Abutilon fruticosum, Guill. & Perr.

Nimbalkar, Varsha Vilasrao & Sardesai, Milind Madhav, 2025, The Genus Abutilon (Malvaceae: Malvoideae) in India: A Taxonomic Revision and Insights from Micromorphology of Seeds, Systematic Botany (Basel, Switzerland) 49 (4), pp. 708-742 : 714-717

3. ABUTILON FRUTICOSUM Guill. & Perr. in Fl. Seneg. Tent. 1: 73. 1832. TYPE: SENEGAL. Suffal, s.d., Lepirieur s.n. (First step lectotype designated by Fryxell 2002: P. Second step lectotype designated here: P-00389227 [photo]! isolectotype: P-00389226 [photo]!) http://coldb.mnhn.fr/catalognumber/mnhn/p/ p00389227

Abutilon texense Torr. & A.Gray in Fl. N. Amer. 1: 23. 1838. TYPE: USA. Texas, between Brazoria and San Felipe, 1835, T. Drummon 43 (lectotype designated here: K-000659595 [photo]! isolectotypes: K-000659594, K-000659596, NY-00188252, GH-00052622, GH-00052623).

Abutilon microphyllum A.Rich. in Tent. Fl. Abyss. 1: 70. 1847. TYPE: ABYSSINIA ( ETHIOPIA), Choho, Petit s.n. (lectotype: designated by Fryxell 1983: P- P00389228 [Photo]!).

Bushy shrubs, up to 1 m tall. Stem light brownish, glabrous; young stem densely velutinous with short stellate hairs. Leaf lamina 2–8 3 5–10 cm, ovate to triangular, appears pale green, velvety with pubescence of stellate hairs, 5–7- nerved, apex acute, stipules 2–3 mm long, linear to lanceolate. Petioles 3–7 cm long. Flowers axillary, solitary; flowering pedicel ca. 1 cm, articulated 2 mm below the flower; fruiting pedicel 2.5–3.5 cm long, articulated 3–4 mm below the fruit, stellate pubescent. Calyx campanulate, 1 cm across, lobes triangular, 5–6 mm long, apex acute. Corolla ca. 1.5 cm across, yellow; petals 5–10 3 4–8 mm, broadly ovate, unequally lobed at apex, hairs on dorsal side of the margin towards the adjacent petal, sometimes reflexed. Staminal column 5–6 mm; base stellate pubescent; tube 1 mm, glabrous; free part of filaments 3–4 mm, glabrous. Ovary 3 3 2 mm, globose, velutinous with stellate hairs, 8–10-loculed, 3 ovules per locule; stylar branches 8–10, glabrous, stigma capitate. Schizocarps 0.6–0.8 3 0.8 cm, cylindrical, indented and truncate at apex. Mericarps 8–9 mm elongated; base rounded; apex acute, awnless; dorsally straight, 2–3-seeded. Seeds 1.5–2 3 1.8–2 mm, reniform, surface pubescent, basal notch glabrous. Figures 4A–E , 5A–G .

Distribution and Habitat — A. fruticosum is distributed in Africa, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia and is also reported from the United States. In India, it is distributed in the arid parts of Gujarat, Haryana, and Rajasthan ( Fig. 3 ) and grows on rocky substratum and in exposed environments.

Etymology —The specific epithet fruticosum stands for the bushy appearance of the plant.

Phenology —The flowering starts in June and ends in September, while fruiting begins between July to October. Flowers open in the afternoon.

Notes —A variety of A. fruticosum i.e. A. fruticosum var. chrysocarpa is not considered here as a distinct taxon since the color of the fruit and its pubescence (given as distinguishing characters in the protologue) vary with different climatic and edaphic conditions. Moreover, the type specimen (Blatter 5660, BLAT) also does not exhibit distinctiveness.

Fryxell (2002) proposed lectotypification of the name A. fruticosum Guill. & Perr. considering the specimens housed at P. These specimens were collected by Leprieur from Senegal. They constitute the original material because the specimens are cited in the protologue. However, Fryxell’ s (2002) note “ Isolectotype: P-herb. Dugand.” does not relate with the protologue. Additionally, he has not specified the specimen selected as lectotype among the two specimens at P (P00389226 and P00389227) which serve as the original material of single gathering. Consequently, the selection of one of the specimens as a lectotype with the process of second-step lectotypification (Art. 9.17, ICN) is proposed here. The specimen (P00389227) bearing fruits shows a diagnostic feature designated here as a lectotype.

Paul Fryxell (2002) mentioned the type of A. texense Torr. & A.Gray as “Drummond 35” collected from Texas, housed at K, NY, and OXF. However, the specimens of A. texense collected by Drummond are labeled with collection number 43 as mentioned by Joan Fryxell (1983); and he cited specimens from BM and OXF. We could not trace the specimens from the herbaria mentioned by Joan Fryxell but the specimens

from this collection are seen at K, GH, and NY. Of these, a specimen from K (barcode K000659595) is selected here as a lectotype.

Additional Specimens Examined— India. — GUJARAT: Bhuj Dt., Bhuj to Rhodia maka, Dec. 1907, s.c. 18372, 18373 ( BLAT). Kutch Dt., Jalandar Bet, 8 Sep 1960, N. A. Irani 5214 ( BLAT) ; Rakhal R. F., 15 Oct 2002, R. P. Pandey 13970 ( BSJO) ; Narayan sarovar, 29 Sept 2008, V. Singh 15974 ( BSJO) . — HARYANA: Hisar Dt., Hisar , 17 Oct 1962, N. C. Nair 24857 ( BSD) . — RAJASTHAN: Barmer Dt., Keradu hillock, Hatma Village , 23 Nov 1973, G. L. Tiwari 939 ( BSJO, CAL) ; Jaisalmer Dt. , Jaisalmer, Nov 1917, s.c. 5656 ( BLAT) ; Jaisalmer, Dec 1917, s.c. 5643 ( BLAT) ; From Jaisalmer on the way to Miajlar, 375m, 31 Aug 1976, B. V. Shetty 3394 ( BSJO, CAL) ; Jaisalmer-Kuri Road, 7 Aug 1958, S. K. Jain 40528 ( BSI). Jalor Dt., Bhadrajun, 19 Aug 1978, B. L. Vyas 6605 ( BSJO). Jodhpur Dt., Jodhpur, Dec 1917, s.c. 5662 ( BLAT) ; Jodhpur to Bijaloi , 31 Jul 1958, S. K. Jain 40192 ( BSI) ; Kharda lake , near the bridge, 24 Nov 1972, Ratan Singh 325 ( BSJO) ; Kheechan, 12 Oct 1976, A. N. Singh 3210 ( BSJO, CAL)) ; Osian, 27 Aug 1977, A. N. Singh 4422 ( BSJO, CAL) ; way to Machia fort, 7 Sep 1998, R. P. Pandey & P. M. Pandey 14017 ( BSJO) ; Jodhpur city, 17 Jan 2015, VVN 521 ( BAMU, SPPU) ; Mehrangarh fort, 21 Feb 2015, VVN 548 ( BAMU, SPPU). Sikar Dt., Kankaria F. B., 26 Sep 1992, P. J. Parmar 10615 ( BSJO) .

4. ABUTILON GUINEENSE (Schumach.) Baker f. & Exell in J. Bot. 74 (suppl.): 22. 1936. Sida guineensis Schumach. in Beskr. Guin. Pl. 307. 1827. A. indicum subsp. guineense (Schumach.) Borss. Waalk. in Blumea 14: 175. 1966. A. indicum var. guineense (Schumach.) K. M. Feng in Fl. Yunnan 4: 28. 1982. TYPE: GHANA, Thonning 38 [lectotype designated here: C-10004546 [photo]!. (http://www.daim.snm.ku. dk/digitized-type-collection-details?catno=C10004546) isolectotypes: C-10004545! C-10004548! C-10004549!]

Bushy shrub, less than 1 m high. Stem covered with dense stellate pubescence. Leaf lamina 4–15 3 4–10 cm, pale green, ovate or orbicular, 7–9-nerved; apex acute. Petioles 3–10 cm long. Stipules lanceolate to triangular, apex acute, stellate pubescent. Flowers axillary, solitary; flowering pedicel 1–1.5 cm, articulated 2–3 mm below the flower; fruiting pedicel 5–10 cm long, articulated 1 cm below the fruit. Calyx pale green, campanulate or cup shaped, 1 cm across; calyx lobes 10–12 3 4–6 mm, triangular, acute to acuminate, almost covering and exceeding the schizocarp in fruit. Corolla 2.5–3 cm across, yellow; petals ca. 12 3 5 mm, broadly obovate, truncate or emarginate with unequal lobes at apex, glabrous. Staminal column 7–9 mm long, glabrous throughout, tube 2–3 mm long, filaments 4–5 mm long. Ovary ca. 4 3 3 mm, globose, 20–25-loculed, ovules 3 per locule; stylar branches not exceeding staminal column, stigmas capitate. Schizocarps ca. 1.7 3 1.2 cm, cylindrical, truncate, extremely velutinous with long armed stellate hairs. Mericarps 20–25, reniform, 10–12 3 5 mm, flattened, rounded at base, acute at apex with short mucro, dorsally slightly curved, 3-seeded. Seeds 1.5–1.8 3 1.8–2 mm, reniform, glabrous throughout, warted, dark brownish to black. Figures 4F–J , 5H–N .

Distribution and Habitat —The species is distributed in tropical and subtropical parts of Africa, Asia, and Australia. In India, it is reported from Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana ( Fig. 3 ). It grows in semi-arid regions, and occurs along dumping grounds and barren lands.

Etymology —The specific epithet guineense denotes the place Guinea, from where it is described.

Phenology —Flowering from August to January, sometimes extending up to February, and fruiting takes place from September to March.

Notes —Some Indian floristic studies ( Cooke 1903) listed the taxon as A. asiaticum (5 Sida asiatica L.). Van Borssum Waalkes (1966) lowered this taxon to the subspecies level, as A. indicum subsp. guineense and synonymized the name ‘ A. asiaticum ’ under the subspecies. The treatment brought out the typification of S. asiatica by description (Van Borssom Waalkes 1966) which is not supported by the current code of ICN.

Borssum Waalkes’ s treatment of A. guineense as a subspecies of A. indicum is not applied in the present study, though it is followed in other Indian floristic works ( Sivarajan and Pradeep 1996; Paul and Nayar 1988; Paul 1993; Pullaiah and Chennaiah 1997; Pullaiah et al. 2002; Pullaiah and Rao 2002; Rao et al. 2001; Pullaiah 2015). The taxon is treated at species rank on account of the distinct characteristics such as plant less than 1 m, extremely villous fruits with more than 20 mericarps, and enormous difference of seed characters between A. indicum and A. guineense . Its sympatric occurrence with the main taxon A. indicum and other Abutilon species also validates the treatment of this at species rank. Therefore, it is treated here as ‘ A. guineense ,’ the combination made by Baker and Exell (1936). Use of the binomial ‘ A. asiaticum ’ for this plant is inappropriate ( Verdcourt 2003) and discussed in detail under A. indicum .

The name Abutilon guineense ( Sida guineensis Schumach. ) is lectotypified here by selecting the original material referred to in the protologue (Thonning 38, (C)). The specimens differ in having leaves with a triangular apex instead of rounded leaves with a short acute apex of the Indian population. The differing characters are treated here as a variation and the taxon is considered conspecific with the Indian population due to similarity in all other strong characters of fruit and seeds.

The individuals of this species can be confused with those of A. pannosum because of its villous appearance of fruits, but they can be distinguished from the latter by having a bushy habit with less than 1 m height, cylindrical fruits, and glabrous seeds.

Representative Specimens— India. — TAMIL NADU: Tiruchirapalli Dt., Tiruchirapalli , 1941, s.c. s.n., ( MH, labeled as A. asiaticum ) ; Tiruchirapalli, 16 Sep 2016, VVN 573 , 574 ( BAMU, SPPU). Coimbatore Dt., Ukkadam , 450 m, 28 Jan 1993, Sivarajan & Pradeep 45068 ( CALI) . South Africa. Kruger National Park , 17 Jan 1994, N. Zambatis 1997, PRE0805917 –0 ( PRE, photo!) . Tanzania. s.l., H. Leippert 6394, UBT0006564 ( UBT, photo!) . Togo. Kelegougan , 1973, J. F. Brunel 754, TOGO04357 ( TOGO, photo!) .

Figures

FIG. 4. Habit and morphology of A. fruticosum (A–E) and A. guineense (F–J). A, F. Habit and flower. B, G. Fruit. C, H. Dehiscing fruit. D, I. Mericarp. E, J. Seed.

FIG. 5. Line drawing illustration of A. fruticosum (A–G, drawn from VVN 548) and A. guineense (H–N, drawn from VVN 573). A, H. Leafy twig with flower and fruits. B, I. Flower. C, J. Staminal column. D, K. Gynoecium. E, L. Fruit. F, M. Mericarp. G, N. Seed.

FIG. 3. Distribution of A. australiense, A. bidentatum, A. fruticosum, and A. guineense in India.