jisha K. sincerely acknowledge financial support provided
under the research fellowship programme and back-to-lab scheme by Kerala State
Council for Science Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), Govt. of Kerala. Jabeena, M.K.
acknowledges The Council of Scientific and Research Institute (CSIR) for the
financial assistance. Authors like to extend sincere thanks to Director of
Collegiate Education, Govt. of Kerala, and Principal, Govt. Victoria College,
Palakkad for infrastructural support and encouragement. Authors are grateful to
Prof. R. Vasudevan Nair, Rtd.
Professor of Botany, Govt. Victoria College, Palakkad and Dr.
K. M. Prabhukumar, CMPR, Kottakkal
for their valuable comments in confirming the identity of the taxa. Rekha
Vasudevan A., acknowledges University Grants Commission for granting FDP and
authorities of Mercy College, Palakkad for necessary permissions in pursuing
research. The authors sincerely acknowledge the support from Department of
Forests, Govt. of Kerala for necessary permissions and assistance in exploring
the forests of Palakkad District.
The genus Oldenlandia
L. (1753) belonging to the tribe Spermacoceae
Chamisso & Schlechtendal ex de Candolle (1830) of the
family Rubiaceae is well distributed in the tropical
and subtropical regions of the world (Govaerts et al.
2013). In India, the occurrence of the
genus Oldenlandia is often debated with
variable number of citations as 27 species (Hooker 1880) in the Flora of
British India and 45 species (Gamble & Fischer 1923) in the Madras
Presidency region alone. Estimates
reveal the documentation of 14 species and one variety from the state of Kerala
(Sasidharan 2011; Jose et al. 2015; Soumya et al.
2017).
Materials and Methods
During the
exploratory studies on the floristic diversity of granitic hillocks in Walayar forest range of southern Western Ghats, the authors
came across this taxon growing on the rocky outcrops near the dam site of Malampuzha in Palakkad District in July 2017. The specimens of the taxon were procured and
herbarium was prepared using standard herbarium procedures. The plant specimens were characterised,
measured and illustrated.
The specimen was
identified to be Oldenlandia hygrophila Bremek. collected
by Prof. Vasudevan Nair in 1972 cited from Malampuzha dam vicinity of Palakkad District (Bremekamp 1974) and confirmed the taxa from the type
specimens deposited at Kew Herbarium (O. hygrophila:
bar code no: K000031277). Regional
herbaria (MH, KFRI and CALI) were consulted to check the presence of earlier
collections of the taxon and found that N. Sasidharan
had collected the taxa from Thrissur District in 1987 (Acc. No. KFRI 6945,
collection No: N.S. 4635). Later, the
taxa was reported from Muthanga region of Wayanad
District in Kerala by Ratheesh Narayanan (RNMK 2228) in 2009. The taxon was not able to relocate from its
type locality after its first collection by Prof. R.
Vasudevan Nair in 1972. The acronyms for
the herbaria follow the Index Herbariorum (Thiers
2018). The protologues of the allied
taxa Oldenlandia pumila (L.f.)
DC. and Oldenlandia dineshii
Sojan & V. Suresh
were also compared.
Oldenlandia hygrophila Bremek.,
Kew Bull. 29: 359. 1974; Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 435. 2009. Hedyotis hygrophila (Bremek.) Bennet, Journ.
Econ. Tax. Bot. 4: 592. 1983; Sasidharan et al., Bot.
Stud. Med. Pl. Kerala 18. 1996; Sasidh. & Sivar., Fl. Pl. Thrissur For. 221. 1996; Dutta & Deb,
Taxonomic Revision Hedyotis 140. 2004 (Figure 1 and
Images 1,2).
Annual, erect, branched or unbranched herbs, 25–130 mm tall.
Entire plant with sparsely distributed setiform
cuticular protuberances. Stem
quadrangular, minutely winged when old.
Stipules connate, interpetiolar, 1.5–2 mm long, 1–1.2 mm wide, with
three bristles, middle one longer than the other two. Leaves sessile, 5–12 mm × 2–5 mm, linear
lanceolate, 1–nerved, lamina base attenuate, margins recurved. Flowers axillary solitary, 3–3.5 mm long,
corolla lobes not spreading when open.
Pedicel slender, 6–10 mm, hypanthium ovoid and both laden with setiform cuticular protuberances. Calyx lobes 4, 1.5–2 mm × 0.8–1 mm, reaching
one fourth of the corolla tube, margins entire, apex acute. Corolla blue, tube 2–2.2 mm long, lobe 1mm long,
oblong, apex acute, glabrous outside and with small
hyaline hairs inside at the base.
Stamens 4, inserted, adnate to sinus of corolla lobes, introrse. Filaments
0.25mm long, glabrous. Anthers linear 0.75mm. Style 1.5mm long, glabrous. Stigma bilobed, 1mm, densely papillose. Ovary 1×1mm, 2–celled, many ovuled in axile
placentation. Capsule sub-globose, 2×2
mm, loculicidally dehiscent from apex, with slightly
raised crown above. Seeds numerous,
trigonal, reticulate 0.3×0.2 mm.
Specimens examined: 361 (GVCH ),
24 vii 2017, INDIA: Kerala: Palakkad District, Walayar
range, Akathethara section, Koomachimala,
10.829°N, 76.676°E, 14m, coll. Aswani & Maya;
177855 (MH) 24.vii.2017, INDIA: Kerala: Palakkad District, Walayar
range, Akathethara section, Koomachimala,
10.829°N, 76.676°E, 14m, coll. Aswani & Maya;
7004 (CALI) 24.vii.2017, INDIA: Kerala: Palakkad District, Walayar
range, Akathethara section, Koomachimala,
10.829°N, 76.676°E, 14m, coll. Aswani & Maya.;
399 (GVCH) 12.viii.2017, INDIA: Kerala: Palakkad District, Walayar
range, Akathethara section, Malampuzha
(Koomachimala), 10.834°N, 76.680°E, 48m, coll. Aswani & Arabhi; 543 (GVCH)
15.ix.2017, INDIA: Kerala: Palakkad District, Walayar
range, Akathethara section, Dhoni
Hills, Neelippara, 10.8647°N, 76.6282°E, 282m, coll. Aswani & Rekha; 4173 (GVCH) 08.vii.2019, INDIA: Kerala:
Palakkad District, Walayar range, Akathethara
section, Malampuzha (Koomachimala),
10.829°N, 76.676°E, 15m, coll. Aswani & Jabeena (GVCH– Government Victoria College Herbarium).
Phenology: Flowering: June–August; Fruiting:
July–September.
Distribution: India, Kerala: Palakkad,
Wayanad, Thrissur districts.
Additional specimens examined: K000031277
(K), s.n. 1972, India, Kerala, Malampuzha
near Palghat hardly 100m below, coll. R. Vasudevan Nair; 6945(KFRI), Collection
no: N.S. 4635, 22.ix.1987, Peechi, Thrissur, coll. N.
Sasidharan.
Ecology: This plant grows at an elevation of
14–252m in hydro geomorphic exposed rock surfaces along with Drosera indica L., Utricularia lazulina P.Taylor, U. graminifolia Vahl, Indigofera uniflora Buch. - Ham. ex Roxb.,
Desmodium triflorum
(L.) DC. and Polygala persicariifolia DC.
Threat status: This taxon could not be
recollected from its earlier reported locations of forest areas in Thrissur and
Wayanad districts of Kerala except from its type locality near Malampuzha Village very near to Malampuzha
Dam region of Palakkad District, Kerala after its first collection in
1972. Exhaustive surveys across Palghat
gap region covering the nearby forest ranges also could not locate the
taxon. This gives us evidence of its
narrow distributional range and that it can considered endemic to southern
Western Ghats (restricted to Kerala).
Till date, the taxon’s existence was doubted due to lack of collection
or further reports. This may be the
reason that the taxon has not yet been evaluated as per the IUCN Red List
2019. Since the population size is very
small, distributed in a narrow stretch of hydro-geomorphic habitats of less
than 10km2, the taxon can be assigned the status of Critically
Endangered (CR) as per IUCN version 2019-3 (IUCN 2019).
Taxonomic delineation of Oldenlandia
hygrophila from O. dineshii
and O. pumila
Oldenlandia hygrophila is
similar to O. dineshii in quadrangular stem
and possession of blue flowers, but differs in the presence of setiform cuticular protuberance all over the plant,
solitary axillary flowers smaller in size (2.5–3.0 x 1.5–2.0 mm), corolla lobes
not spreading when open, sepals reaching one fourth the length of corolla tube,
corolla tube glabrous outside, but with hyaline hairs at the base inside and
glabrous staminal filaments. O. hygrophila
differs from O. pumila in having erect nature
of plant, linear-lanceolate leaves, solitary axillary blue flowers, shorter
pedicels, calyx lobes reaching one-fourth the level of corolla lobes, corolla
with minute hyaline hairs at the base of corolla tube inside and with
sub–globose capsule. Comparison of
taxonomic characters of O. hygrophila with O.
dineshii and O. pumila
is given in Table 1.
Table 1. Taxonomic delineation of
Oldenlandia hygrophila
from O. dineshii and O. pumila
|
Taxonomic Trait |
Oldenlandia hygrophila |
O. dineshii |
O. pumila |
|
Habit |
Erect herb, branched and
unbranched, 25–130 mm tall |
Erect herb, dichotomously
branched 50–200 mm tall |
Branched prostrate or diffuse
herbs |
|
Stem |
4–angled, minutely winged with setiform cuticular protuberances |
4–angled, minutely winged, glabrous |
Acutely angular, minutely
dentate on ribs |
|
Leaf |
Linear-lanceolate, setiform cuticular protuberances present, 5–12 × 2–5 mm |
Linear-lanceolate, sparsely scabrid, 10–20 × 5–8 mm |
Elliptic-lanceolate, 7–18 x 1–6
mm |
|
Leaf margin and leaf apex |
Entire with regular setiform cuticular protuberances, recurved, apex acute,
base attenuate |
Apex acute, base attenuate |
Scabrid above along margin
and midrib below |
|
Stipules |
Bristles 3, 1.5–2 mm long, base
broad up to 1–1.2 mm, middle one longer than other two |
Bristles 2–3, 2–4 mm long, base
broad up to 5mm. |
Bristles 2–5, 2–3 mm long |
|
Inflorescence |
Axillary, solitary flowers
alternating at nodes |
Axillary, solitary or terminal
2–4 flowered cyme |
Solitary or 2–flowered cyme |
|
Flowers |
3–3.5 mm long, blue |
5–7 mm long, blue, campanulate |
3–4 mm long, white |
|
Pedicel |
6–10 mm |
4–6 mm long |
10–15 mm long |
|
Hypanthium |
Ovoid with setiform
cuticular protuberances |
Ovoid, puberulous |
Ovoid |
|
Level of calyx lobes |
One fourth of corolla tube |
Much below the corolla tube |
Below the level of corolla |
|
Calyx |
Margin entire with setiform cuticular protuberances, apex acute 1.5–2 × 0.8–1
mm long |
Margin setulose,
apex acute, 0.7–1 × 0.5–0.7 mm long |
Margin dentate, lobes 4, rarely
5, ovate–lanceolate or triangular, apex acute, 0.5–0.6 mm long |
|
Corolla |
Lobes not spreading, tube 2–2.2 mm long, lobes 1mm long, oblong,
acute at tip, glabrous outside and minute hyaline
hairs at the base of corolla tube inside, apex slightly reflexed |
Broadly campanulate, tube 2.5–4
mm long, lobes 2.5–3.5 mm long, minutely pubescent outside glabrous inside, apex reflexed |
2mm long, tube 1.2–1.3 mm long,
pubescent at throat; lobes 0.5–0.8 x 0.5–0.6 mm, ovate, acute, incurved at
apex. |
|
Stamens |
Inserted, filaments 0.25mm
long, glabrous |
Inserted, filaments 0.7–1 mm
long, hairy |
Included, filaments 0.2–0.3 mm
long |
|
Anther |
0.75mm |
1–1.2 mm |
3–4 mm long |
|
Stigma |
Bilobed, papilose |
Bifid, hispid |
Bilobed, papillose fleshy,
tufted hairy |
|
Capsule |
Sub–globose 2×2 mm |
Ovoid, 2.5–3 × 1.5–2.5 mm |
Ellipsoid or oblong-ovoid |
|
Seed |
Many, angular, with minor
grooves 0.2–0.3 x 0.2–0.3 mm |
Many, angular 0.3–0.5 x 0.3–0.5
mm |
Many, 0.7 x 0.1 mm, angular |
For
figure & images - - click here
References
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