Asystasia gangetica var. krishnae, 2019

Tandyekkal, Dhruvan, A. G., Pandurangan, Abstract, N. Mohanan, Ghats, Western & Keywords, Kerala., 2019, Asystasia gangetica var. krishnae (Acanthaceae): A new variety from Kerala, India, Rheedea 29 (2), pp. 174-177 : 174-176

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.22244/rheedea.2019.29.2.02
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03B1D82B-FF8E-C957-FF1C-F9C9FA97FD6F
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Asystasia gangetica var. krishnae
status	var. nov.

Treatment

Asystasia gangetica View in CoL (L.) T. Anderson var. krishnae Dhruvan, Pandur. & Mohanan , var. nov. Figs. 1 View Fig & 2 View Fig

Differs from the typical variety in having larger (2–9 cm long), mostly ovate-lanceolate leaves with long-attenuate bases, violet-purple bracts and bracteoles, smaller (1.8-2 cm) simple hairy, corolla limb, and anthers with a vertical violet-black band on the sides.

Received: 28.01.2019; Revised & Accepted: 03.06.2019 Published Online: 30.06.2019

Type: INDIA, Kerala, Kollam district, near Kulathupuzha Range Office , 100 m, 18.04.2017, Dhruvan T . 85005 (holo TBGT!; iso CALI!, MH!).

Procumbent or subscandent herbs, trailing at the base and rooting at the lower nodes, 30−60 cm long; stem branched, quadrangular, puberulent; internodes 2.5−12 cm long; nodes jointed, swollen, 0.2−0.5 cm across. Leaves opposite, decussate; petioles 0.2−6.5 cm long, adpressedpuberulent; lamina mostly ovate-lanceolate, rarely ovate, 2−9 × 2.3−4.4 cm, long-attenuate or rarely obtuse to sub-cordate at base, acuminate to subacute at apex, margins entire, adpressedpuberulent above, puberulent on veins beneath, green, young leaves sometimes with dark purple tinge; lateral veins (5)−7−(8) pairs. Racemes terminal and axillary, 1-sided, spike-like, 12–25 cm long, 6−12-flowered, lax; bracts lanceolate, 0.2 cm long, acute to acuminate at apex, violet-purple, ciliate along margins, persistent; bracteoles similar to bracts, 0.15 cm long. Flowers 1.8−2 cm across, white, with a violet-purple blotch in the middle lobe of lower lip; pedicels 0.08−0.1 cm long, densely puberulent. Calyx tube 0.1 cm long, 5-lobed; sepals 5, linear-lanceolate, 0.3−0.35 cm long, puberulent on the back. Corolla limb sub-orbicular, 1.8−2 cm across; tube funnelshaped, pilose inside below the insertion of the stamens, lower narrow portion 0.5−0.55 cm long, c. 0.25 cm wide, glabrous outside, the upper ventricose portion 0.7−0.8 cm long, 0.7−0.8 cm broad at the mouth, pubescent outside; lobes 5, almost rounded, 0.5− 0.6 cm in expanse. Stamens 4, didynamous, inserted at 0.5 cm above the base of corolla tube, included; filaments of the shorter stamens 0.4−0.5 cm long, longer ones 0.7−0.8 cm long, connate at the base in pairs, glabrous except for few glandular hairs at the base; anthers oblong, c. 0.16 cm long, muticous, spurred, white with a vertical violet-black band on the sides. Ovary oblong-lanceolate, 0.16−0.18 cm long, densely pubescent, basally surrounded by fleshy, dull white, nectariferous disc, 2-celled; ovules 2 in each cell; style linear, 0.8−1 cm long, white, basally hispid; stigma shortly 2-fid, smooth. Capsules clavate, 2.3−2.5 × 0.3−0.35 cm, densely puberulent, opening widely in a reflexed curve. Seeds 3 or 4, suborbicular, compressed, c. 0.3 cm across, subtuberculate, rugose, angular with double dentate margins; margins slightly thickened, lobes slightly defined.

Flowering & fruiting: Throughout the year.

Habitat: Occasionally found in shady places in moist deciduous forests, in loamy-lateritic soils, at an elevation of about 100 m.

Distribution: Hitherto known only from the type locality.

Specimens examined: INDIA, Kerala, Kollam district, Kalladakarikakam, near Madathra , 100 m, 12.09.2017, Dhruvan T85019 ( TBGT!); Attupuram, near Kadakkal, 90 m, 22.10.2018, Dhruvan T85027 ( TBGT!) .

Etymology: The epithet ‘Krishnae’ refers to its violet-black coloured band on the sides of anthers.