Osbeckia stellata Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don var. hispidissima (Wight) C.Hansen, Ginkgoana

P., Prashob & Thomas, Sibichen M., 2019, The genus Osbeckia (Melastomataceae) in India, Rheedea 29 (4), pp. 236-305 : 292-294

Osbeckia stellata Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don var. hispidissima (Wight) C.Hansen, Ginkgoana 4: 37. 1977. O. hispidissima Wight, Icon. Pl. Ind. Orient. t. 1612. 1850; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1: 493. 1919; Pull., D.M. Rao & K.S.Ramamurthy, Fl. Eastern Ghats 57. 2002; G.V.S. Rao & G.R.Kumari, Fl. Visakhapatnam Dist. Andhra Pradesh 340. 2003. Type: INDIA, s. loc., 25.11.45, Cleghorn D-46 (holo K000890022 image!). Fig. 23

Erect, perennial shrubs, 0.5–3.5 m tall. Stems branched, quadrangular; hairs long and stiff, patent at the base, curved upwards. Petioles 5–11 mm long; lamina narrowly to broadly ovate, 8.2 × 3.l cm, 5-nerved, apex acute to attenuate, base acute, indumentum thin to dense, hairs ascending to patent on both sides. Cymes, 5–10-flowered; bracts green, small, 4 mm long, hairy. Flowers tetramerous; pedicels 0.5–3 mm long. Hypanthium urceolate, 9–11 × 2.5–3 mm, covered with patent emergences and a few bristles at the base; intersepalar emergences 5–7 mm long, with a terete glabrous stalk, terminating in a stellate head; other emergences similar but smaller, restricted to uppermost part of hypanthium mixed with appressed hairs. Sepals 4, lanceolate to ovate, margins ciliate or hairy, both sides glabrous, apex stellate. Petals 4, obovate to broadly obovate, 16–28 mm long, pink to purple, glabrous, apex ciliate. Stamens 8; filaments 8–12 mm long, glabrous; anthers narrowly ovate, ‘S’- shaped, yellow, 10-15 mm long, beak narrow, 2– 3 mm long, not twisted; pore oblique; connective with undulating collar having large dorsal lobes. Ovary united with hypanthium for about two thirds of its length, anther pockets extending to the base of the ovary, crown appressed hairy; style l 3–18 mm long, glabrous. Capsules urceolate, 8– 10 × 2.5–3 mm, neck widens towards rim, densely covered with emergences and hairs which often fall off when mature; seeds 0.1–0.2 mm long, numerous, curved, muricate.

Chromosome number: Not reported

Habitat: Evergreen forests at an elevation above 500 m. in association with O. stellata var. stellata .

Flowering & fruiting: August–February.

Distribution: Endemic to India.

Specimens examined: INDIA, Karnataka, Chikmagalur district, Bababoodan Hills, 25.11.1845, Meebold 10464 (CAL); Aglatti, Mysore, 11.1908, s.coll. s.n. (JCB); Hassan district, Bisle Ghat, 25.4.1970, Saldanha 16879 (JCB); Vanagw, 15.05.1968, Saldanha 11718 (JCB). Meghalaya, East Khasia Hills district, Air force campus, Shillong, 27.10.15, Prashob & Sibichen 6623 (DEV); Shillong, 27.10.15, Prashob & Sibichen 6622 (DEV). Notes: This variety is closely related to O. rostrata and O. stellata var. crinita , resembling the former by the hypanthium and the latter by the patent hairy stem. The reddish brown colour of the hypanthium, intersepalar emergences with glabrous stalk and inflexed bristles on the stem justifies its varietal status.

Figures

Fig. 23.OSbeCkia Stellata BUCh.-HaM.eX D.DON VaR.hiSpidiSSiMa (Wight) C.HaNSeN:aa.. Habit;b. FlOweR; C.HypaNthiUM; d. BRaCt; e. Style; FF.. CalyX lObe; g. INteRSepalaR eMeRgeNCe; hh.. StaMeNS; i ii. SeedS.