Ceropegia manoharii Sujanapal, P.M. Salim, Anil Kumar & Sasidh., J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas

S. S., Kambale & Abstract, S. R. Yadav, 2019, Taxonomic revision of Ceropegia (Apocynaceae: Ceropegieae) in India, Rheedea 29 (1), pp. 1-115 : 82-84

Ceropegia manoharii Sujanapal, P.M. Salim, Anil Kumar & Sasidh., J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 7(1): 342. 2013. Type: INDIA, Kerala, Wayanad district, Meppadi forests, 10.12.2009, P. Sujanapal & P. M . Salim MSSH 0403 (holo MH!; iso CALI!, KFRI!).

Fig. 45

Perennial twining herbs. Rootstock with fascicled, fleshy roots. Stem terete, branched, glabrous. Lamina 5–10 × 2–3.5 cm, thickly coriaceous, ovate-lanceolate, acute at apex, cuneate-narrow at the base, glabrous-ciliolate, dark green-shining above, pale green below; petioles 8–15 mm long. Cymes 1–2-flowered, extra-axillary; peduncles 8–12 mm long, glabrous; bracts solitary, 2–4 mm long, linear, glabrous; pedicels 1.6–2.9 cm long, glabrous. Sepals 3–5 mm long, linear, glabrous. Corolla 3–4 cm long; tube 1.4–1.8 cm long, dilated at base, cylindrical at middle, sub-cylindrical at throat, ring of downwardly pointed hairs at the mouth of dilated part, greenish- yellow, striated with purplish-brown on the upper-half and deep purple at lower half within; lobes 1.6–2.2 cm long, completely folded back, oblong, connate at tip forming an ovoid cage, hairy along margins and at the tip and at the base within, white at lower half, deep green at upper-half. Corona bi-seriate; outer of 5 deeply bifid connivent lobes, saucer- shaped, c. 1.5 mm long, densely hairy along margins and within; inner of 5 linear, connivent, purple lobes, c. 2.5 mm long, incumbent on gynostegium. Pollinarium c. 0.3 × 0.25 mm. Follicles in pairs, unequal, 15–18 cm long, glabrous; seeds c. 5 × 2 mm, ovate-oblong, black, comose; coma 8–15 mm long, silky white.

Flowering & fruiting: August–February.

Habitat: Grows in grasslands at an elevation of 1500–1850 m.

Distribution: Endemic to Kerala, India.

Conservation status: While describing the species two authors counted only 44 mature individuals from the type locality. At present the species is assessed as Data Deficient (DD).

Notes: Ceropegia manoharii is allied to C. elegans but differs in having densely hairy outer corona and corolla tube sub-cylindrical at throat.

Ceropegia metziana Miq. , Anal. Bot. Ind. 3. 11. 1852; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 4: 74. 1883; Gamble, Fl. Madras 4: 859. 1921; Ansari, Fasc. Fl. India 16: 25. 1984; S.R. Sriniv. in Henry et al., Fl. Tamil Nadu Ind., Ser I: Analysis 2: 84. 1987; M.P. Nayar & Sastry, Red Data Book Indian Pl. 2: 51. 1988; A.P. Jagtap & N.P. Singh, Fasc. Fl. India 24: 232. 1999; T.S. Nayar et al., Fl. Pl. Kerala 86. 2006; Karthik. et al., Fl. Pl. India 1: 163. 2009. Neotype: INDIA, Tamil Nadu; Nilgiris district, Devala, s.d., J.S. Gamble 15601 (K000014449 image!).

Ceropegia gracilis Bedd., Madras J. Lit. Sci. Ser. 3 (1): 53. 1864. pr. max. p. Type: Not located or apparently none preserved.

Ceropegia oculata auct . H. Huber, Mem. Soc. Brot. 12: 64. 1957, non Hook., 1844. Fig. 46

Perennial twining herbs.Stem glabrous throughout. Lamina 6.8–15.5 × 3.5–6.5 cm, ovate-lanceolate, acute at apex, rounded at base, pubescent above and nerves beneath, ciliate along margins, glabrous otherwise, deep green above, pale below; petioles 1.5–1.8 cm long, pilose. Cymes 2–7-flowered, extra-axillary; peduncles 2.5–4.5 cm, glabrous; pedicels 2.5–3.0 cm, glabrous. Sepals 0.6–1 cm long. Corolla 4–7.7 cm long, greyish dotted with purple or pink dots; tube 2–3.7 cm long, dilated at base, narrow at middle, funnel-shaped at throat, glabrous within except for ring of hairs at the throat of dilated base, pink at the base, with pinkish striations from below upwards; lobes 2–4 cm long, ovate-deltoid at base, narrow at middle, linear-spathulate at apex, coherent at middle, connate at tip forming ovoid cage, dull pink. Corona bi-seriate; outer of 5 notched lobes at tip, as long as or little shorter than inner corona, saucer-shaped, hairy along margins and within, yellow at base, red along margins; inner of 5 erect lobes, red at lower half, pink at upper-half, glabrous. Fruits not observed.

Flowering & fruiting: September–December.

Habitat: Grows along roadsides and open places in evergreen forests.

Distribution: South India (Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu).

Specimens examined: INDIA, Kerala, Idukki district, Kakki dam, 10.10.1983, A. G . Pandurangan 79294 ( MH!); Kollam district , Pamba dam, 30.09.1976, K . Vivekananthan 48341 ( MH!); Pathanamthitta district, Veluthodu forest , 21.10.1989, R . Chandrasekharan 89367 ( MH!); Thrissur district , Karimala hills, 23.10.1990, N . Sasidharan 5729; Peechi , 18.09.1990, N . Sasidharan 5714; Sholayar forest , 25.10.1992, N . Sasidharan 5933 ( KFRI!) . Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore district, Siruvani , 31.12.1960, J . Joseph 11741; ( MH!); Nilgiris district, Rughivayal reserve forest, 26.11.1972, E . Vajravelu 43493 ( MH!) .

Conservation status: Nayar and Sastry (1987) assessed it as Rare.

Notes: Ceropegia metziana closely resembles C. decaisneana Wight in its twining habit, but differs in having tuberous roots, slightly notched outer corona and linear corolla lobes. Huber (1957) considered it as conspecific to C. oculata Hook. , but differs in having longer and linear corolla lobes, slightly notched outer corona and glabrous pedicel and peduncle.

Figures

Fig. 45. Ceropegia manoharii Sujanapal, P.M. Salim, Anil Kumar & Sasidh.: a. Habit; b & c. Flower L.S.; d. Follicle (Photos Dr. P. Sujanapal).

Fig. 46. Ceropegia metziana Miq.: a. Habit; b. Flower L.S.; c. Inflorescence; d. Corona (Photos Navendu Page).