Osbeckia abrahamii G.S.Giri & M.P.Nayar, J.

P., Prashob & Thomas, Sibichen M., 2019, The genus Osbeckia (Melastomataceae) in India, Rheedea 29 (4), pp. 236-305 : 248-257

Osbeckia abrahamii G.S.Giri & M.P.Nayar, J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 81(2): 434. 1984. Type: INDIA, Kerala, Travancore, s.d., Narayanaswami 1379 (holo CAL0000015606 !). Fig. 5

Erect, perennial shrubs, 1–1.5 m tall. Stems quadrangular, branched, densely strigose. Petioles 5–15 mm long; lamina elliptic to lanceolate, green, 10–16 × 3–5 cm, 5-nerved, apex acute, base attenuate, both surfaces thinly clothed with short stiff sub-appressed to ascending hairs, hairs on the nerves longer. Inflorescence terminal or axillary lax panicles of 7–17 flowers. Flowers pentamerous; pedicels 1–3 mm long, covered with patent thin hairs; bracts ovate to cordate, 1.5–4 × 2–6 mm, green, broader than long, margins ciliate, appressed hairy above, glabrous beneath. Hypanthium campanulate, 4.5–7.5 × 3.5–6.5 mm, densely clothed with stellate or stalked emergences, intermixed with bristles and brown hairs; intersepalar emergences stalked, 1–3 mm long, stalk terete, with patent hairs, head stellate with tuft of hairs, caducous; other emergences smaller. Sepals 5, subulate, asymmetric, 1.5–3.5 × 2.5–4.5 mm, broader than longer, with a prominent midrib having patent hairs dorsally; margins ciliate; apex with stellate emergences, caducous. Petals 5, obovate, 15–20 × 11–14 mm, pink. Stamens 10; filaments 5–8 mm long, glabrous; anthers narrowly ovate to oblong, 5.5–7 mm long, yellow, twisted, glabrous, pore apical large, oblique on dorsal side; connective prolonged in to a small, indistinctly lobed collar. Ovary 4–7 mm long, united with hypanthium; anther pockets covered with brownish appressed hairs; crown absent; style 15–19 mm long, glabrous, curved; stigma slightly swollen. Capsules broadly urceolate, 7–9.5 × 4–5.5 mm; seeds numerous, minute, 0.1–0.2 mm long, curved.

Flowering & fruiting: July–December.

Habitat: Found in forest borders and in open grasslands of elevation above 300 m.

Distribution: Endemic to South India.

Specimens examined: INDIA, Kerala, Kottayam district, Vagamon, 20.11.2014, Prashob & Sibichen 5564 ( DEV); Pathanamthitta district , Ranni, 30.07.2014, Prashob & S. Syam Radh 5510 ( DEV) .

Notes: It resembles O. travancorica but distinguished by its long, lax panicles and asymmetric sepals as opposed to the short, compact panicles and symmetric sepals in O. travancorica .

Osbeckia aspera (L.) Blume, Flora. 14: 474. 1831; C.B.Clarke in Hook.f., FI. Brit. India 2: 519. 1879; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1: 492. 1919. Melastoma aspera L., Sp. Pl. 391. 1753. Asterostoma aspera (L.) Blume, Mus. Bot. 1(4): 50. 1849. O. aspera (L.) Blume var. aspera, Ginkgoana 4: 82. 1977; Vivek. in N.C.Nair & A.N.Henry, Fl. Tamil Nadu 1: 161. 1983; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist., 186. 1984; Manilal, Fl. Silent Valley 110. 1988; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist., 203. 1990; M.Mohanan & Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 198. 1994; Subram., Fl. Thenmala Div. 142. 1995; Sasidh. et al., Bot. Stud. Med. Pl. Kerala 24. 1996; Sasidh. & Sivar., Fl. Pl. Thrissur For. 189. 1996; Sasidh., Fl. Periyar Tiger Reserve 143. 1998; Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam W.L.S. 127. 2002; Mohanan & Sivad., Fl. Agasthyamala 278. 2002; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 222. 2005; Manickam et al., Fl. Tirunelveli Hills 406. 2008; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist., 296. 2009. O. aspera (L.) Blume var. typica C.B.Clarke in Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 2: 519. 1879. Lectotype (designated by Hansen, 1977): SRI LANKA, s.d., Herman s.n. (BM000621501 digital image!).

O. kleinii Wight & Arn., Prodr. Fl. Ind. Orient. 1: 323. 1834. Asterostoma kleinii (Wight & Arn.) Blume, Mus. Bot. 1(4): 50. 1849. Osbeckia aspera Blume var. kleinii (Wight & Arn.) C.B.Clarke in Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 2: 519. 1879. Type: SRI LANKA, Trincomalee, 25.01.1796, Klein s.n. (holo K000867979 digital image!)

O. glauca Wall. ex Naudin, Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot. sér. 3, 14: 68. 1850

O. kewensis C.E.C.Fisch., Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1938 (1): 34. 1938. Lectotype (designated here): SRI LANKA, s.loc., s.d., s.n. (K000867986 digital image!).

O. minor Triana, Trans. Linn. Soc. London 28(1): 55. 1872. Type: SRI LANKA, s.loc., s.d., Thwaites 1569 (holo K000867985 image!).

O. courtallensis Gamble, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1918 (7): 242. Type: INDIA, Tamil Nadu, Courtallum, Tirunelveli, Wight 1103 (holo K000867983 digital image!).

O. lawsonii Gamble, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1918 (7): 242. Type: INDIA, Travancore , 650 m., 03.12.1893, M.A. Lawson 46 (holo K000867989 digital image!).

Melastoma glaucum Wall., Numer. List n. 4055. 1831, nom. nud.

Katou kadalai Rheede, Hortus Malabaricus. 43.91.1493, non. inval. Fig. 6

Perennial, erect shrubs, 1–2.5 m tall. Stems branched, young stems quadrangular, sparsely clothed with appressed to patent hairs, intermixed with curved strong bristles. Petioles 5–10 mm long; lamina green, ovate to lanceolate, 2–11 × 1–4.5 cm, 3–5-nerved, apex acute to acuminate, base acute, both sides thinly clothed with patent hairs. Inflorescence terminal, 6–12-flowered cymes or a panicle of 2 or 3 such cymes, subtended by bracts and a pair of leaves. Flowers pentamerous, pedicels 2–5 mm long; bracts green, ovate to cordate, 1–5 mm long, ciliate and densely appressed-hairy. Hypanthium campanulate, 4–8 × 3–6 mm, with a thin cover of hairs; intersepalar emergences 0.5–2.5 mm long, sessile, ending in a tuft of hairs; other emergences restricted to the upper part of the hypanthium or absent; hairs short, bristly, subappressed, patent, curved upwards. Sepals triangular, 2–5 × 2–3.5 mm, apex attenuate, 1-nerved, hairy at apex, caducous. Petals obovate, 1–2.5 × 1–1.5 cm, pink to purple. Stamens 10; filaments 5–10 mm long; anthers narrowly ovate to oblong, 5–9 mm long, yellow, twisted, pore oblique on ventral side of the tip; connective with collar having one tubercle dorsally and another irregularly lobed one ventrally. Ovary united with hypanthium about half of its length; anther pockets extending to base of ovary; crown with short bristles; style 8–19 mm long, glabrous, curved; stigma slightly pointed. Capsules campanulate, 4–8 × 3–6 mm; seeds minute, 0.1–0.2 mm long, numerous, curved.

Flowering & fruiting: October–March.

Chromosome number: n = 10 ( Meenakumari & Kuriachan, 1990).

Habitat: Found on the margins of evergreen forests at an elevation above 500 m in association with O. virgata and O. parvifolia . Variations in size and appearance are noticed among populations at different altitudes. Plants growing in lower altitudes are generally tall with larger leaves whereas, those at higher altitudes are usually short with smaller leaves.

Distribution: India and Sri Lanka.

Specimens examined: INDIA, Kerala, Idukki district, Munnar , 13.05.1935, E. Barnes 118853 ( DD) ; Palakkad district, Nelliyampathy, Karapara forest , Pothumalai , 19.12.1980, N.C. Nair & P. Bharghavan 6928 ( MH) ; Thiruvananthapuram district, Agasthyamala, Peppara , 08.03.1994, N. Mohanan & T. Shaju 01973 ( FRLH) ; Athirumala, Agasthyamala , 16.03.2016, Prashob & Sibichen 6030 ( DEV) ; Bonacaud , 16.03.2016, Prashob & Sibichen 6029 ( DEV) ; Ponmudi hills, 14.09.1977, N.C. Nair 51071 ( MH) ; Ibid. , 16.08.1980, M. Mohanan 69224( MH) ; Ibid. , 13.12.2014, Prashob & Sibichen 5566 ( DEV) ; Thrissur district, Karimala hills, 23.10.1990, N. Sasidharan 5736 ( KFRI) ; Travancore , 28.08.1902, S.F. Baurdillon 1237/7104 ( DD) ; Vazhachal , 04.11.1989, N. Sasidharan 5500 ( KFRI) . Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore district, Attakatti , 06.07.1961, J. Joseph 12753 ( MH) ; Dindigul district, Kodaikanal, Palamalai path, 10.05.1985, K.M. Matthew & N. Rajendren 44923 ( RHT) ; Kodaikanal, Puthur-Kavalapatty path, 02.05.1988, K.M. Matthew 52853 ( RHT) ; Perumal peak, 14.12.1989, K.M. Matthew 53859 ( RHT) ; Vandaravu-Marion shola Levinge path, 25.10.1988, K.M. Matthew 53634 ( RHT) ; Kanyakumari district, Alagiapandiapuram, Mahendragiri hills, Kurusadi mottai, 24.09.1998, V.S. Manickam 17508 ( XCH) ; Pechiparai, Kalasekaram range, 20.07.1975, S.P. Subramani 14620 ( FRLH) ; Road to Karimoni , 26.02.1998, V.S. Manickam 14798 ( XCH) ; Madurai district, Maharajamethu , 15.08.1990, V. Lakshmanan, 91166 ( MH) ; Tirunelveli district, Inchikuzhi , 22.09.1988, R. Gopalan 88717 ( MH) ; Kakachi , 12.10.1957, K.M. Sebastine 4416 ( MH) ; Kakachi, Kothayar , 02.02.1997, V.S. Manickam 12250 ( XCH) ; Kakachi to Sengaltheri path, 21.12.1996, V.S. Manickam 11840 ( XCH) ; Kallar hills, 03.02.1998, V.S. Manickam 14707 ( XCH) ; Ibid. , 10.11.1959, K.M. Sebastine 9614 ( MH) ; Kannikatti , 08.06.1957, K.M. Sebastine 409 ( MH) ; Kudamadi hills, Mundanthurai , 26.06.1997, V.S. Manickam 13058 ( XCH) ; Kuthiravetti shola, View point, 20.12.1996, V.S. Manickam 11796 ( XCH) ; Manjanam parai, 30.05.1963, A.N. Henry 16377 ( MH) ; Manjolai hills, 25.06.1957, K.M. Sebastien 3595 ( MH) ; Martanamparai , 04.09.1962, A.N. Henry 17450 ( MH) ; Muthukuzhi Vayal , 09.09.1976, A.N. Henry 48311 ( MH) ; Ibid. , 26.08.1976, A.N. Henry 47592 ( MH) ; Sengaltheri , 09.03.1963, J. Joseph 15872 ( MH) ; Upper Kothayar hills, 07.08.1996, V.S. Manickam 10049 ( XCH) ; Vullar forest, Agastiar hills, 06.08.1998, V.S. Manickam 16838 ( XCH) .

Notes: Hansen (1977), treated O. travancorica and O. wightiana as varieties of O. aspera . However, the latter two are distinct in their habitat, altitudinal preferences, and micro-morphological characters and hence reinstated as distinct species in the present work. A comparison of morphological characters is provided in Table 2.

Osbeckia gracilis Bedd., Madras J. Lit. Sci. ser. 3, 1: 45. 1864; Bedd. Trans. Linn. Soc. 24: 216. 1865; C.B. Clarke in Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 2: 518. 1879; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1: 494. 1919; C.Hansen, Ginkgoana 4: 77. 1977; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 187. 1984; M.Mohanan & Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 198. 1994; Sasidh., Fl. Shenduruny W.L.S. 130. 1997; Sasidh., Fl. Periyar Tiger Reserve 144. 1998; Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam W.L.S. 127. 2002. Type: INDIA, Kerala, Sispara Ghats , 4000 ft., s.d., Beddome 2975 (holo BM000944355 digital image!).

O. sublaevia Cogn. in A.DC. & C.DC., Monogr. Phan. 7: 321. 1891; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1: 492. 1919. Type: INDIA, Tamil Nadu, Nilgiris, s.d., Perrottet 377 (holo BR0000005208722 digital image!).

O. lineolata Gamble., Kew Bull. Misc. Inform. 7: 241. 1918; Fl. Pres. Madras 1: 492. 1919. Lectotype (designated here): INDIA, South India , s.d., Sauliere 312 (K000867991 digital image!).

O. lineolata Gamble var. anamalayana G.S.Giri & M.P.Nayar, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 25: 244. 1983. Type: INDIA, Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore (as Coimbatur), Kanalar , Anamalai Hills , 1950 m, 17.11.1980, M. Chandrabose 57793 (holo CAL!).

O. walkeri auct . Amitha Bachan & Pradeep, Int. J. Adv. Res. 5(7): 339. 2017. non Arn., 1837. Fig. 7

Perennial, erect, branched shrubs, c. 1 m tall. Stems quadrangular, winged at angles, sparsely covered with short rigid hairs, hairs at nodes larger. Lamina lanceolate or oblanceolate, 2–7 × 1–2.5 cm, apex attenuate to acute, base attenuate, rarely acute, 3–5-nerved, both sides sparingly clothed with ascending short hairs, turns yellowish green when drying. Cymes terminal or sometimes axillary, 3–7-flowered. Flowers pentamerous; pedicels 0.5–2 mm long; bracts green, ovate, 5–10 mm long, ciliate, both sides spatially clothed with short hairs. Hypanthium campanulate, 3.5–5.5 × 3–5 mm, clothed with patent or ascending hairs with bullate base; intersepalar emergences rounded, tuberculoid with elongated slightly flattened tips ending in a tuft of bristles, caducous; other emergences usually absent. Sepals 5, triangular to oblong, 2–5.5 mm long, ciliate, with a very prominent midrib having appressed to patent hairs, apex with a tuft of long hairs, caducous. Petals 5, broadly obovate, 20–25 × 12–17 mm, purple, ciliate. Stamens 10; filaments 7–12 mm long; anthers narrowly ovate to oblong, yellow, 7–9 mm long, twisted, pore slightly oblique on ventral side; connective with two small dorsal and two ventral tubercles. Ovary partially fused with hypanthium, usually exceeding hypanthium, anther pockets present, crown distinct in fruit; style 1.5–3 cm long. Capsules campanulate, 5–8 × 4.5–7 mm; seeds minute, 0.1–0.2 mm long, numerous, curved.

Flowering & fruiting: September–December.

Chromosome number: Not reported. Habitat: This species occurs commonly in borders of shola forests and in open grasslands, between 1000–2000 m elevation. Plants at lower altitude are characterized by their tall size, long inter nodes and pale green leaves whereas, those at higher altitude are shorter, having short internodes and dark green leaves. The species is usually seen associated with O. leschenaultiana and O. brachystemon .

Distribution: Endemic to India.

Specimens examined: INDIA, Kerala, Idukki district, Devikulam , 11.09.1968, D.B. Deb 62192 ( MH) ; Munnar, Lockhurt gap, 10.10.1963, K.V. Sebastian 17480 ( MH) ; Pamba range, 05.10.1976, K. Vivekananthan 48604 ( MH) ; Upper Vagaruai , 16.11.1965, B.V. Shetty 62192 ( MH) ; Palakkad district , Silent Valley N.P., Sispara, 13.10.2014, Prashob & Sibichen 5543, 5544, 5545 ( DEV) ; Silent Valley N.P., Wallakad station , 13.10.2014, Prashob & Sibichen 5547 ( DEV) . Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore district, Anamali , 12.09.1961, J. Joseph 13327 ( MH) ; Berijam road to Periar path, 07.07.1986, K.M. Matthew & N. Rajendren 45727 ( RHT) ; Blackburne cliff, 10.08.1987, K.M. Matthew & K.T. Mathew 50036 ( RHT) ; Valparai , 06.09.1983, K. Ramamurty & R. Chandrasekaran 78431 ( MH) ; Ibid. , 23.03.1990, V.B. Hosagovsan 92472 ( MH) ; Dindigul district, Kodaikanal-Leving , 09.08.1984, K.M. Matthew 40809 ( RHT) ; Ibid. , 03.09.1985, S.J. Britto 42147 ( RHT) ; Kodaikanal-Leving path, 09.07.1986, K.M. Matthew & N. Rajendran 45769 ( RHT) ; Kodaikanal- Shembaganur path, 03.08.1985, K.M. Matthew 41634 ( RHT) ; Korappur , 09.09.1986, K.M. Matthew & M. Charles 46804 ( RHT) ; Palani hills, Perumal peak, 12.12.1986, K.M. Matthew 47911 ( RHT) ; Madurai district, Thenkikalparai , 25.08.1990, V. Lakshmanan 94321 ( MH) .

Notes: Analysis of populations from various localities has shown diversity in the indumentum pattern of O. gracilis . Hairs on the hypanthium are long and profuse in higher altitude specimens (from Sispara, Silent valley) whereas, it is short and sparse in lower altitude specimens (Munnar hills). Similarly, leaves are broadly ovate to lanceolate in lower altitude specimens whereas it is lanceolate among high altitude specimens. Irrespective of these variations, all populations are characterized by the brown, patent, curved, bristly hairs at least on the lower part of the hypanthium.

In the protologue of O. gracilis, Beddome (1864) described the flower as tetramerous with 8 anthers. However, pentamerous flowers with 10 stamens are noticed throughout the collections (including specimens from type locality).

Osbeckia leschenaultiana DC., Prodr. 3: 42. 1828. C.B.Clarke in Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 2: 520. 1879; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1: 493. 1919; C.Hansen, Ginkgoana 4: 87. 1977; Swarup. et al., Shola For. Kerala 59. 1998; Sivar. & Mathew, Fl. Nilambur 272. 1997; Sasidh., Fl. Periyar Tiger Reserve 145. 1998; Sasidh., Fl. Chinnar W.L.S. 131. 1999; Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam W.L.S. 129. 2002; Mohanan & Sivad., Fl. Agasthyamala 279. 2002. Type: INDIA, Tamil Nadu, Nilgiris (as Nellygerry), 1823, Leschenault 10, (holo G00310433 digital image!).

O. gardneriana Wight, Icon. Pl. Ind. Orient. 3: t.997. 1845. Lectotype (designated here): INDIA, Tamil Nadu, Nilgiris, Sispara, 04, Wight 1085 (M0165759 digital image!).

O. wightiana Benth. var. erythrotrica Benth. ex Wall., Numer. List 4060. 1831, nom. nud. Fig. 8

Perennial, erect shrubs, c. 1 m tall. Stems quadrangular, branched, covered with thin, patent, ascending, curved, brown to reddish hairs. Lamina ovate, 1.3–4.5 × 0.8–2.5 cm, sessile, dark green on upper side and light green on lower side, 3–5- nerved, apex acute, base obtuse to subcordate, both sides thinly clothed with hairs. Inflorescence terminal, dense panicles of 5–7-flowers, subtended by 2–4 pairs of leaves, upper pair of leaves reduced to semi bracts; bracts orbicular, 3–6.5 mm broad, green, apex acute, margins ciliate, appressed-hairy dorsally. Flowers pentamerous; pedicels 2–5 mm long. Hypanthium campanulate, 8–13 × 5–9 mm, densely clothed with patent emergences and hairs; intersepalar emergences 1–3 mm long stalked; stalk terete with patent short hairs; head disc-like with stellate long hairs with thick bases, persistent in young fruit; other emergences similar but smaller; a few hairs present in between the emergences. Sepals triangular, 4–6.5 × 0.5–2 mm, narrowed into an oblong lobe, with acute to obtuse apex, margins ciliate, 1-nerved, with many patent hairs on nerves. Petals obovate, 15–22 × 10–15 mm, purple, apex ciliate. Stamens 10; filaments 5–8 mm long; anthers yellow, narrowly ovate to oblong, 5–8 mm long, twisted, pore oblique on ventral side; connective tuberculate with a small dorsal and a large ventral lobe. Ovary united with hypanthium for about half of its length, densely covered with hairs; anther pockets extending to base of ovary; crown hairy; style 12–18 mm long, glabrous. Capsules campanulate, 8–12 × 5–9 mm; seeds numerous, minute, 0.1–0.2 mm long, curved.

Flowering & fruiting: August–December.

Chromosome number: Not reported.

Habitat: In higher elevations from 1800 to 2500 m above sea level, seen in forest borders and in open grasslands in association with O. reticulata , O. brachystemon and O. gracilis .

Distribution: Endemic to South India.

Specimens examined: INDIA, Kerala, Idukki district, Anamudi shola N.P., 10.11.2014, Prashob & Sibichen 5556, 5557, 5586 ( DEV) ; Devikulam , 02.02.1970, B.V. Shetty 31788 ( CAL, MH) ; Edamalakudi , 16.01.2015, Prashob & Sibichen 5587, 5589, 5591 ( DEV) ; Eravikulam N.P., 16.01.2015, Prashob & Sibichen 5593 ( DEV) ; Eravikulam N.P., Pettimudi , 16.01.2015, Prashob & Sibichen 5592 ( DEV) ; Eravikulam N.P., Rajamala , 16.01.2015; Kulamavu, 12.10.1982, C.N. Mohanan & V.S. Ramachandran 74592 ( MH) ; Eravikulam Western slope, 04.12.1987, P. Bhargavan 87329 ( CAL, MH) ; Mathikettan shola, 06.12.1986, K.M. Matthew & M. Charles 47752 ( RHT) ; Kollam district, Shenduruny high range, 05.1937, E. Barnes 118851 ( DD) ; Travancore hills, 09.1937, E. Barnes 112219 ( DD) . Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore district, Anamalai, Akkamalai Grass hills, 11.03.1978, D.K. Hore 657 ( CAL) ; Dindigul district, Kodaikanal , 25.08.1898, A.G. Bourne ( CAL) ; Ibid. , 21.03.1956, Pallithanam 1576 ( RHT) ; Ibid. , 19.03.1950, Danial Sundaraj & Sankaran Rao 94117 ( MH) ; Kodaikanal, Berijam slope above the shola, 24.07.1984, K.M. Matthew 40496 ( RHT) ; Kodaikanal to Berijam road, 19.11.1985, K.M. Matthew 42860 ( RHT) ; Kodaikanal, Berijam-Vembadi , 19.11.1985, K.M. Matthew 42739 ( RHT) ; Kodaikanal, Kukkal , 08.04.1987, K.M. Matthew & M. Charles 49087 ( RHT) ; Kodaikanal, upper Palani , 16.08.1911, C.E.C. Fischer 2856 ( CAL) ; Kodaikanal, Vandaravu , 09.01.1987, K.M. Matthew 48151 ( RHT) ; Kodaikanal, Vandaravu main shola, 29.08.1987, K.M. Matthew 50553 ( RHT) ; Pulney hills, 1869, Beddome 21180 ( MH) ; Vandaravu peak, Kerala peak ( Kerala border), 12.05.1985, K.M. Matthew 41430 ( RHT) ; Nilgiri district, Bhavani , 19.12.1970, B.V. Shetty 37489 ( MH) ; Keti , 24.01.1957, K.M. Sebastine 2206 ( CAL) ; Kotagiri-Ooty road, 26.04.1971, N.C. Rathakrishnan 38086 ( MH) ; Kottabettu , 25.02.1970, A.A. Ansari 1046 ( CAL) ; Mullimand-Avalanche , 26.12.1970, B.V. Shetty 37605 ( MH) ; Nilgiri , 20.03.1870, C.B. Clarke 111188 ( CAL) ; Ooty , 10.1910, A. Meebold 11867 ( CAL) ; Perumal hills, 12.04.1987, C. Sudharsan 281 ( CAL) ; Pykara river bank, 12.09.1930, V. Narayanaswamy 4245 ( MH) ; Sispara , 05.1889, J.S. Gamble 21174 ( MH) ; Tirunelveli district, way to Pothagiri , 05.02.1989, R. Gopalan 88727 ( MH) .

Notes: Plants found in higher altitudes are short (c. 0.5 m), profusely branched with very short internodes (c. 5 mm long) and those found in lower altitudes are tall (c. 1 m), sparsely branched with long internodes (c. 3–5 cm long).

Figures

Fig. 5. OSbeCkia abRahaMii G.S.GiRi & M.P.NayaR: aa.. Habit; bb.. FlOweR; CC.. HypaNthiUM; d. BRaCt;ee.. CalyX lObe; F.INteRSepalaR eMeRgeNCe; gg.. OtheR eMeRgeNCeS;hh.. Style; i & jj.. StaMeNS;k. SeedS.

Fig. 6. OSbeCkia aSpeRa (L.) BlUMe: aa.. Habit; b. INFlOReSCeNCe; CC.. HypaNthiUM; d. BRaCt; ee.. CalyX lObe; F. INteRSepalaR eMeRgeNCe; gg.. StaMeNS;hh.. Style; iii. SeedS.

Fig. 7. OSbeCkia gRaCiliS Bedd.:aa.. Habit; b & CC.. HypaNthiUM; d. BRaCt;ee.. CalyX lObe; F.INteRSepalaR eMeRgeNCe; gg.. StaMeNS; h. SeedS.

Fig. 8. OSbeCkia leSCheNaUltiaNa DC.: aa.. Habit; b. FlOweR; CC.. HypaNthiUM; d. BRaCt;ee.. CalyX lObe; F. INteRSepalaR eMeRgeNCe;gg.. StaMeNS; h. Style; iii. SeedS.