Journal of Threatened Taxa |
www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 August 2024 | 16(8): 25774–25778
ISSN 0974-7907
(Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print)
https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.9168.16.8.25774-25778
#9168 | Received 11
February 2024 | Final received 20 April 2024 | Finally accepted 31 July 2024
Lindernia tamilnadensis (Linderniaceae)
from Indo-Gangetic plains: no more endemic to the Deccan
Umama Khan 1, Revan Yogesh
Chaudhari 2, Bhupendra Singh Adhikari 3, Syed Ainul Hussain 4 & Ruchi Badola
5
1–5 Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India.
1 umamakhan93@gmail.com
(corresponding author), 2 revanchaudhari2220@gmail.com, 3 adhikaribs@wii.gov.in,
4 ainul.hussain@gmail.com, 5 ruchi@wii.gov.in
Editor: Aparna Watve,
Biome Conservation Foundation, Pune, India. Date of publication: 26 August
2024 (online & print)
Citation: Khan, U., R.Y. Chaudhari, B.S. Adhikari, S.A. Hussain & R. Badola (2024). Lindernia
tamilnadensis (Linderniaceae)
from Indo-Gangetic plains: no more endemic to the Deccan. Journal of Threatened Taxa 16(8): 25774–25778. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.9168.16.8.25774-25778
Copyright: © Khan et al. 2024. 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: National Mission for Clean Ganga, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India.
Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
Acknowledgements: This study was funded through
the projects “Biodiversity Conservation and Ganga Rejuvenation” No.
B-02/2015-16/1259/NMCG-WII-PROPOSAL and “Planning & Management for Aquatic
Species Conservation and Maintenance of Ecosystem Services in the Ganga River
Basin” B-03/2015-16/1077/NMCG–NEW PROPOSAL). The funding agency has no role in designing study,
collection, analysis, interpretation of data, and writing the manuscript. We
acknowledge the help and support provided by the director and dean, WII in
executing this study. We extend our gratitude to Ms. Nidhi Singh for her
assistance in preparing the location map for the recorded species. We also
thank Dr. Tanveer Khan, Dr.
Navendu Page, and Prof. Dilipkumar Undirwade for their
help in species identification and for sharing their expertise in plant
taxonomy.
Abstract: This study documents the first
record of Lindernia tamilnadensis
(M.G.Prasad & Sunojkumar) in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,
Jharkhand, and West Bengal. Previously, 16 species of Lindernia
have been reported from different parts of India. The newly acquired specimen
exhibits distinct morphological characteristics compared to previously
described taxa from the Indo-Gangetic plains. A brief description, field notes,
photographs, location, and distribution of the species are provided to
facilitate identification.
Keywords: Amphibious hydrophytes, Bihar,
Ganga River Basin, Jharkhand, range extension, tributaries, Tamil Nadu, Uttar
Pradesh, West Bengal, Western Ghats wetland.
A biogeographic zone is a
geographic region characterized by a distinct set of species and ecological
communities that differ from those in other zones. India has been classified into 10
biogeographic zones, further subdivided into 27 biogeographic provinces
(Rodgers & Panwar 1988; Singh & Kushwaha 2008). Among these, the
Indo-Gangetic plains are particularly notable for their fertile alluvial soil,
which sustains extensive agriculture, and rich diversity of wild flora, each
uniquely adapted to the region’s environmental conditions.
Linderniaceae is a family of flowering plants
consisting of nearly 25 genera recorded from all around the world (POWO 2024).
Quite recently segregated from Schrophulariaceae
based on molecular studies and the presence of an abaxial staminal filament, Linderniaceae is now recognized as a separate family
confirming its monophyly. The centers of diversity of this family are situated
in southeastern Asia and Africa (Fischer 1992).
The genus Lindernia
comprises 200 species, catalogued throughout the tropical and temperate regions
of the world (Lewis 2000). It is characterized by the presence of a unique
abaxial staminal filament with club shaped appendage (Rahmanzadeh
et al. 2005). So far, a total of 28 species, one subspecies, and one variety
have been reported from India (Mukherjee 1945; Sivarajan
& Mathew 1983; Tandyekkal & Mohanan 2010).
The genus Lindernia
is mainly characterized by erect or prostrate annual herbs. They have opposite,
petiolate or sessile leaves. In most cases, the margins of leaf blades are
toothed, while in rare instances they are entire whet veins can be pinnate or
palmate. Axillary or terminal inflorescences, racemose or pseudo-umbellate,
occasionally in panicles or appear solitary. Flowers are either opposite or
alternate and sometimes pedicellate. Usually, bracteoles are missing. Five-
lobed calyx can be parted, or split on one side, equal or subequal. Corolla of
the lower lip is larger and extended, while the upper lip is erect. Typically, four
fertile stamens or two anterior reduced where filaments are appendaged.
Coherent anthers or apex of locules of anterior ones
are either pointed or spurred, mostly two-lamellated styles. Seeds are small
and numerous.
Methods
The present study was conducted
to survey the plant diversity along the Ganga, Gandak,
Ajay, Rupnarayan, and Damodar
rivers in February 2024. Transects were laid, both perpendicular and parallel
to the river to document plant diversity in the high flood line (riparian
zone). During this survey, we encountered an intriguing Lindernia
species growing alongside L. rotundifolia in
the riparian zones. Specimens of the species were collected for further
examination, and detailed photographs were taken to record its habit, habitat,
leaves, stem, and flowers. A few specimens were processed by following standard
method (Rao & Sharma 1990) and deposited in the Herbarium of Wildlife
Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India. On critical examination with the
help of relevant literature, the specimen was confirmed as L. tamilnadensis Prasad & Sanojkumar.
Through the available literature from the states; Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,
Jharkhand, and West Bengal (David 1903;
Haines 1921–1925; Bennet 1979; Verma 1981; Guha 1984;
Naskar 1993; Bhattacharya & Hajra
1998; Bandyopadhyay & Mukherjee 2005; Singh & Ali 2008; Maliya & Bhaskar 2010; Chowdhury & Das 2010; Mandal
& Mukherjee 2012; Singh et al. 2013; Singh 2015; Mukherjee & Kumar
2020; Paul & Kumar 2023) it was established that the species is no longer
confined or endemic to southern India and has marked its presence in northern
Indian states, especially in the Gangetic plains.
L. tamilnadensis was described from Vijayanarayanam village of Tamil Nadu (Prasad & Kumar
2014). L. tamilnadensis is allied to
well-known L. rotundifolia but can be
differentiated by characters like coloured blotches
at each corolla lobe, lanceolate calyx lobes, absence of trichomes at the base
of the anterior corolla lobes, undeflexed fruiting
pedicels, and globose capsules, and said to be endemic to Western Ghats. Undirwade (2020) reported this species from northern
Maharashtra.
A brief description,
location/maps, field notes, and photographs are provided for the identification
of the species. Hence, this paper can serve as a new distribution for L. tamilnadensis from the Gangetic plains covering four
states viz. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
Results
Lindernia tamilnadensis Prasad & Sunojkumar.
Annual, erect
or prostrate tufted semi-aquatic herb, stilt roots (from basal nodes of the
stem), roughly 15 cm high. Stem herbaceous, weak, smooth (no hair or
projections), 4-angled, slender, branches projecting from the base; internodes
roughly 2.5 cm long. Leaves sessile, 0.4–1.5 × 0.5–1.2 cm, ovate, subcordate base, apex acute or sometimes rounded, margins
entire (older parts) & dentate at apex, glabrous, distinct veins, basally
3–5 nerved, lamina glandular, and punctate. Flowers solitary, axillary,
pedicellate, arranged alternately on leaf axils, one per node; pedicel hairy
& slender; fruiting pedicel are erect and glabrous. Calyx 1.5–2.5 mm long,
5-lobed, deeply lobed, glandular outside, lanceolate lobes, apex acute. Corolla
3–5 mm long, 2-lipped, white with deep-purple or pale blue blotches on lower lip;
corolla tube cylindrical, 3–5 mm long, glabrous hairy; lower lip-3 distinct
lobes, rounded, glabrous; upper lip has a small notch or indentation.
Staminodes 2-perfect stamens, filaments usually 1 mm long, glabrous, glandular
hairy throughout, dense yellow glandular hairs at the base of filaments, and
corolla tube below, bluish purple towards apex, a distinct spur present just
below the staminodal apex, anthers 2- lobed, lobes
ovate, acute. Gynoecium 3–3.1 mm long, ovary 1.0 × 0.5 mm, bicarpellary, syncarpous, ovate-acute, sub-globose, glabrous/hairy; style
roughly 2 mm long, glabrous; stigma bilobed & simple. The fruit is a
globose capsule, 2.5 × 2 mm; capsule spherical, globose, glabrous, shiny,
exceeding the length of persistent calyx. Seeds 0.3 × 0.15 mm, minute,
distinctly 5-ridged, numerous, golden yellowish.
Specimen in herbarium (with
accession number): West Bengal (Rupnarayan, WII/NMCG/UK/22212)
and Jharkhand (Damodar, WII/NMCG/UK/22214 and Ajay,
WII/NMCG/UK/22213)
Flowering and fruiting: July to March.
Ecology: Grows primarily in marshy
habitats and also as marginal plant alongside flowing waters, along with Grangea maderaspatana,
Wahlenbergia marginata,
Torenia crustacea, Gnaphalium
polycaulon, Eclipta
alba, Glinus oppositifolius.
Distribution: India: Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra,
Gujarat, and now from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Jharkhand.
Photographic evidences: Uttar Pradesh and Bihar (Image
1)
Table 1. A comparative analysis of Lindernia
tamilnadensis Prasad & Sunojkumar
with other closely related species of northern India, L. rotundifolia
(L.) Alston.
|
Distinguishing characters |
L. tamilnadensis Prasad & Sunojkumar |
L. rotundifolia (L.) Alston |
|
Calyx |
Calyx lobes 2.5–4.2 mm long and
are unequal with sparsely scattered glandular hairs. |
Calyx lobes are 7–9.2 mm long
and are equal with dense glandular hairs. |
|
Corolla |
Almost less than half the size
of L. rotundifoila (1 × 1 mm) and trichomes
absent at base of lobes. |
About 3.5 × 3 mm with trichomes
present at the base of lobes. |
|
Staminode |
0.5–0.6 mm long |
2–2.2 mm long |
|
Pedicel |
Deflexed or undeflexed
during fruiting |
Undeflexed during fruiting |
Table 2. Locations of Lindernia
tamilnadensis Prasad & Sunojkumar,
for the specimens recorded from Indo-Gangetic plains.
|
River |
Latitude/Longitude |
Elevation (m) |
Location |
|
Ganga |
25.339°N, 87.261°E |
48 |
Bateshwar, Bhagalpur
District, Bihar |
|
Gandak |
26.667°N, 84.360°E |
99 |
Jabahi Dayal, Kushinagar District,
Uttar Pradesh |
|
Rupnarayan |
22.706°N, 87.738°E |
16 |
Dirghagram, Paschim Medinipur District, West Bengal |
|
Damodar |
23.643°N, 85.525°E |
331 |
Ramgarh cantonment, Hazaribagh
District, Jharkhand |
|
Ajay |
23.618°N, 87.709°E |
58 |
Bolpur, Birbhum District, West Bengal |
|
Ajay |
23.732°N, 87.278°E |
79 |
Bhimgara, Birbhum District, West Bengal |
For figure
& image - - click here for full PDF
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