Journal of Threatened
Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 November 2024 | 16(11): 26180–26184
ISSN 0974-7907
(Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print)
https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.9406.16.11.26180-26184
#9406 | Received 05
September 2024 | Final received 05 October 2024 | Finally accepted 31 October
2024
Habenaria spencei
(Orchidaceae): rediscovery other than its type locality and
new distribution record to Karnataka, India
Shreyas Betageri
1 & Katrahalli
Kotresha 2
1,2 Taxonomy and Floristic
Laboratory, Department of UG, PG and Research in Botany, Karnatak
University’s, Karnataka Science College, Dharwad, Karnataka 580001, India.
1 shreyasbetgari@gmail.com
(corresponding author), 2 kotresh_sk@yahoo.com
Editor: V.B. Sreekumar, Kerala Forest Research
Institute, Peechi, India. Date
of publication: 26 November 2024 (online & print)
Citation: Betageri, S. & K. Kotresha (2024). Habenaria spencei (Orchidaceae): rediscovery other than its type locality and
new distribution record to Karnataka, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 16(11):
26180–26184. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.9406.16.11.26180-26184
Copyright: © Betageri & Kotresha
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: Karnatak University research fellowship
(URS) for research programme.
Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
Acknowledgements: Authors are thankful to Karnatak University’s scholarship for University research
scholarship. Authors are thankful to Prashant Kardhakatti
during the field survey.
Orchidaceae are one of the largest families
in the world comprising about 26,000 species (Mabberley
2017). Habenaria is the genus, comprises about
898 species (Choudhury 2012; Mabberley 2017; POWO
2024). India contributes 64 species (Singh et al. 2019a,b;
Prasad 2019; Prasad & Naik 2020). The flowering plants of Western Ghats,
India represents 38 Habenaria (Nayar et al. 2014) where Karnataka has a record of 28
species (Lakshminarasimhan et al. 2019; Sringeshwara & Sanjappa 2019;
Ravikumar et al. 2021). Orchids of Maharashtra reports 23 Habenaria
species in which Habneraia spencei is not recorded (Jalal 2019). Total 40 species
were recorded for Western Ghats of which 24 species are endemic. After
reviewing recent available literature on Habenaria
from India and abroad, it revealed that the genus was represented by 66 species
with 30 endemic species to India (Dangat & Gurav 2015).
During our field survey in the
Western Ghats of Karnataka, authors collected Habenaria
from Shri Seetalayanagiri temple road, on the way to Mullayanagiri Peak, Chikkamagaluru
district. After analysis of the specimen, is identified as Habenaria
spencei Blatt. & McCann. The species which
was never been collected since its type collection from Mahableshwar,
Fitzgerald Ghat in dense jungle at 1,220m altitude in
(McCann type: BLAT3026; Cotype: BLAT3027) on 28
August 1930 (Blatter & McCann 1932). May be this species is confused and
has not been reported by any other authors from that location until now. So,
after 94 years it has been rediscovered other than its type location with 10–15
individuals at one location at 1,624 m. This species has not been reported from
Karnataka State until now (Image 2). Habenaria
spencei Blatter and McCann has got a new
distribution record to Karnataka, other than its type location Mahableshwar, Maharashtra after 94 years.
Taxonomic treatment
Habenaria spencei Blatt. & McCann, J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 36: 17
(1932). Habenaria gibsonii
var. foliosa (A. Rich.) Santapau & Kapadia J. Bomb. Nat. Hist. Soc. 56: 194
(1959); Habenaria foliosa
A. Rich. Dangat & Gurav,
Studies Genus Habenaria, 75. (2015).
Type: McCann type: BLAT 3026; cotype: BLAT 3027
Terrestrial, up to 20–60 cm tall.
Tubers ellipsoid, 1–2, greyish-black. Leaves arranged 8–12 cm above ground.
Leaves alternate forming leaf sheaths, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate apex,
margin wavy, 3 main nerved, 8–12 × 3–4 cm. Flowers in lax
raceme of 5–12 flowers, 1.5 × 1 cm, scape yellowish-green turns scarlet light
pink after pollination of flowers. Bracts 1.5 cm long, linear-lanceolate,
1-nerved, covering width of half ovary. Flower pale green, faintly scented, ca.
2 × 1 cm. Dorsal sepal boat-shaped, 3-nerved, ovate-acuminate, ca. 8 mm long.
Lateral sepals lanceolate-acute, 1-nerved, sickle shape, 8 mm long, reflexed
backward. Labellum tri-partite, mid lobe straight linear, 10 mm long, side
lobes smaller than mid lobe and recurved backward. Petals bi-partite, linear,
recurved upwards, and 5.5 mm long. The ovary is twisted, 1.2 cm across, green,
and brown when mature. The spur is attached to the labellum, flat, shorter than
the ovary, and 1 cm long. Stigma clavate-oblong, appressed to the labellum. Pollinaria sac upcurved, rostellum
shorter, obtusely triangular. Pollinarium is present in two sacks, one pair
with a viscidium pad at the base, and 1.5 mm long. The fruit is brown with
ridges (Image 1).
Ecology and phenology: prefers forest undergrowth and grows at more than 1,220 m
altitude. Flowering starts in August followed by fruit.
Associations: Habenaria spencei is
associated with Malaxsis versicolor, Peristylus aristatus,
Liparis wightiana,
Lycopodium sp., Funaria sp., and
Paspalum sp.
Threats: As the location of
species is not in protected area, may be in future it may go to extinct, as
this species found its particular location with threats like small landslides,
road widening and coffee plantations.
Geographic disjunction: As first
type specimen is collected from Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra at 4,000 m.
Therefore, this species is very common at high altitudes under tree shades.
This species has been collected from Kolaphur
(Maharashtra), Gudehalli gudda
(Karwar), Mullayanagiri peak (Chikkamagaluru
district) and Pusphgiri Hills (Kodagu). The altitude
mentioned above provides a clue for us to explore other unexplored places in
the Western Ghats to learn more about this species.
Species examined: India,
Karnataka, Shri Sitalayyanagiri Gudi
road, on the way to Mullayanagiri peak, Chikkamagaluru district, 13.3873N, 75.7070E, 23 August
2024, Shreyas B. & K. Kotresha, Herbarium of Karnatak Science College, Dharwad (HKSCD) [20372] (Image
3).
IUCN Threat Assessment: After
several investigations throughout the Shri Seetalayanagiri
temple road, on the way to Mullayanagiri peak
observed with 5–10 individuals in two spots. This species is not present on
adjacent hills near Bababudangiri Hills, as this
species has threats like small landslides, road widening, and coffee
plantations. As per IUCN Red List status, this species is ‘Data Deficient’
(IUCN 2024).
Historical context: Habenaria spencei
was first time discovered by Blatter & McCann in August 1930. Later Santapau & Kapadia collected the same species (1966)
renamed as conspecific to Habenaria gibsonii var. foliosa
and also reported it from Poona in Deccan, Karwar in N. Kanara (Type: BLAT:
Kapadia 14, 622). Dangat & Gurav
(2015) collected H. spencei, misconception
with Habenaria foliosa
A. Rich (Plate 2C,D) in his doctoral thesis work,
Studies on Systematics of the Genus Habenaria Willd. (Orchidaceae) in Western
Ghats. Patil & Lakshminarasimhan
(2020) recorded six Habenaria species from Pushpgiri Wildlife Sanctuary, misconception Habenaria spencei
Blatt. & McCann with Habenaria digitata Lindl. (Sameer Patil 207358; Plate 7H.) from Kodagu district, Karnataka.
Table 1. A
comparative account of congeneric species (Habenaria
digitata Lindl.; Habenaria gibsonii Hook.f.) (Image 2).
|
Characters |
Habenaria digitata Lindl. |
Habenaria gibsonii Hook.f. |
Habenaria spencei Blatt. & McCann |
|
Habit |
Terrestrial herbs,
20–40 cm tall. Leaves arranged 5 cm above ground. |
Terrestrial herbs,
20–50 cm tall. Leaves arranged 6–8 cm above ground. |
Terrestrial herbs,
20–60 cm tall. Leaves arranged 8–12 cm above ground. |
|
Leaves |
Leaves alternate,
coriaceous 4–8 x 2–4 cm, elliptic-lanceolate, acute apex, entire, 3-nerved,
pale green. |
Leaves alternate,
not-coriaceous, 3–5 x 1.2 cm, ovate- lanceolate, acute apex, wavy margins,
1-nerved, pale green. |
Leaves alternate,
8–12 × 3–4 cm, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate apex, margin wavy, 3-nerved, dark
green |
|
Inflorescence |
Densely arranged |
Densely arranged |
Laxly arranged |
|
Flower |
Yellowish-green,
sweet-scented, 2.5 cm long |
Whitish-green,
foul-scented, 2 cm long |
Yellowish-green,
foul- scented, 2.5 cm long |
|
Sepals |
Ovate, 1 cm long,
oblique 8 mm long. |
Boat-shaped, 5 mm
long, ovate, 5 mm long |
Boat-shaped, 8 mm
long, sickle-shaped, 8 mm long. |
|
Petal |
Linear,
sub-falcate, 1 cm long |
Petals are
bi-partite, sickle-shaped, 4 mm long. |
Petals bi-partite,
recurved upwards, 5.5 mm long. |
|
Labellum |
Labellum 3 partite,
yellowish-green, 1.2 cm long; mid lobe equal to sidelobes; sidelobes broad,
acute. |
Labellum 3-partite,
greenish-white, 1 cm long; mid lobe larger than sidelobes; sidelobes linear,
acute. |
Labellum 3-partite,
yellowish-green, 1 cm long, side lobes smaller than mid lobe and recurved
backward |
|
Spur |
1.4 cm long,
yellow- green, fully flat all along. |
1.2 cm long,
greenish-white, flat at the tip. |
1 cm long,
yellowish green, flat all along. |
For
images - - click here for full PDF
References
Blatter, E.
& C. McCann (1932). Revision of the Flora of the Bombay Presidency. Part XIX. Journal
of Bombay Natural History Society 36: 17.
Choudhury,
S., S.K. Mukherjee & H.J. Chowdhery (2011). Distribution and diversity of
the genus Habenaria Willdenow
(Orchidaceae) in India, pp. 81–90. In: Recent
Studies in Biodiversity and Traditional Knowledge in India. Gour Mahavidyalaya, Madla.
Dangat, T.B. & R.V. Gurav (2015). Studies on Systematics of the Genus Habenaria Willd. (Orchidaceae) In Western Ghats. Shivaji
University, Kolhapur .
IUCN (2024). The IUCN Red List of Threatened
species. Facilitated by International Union for Conservation of Nature.
https://www.iucnredlist.org. Accessed on 27 September 2024.
Jalal, J.S.,
S.P. Kumar & J. Jayanthi (2019b). Habenaria agasthymalana (Orchidaceae),
a new terrestrial orchid from the southern Western Ghats, India. Lankesteriana 19(2): 93–98. https://doi.org/10.15517/lank.v19i2.38612
Jalal, J.S.
(2019). Orchids
of Maharashtra. Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata.
Lakshminarasimhan, P., S.S. Dash, P. Singh, N.P.
Singh, M.K. Vasudeva, P.S.N. Rao & A.A. Mao (2019). Flora of Karnataka,
Monocotyledons, Vol. 3. Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata.
Mabberley, D.J. (2017). A Portable Dictionary of
Plants, their Classification and Uses, 4th Edition.
Cambridge University Press.
Nayar, T.S., A.R. Beegam
& M. Sibi (2014). Flowering Plants of Western
Ghats, India. Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research
Institute, Kerala.
Patil, C.S. & P. Lakshminarasimhan (2020). Flora of Pushpagiri
Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka. Savitribai Phule Pune University.
POWO (2024). Plants of the World Online.
Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. https://powo.science.kew.org/.
Accessed 27 September 2024.
Prasad, K.
& M.C. Naik (2020). Habenaria rangatensis
(Orchidaceae), a new species from Andaman &
Nicobar Islands, India. Phytotaxa 442(1):
027–032. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.442.1.4
Prasad, K.
(2019). A new
species of Habenaria (Orchidaceae)
from the Western Ghats, India. Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Geography
74(1): 63–66. https://doi.org/10.1080/00837792.2019.1599651
Ravikumar,
K., A.C. Tangavelou & N. Page (2021). Seed Plants of Karnataka, India:
A Concise Dictionary. FRLHT-TDU. Bangalore, 836 pp.
Santapau, H. & Z. Kapadia (1966). The Orchids of Bombay.
Government of India, Calcutta, Delhi, 13–14 pp.
Singh, S.K.,
D.K. Agrawala, J.S. Jalal, S.S. Dash, A.A. Mao &
P. Singh (2019a). Orchids of India, A Pictorial Compendium. Botanical survey of
India, 514–518 pp.
Sringeshwara, A. N. & M. Sanjappa
(2019). Flora of
Karnataka, a Checklist. Vol II. Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. Karnataka Biodiversity Board,
Bangalore, 544 pp.