Argyreia sericea Dalzell

P. R., Lawand & Shimpale, V. B., 2024, Revision of the genus Argyreia (Convolvulaceae) from India, Rheedea 34 (5), pp. 337-396 : 380-383

28. Argyreia sericea Dalzell in Dalzell & Gibson, Bombay F1. 169. 1861; C.B. Clarke in Hook.f.,

F1 . Brit. India 4: 188. 1883. Lectotype (designated by Lawand & Shimpale, 2017: 336): INDIA,

Maharashtra, ( Bombay) s.d., N.A. Dalzell s.n. (K

[K000830639 image!]).

Argyreon sericeum St.-Lag. (Saint-Lager 1880: 120) . nom. illeg. A. sericea , orthographic variant

Argyreia involucrata C.B.Clarke var. inaequalis

C.B.Clarke in Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 4: 187. 1883

syn. nov. Lectotype (designated here): INDIA, Kerala, Malabar, Concan , s.d. “ Argyreia n.23”, Stocks s.n. ( K [ K000830648 ]; Isolecto K [ K000830648 ], G

[G00017112! & G00017113 digital image!], GH

[GH00135004 digital image!], M [M-0184923], P

[P00584824 digital images!]). Fig. 11e–g

A perennial twinning herb; stems densely appressed strigose, hairs white. Leaf lamina widely ovate, 11.5–17 × 11–17 cm, apex acuminate, base cordate, lobes rounded, margins entire filiferous, leaves silvery strigose abaxially, low hair density and bulbous based hairs at adaxial surface, secondary veins 9–11 pairs, more prominent beneath, bifurcating at apex; petiole 5–10 cm long, green densely appressed strigose. Inflorescence axillary capitate cyme, 4–5-flowered; peduncle 6–12 cm, longer than the petiole, appressed silvery strigose. Flowers almost sessile, bracteate. Bracts 2–3, lance-ovate, outer larger than inner ones, foliaceous, 3.5–4 × 1.5–1.8 cm, apex acuminate, base truncate, with 4–5 parallel veins, veins raised beneath, silvery silky abaxially, sparsely strigose adaxially, inner bracts 1.5–2.5 × 0.5–0.8 cm, lanceolate. Sepals–5, unequal, outer two larger 1.2–1.8 cm long, upper half narrowly oblong, lower half lance-ovate, inner three sepals 1.0– 1.1 cm long, lance-ovate, apex acute to acuminate, margins hyaline; corolla 4.5–6 cm long, 5–6 cm across, tubular–infundibuliform, inner throat 1–1.1 cm wide, dark purple, corolla hairy on midpetaline bands. Stamens 5, included in throat, unequal in length; filaments white, base purple with glandular hairs; anthers pink to violet, bilocular, arrow headed, base sagittate. Ovary conical, covered with annular disc, stigma included in throat, biglobular, pink; ovary conical. Berries globose, yellow; seeds 2–4, white, trigonal, with conspicuous hilum, glabrous.

Flowering & Fruiting: Flowering from August to early October and fruiting November to January.

Habitat: Growing on moderate sized trees, shrubs in ghats.

Distribution: India (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Telangana); endemic to India.

Etymology: The specific epithet ‘ sericea ’ refers to silvery abaxial surface of leaves.

Specimens examined: INDIA, Andhra Pradesh, East Godavari, Peddakanda Hills , September 1920 ,

V. Narayanswami 163 (CAL); Visakhapatnam

District, Suttiguda-Lakshamipuram, 22.10.1986,

N. Rama Rao & D. Narsimhan 84389 ( DRC);

Tummalapalli District, Batrapalli, 25.07.2016,

K. Ral 39643 ( DRC); Adilabad, Ontimamidi,

18.09.1955, T . Ravishankar 83111 ( MH00139475 ) .

Chhattisgarh, Rajnandgaon District, Chilpi , 06.09.1976, P. C. Pant 20475 ( BSA) . Karnataka, Uttara Kannada District, Yellapur , 15.10.1883 ,

W.A. Talbot 706 (BSI); Hassan District, Arkalgud-

Arsikere, s.d., K.N. Subramanyam 32978 (BSI);

Uttara Kannada, Yellagiri, 27.10.1883, W. A. Talbot

310591 ( CAL). Madhya Pradesh, Kasturbagram Krishi Kendra, Amrit Bagh , 11.07.1986, K . K .

Khanna & R. Saran 37586 (CAL); Betul District,

Baretha Ghat, 04.09.1998, Anand Kumar 50827

(BSA); Seoni District , Dhutera, 24.12.1975, L . K .

Banerjee 23128 (BSA); Hoshangabad District,

Towa River Bank-Bunglapur , 01.10.1960, J .

Joseph 11157 (BSA); Indore, Kasturbagram Krishi Kendra, Amrit Bagh, 11.09.1986, K. K. Khanna & R. Saran 37586 ( BSA); Damoh District, Singrampur , 10.09.1979 , B. K. Shukla 29964 ( BSA); Hoshangabad, Towa river bank, 01.10.1960 , J. Joseph 11157 ( MH00139479 ); Khandwa District, Pamakhedi Jungles , 09.10.2017 , P. R. Lawand 062 ( NCK). Maharashtra, Satara District, Khandala, Top of Echo point, 14.09.1942 , H. Santapau 943 ( BLAT); Satara District, Khandala, Forbay Tank , 26.09.1954 , V. M. Patel 802 ( BLAT); Satara District, Lonavala , 08.08.1983 , D. K. Patel 46535 ( BLAT); Thane District, Mumbra , September 1957 , Y. A. Merchant 230 ( BLAT); Pune District, Waghai-Pimpri Road , H. Santapau 19219 ( BLAT); Pune District, Purandhar , January 1918 , E. Blatter 22336 ( BLAT); Pune District, Bhimashankar , 18.09.1955 , U. M. Patel 1484 ( BLAT); Kolhapur District, Ramling, Alate , Sept . R. D. Acland 765 ( BLAT); Nashik District, Igatpuri , October 1917 , E. Blatter 22326 ( BLAT); Raigad District, Matheran, Panorama Point , 03.10.1960 , N. A. Irani 5496 ( BLAT); Nashik District, Lima Hill , September 1917 , E. Blatter 22300 ( BLAT); Satara District, Khandala , 27.09.1954 , U. M. Patel 807 ( BLAT); North Mumbai, Malad , 17.09.1954 , G. L. Shah 644 ( BLAT); Pune District, Purandhar Fort , H. Santapau 22068 ( BLAT); Mumbai, Borivali National Park , 14.09.1952 , G. F. Randeria 389 ( BLAT); Palghar District, Usgaon, Tungareshwar WLS, 17.09.1961 , N. Y. Das 3883 ( BLAT); Yavatmal District, Panchanai-Rajur , 30.09.1970 , B. M. Wadhava 127901 ( BSI); Mumbai, Borivali National Park , 12.11.1984 , B.D. Sharma 167764 ( BSI); Raigad District, Matheran, Louisa Point , 29.01.1957 , G. S. Puri 9860 ( BSI); Ahmadnagar District, Ratangadh , 05.10.1970 , B. M. Wadhawa 128165 ( BSI); Pune District, Sinhagad Hills , 19.09.1964 , M. Y. Ansari 101579 ( BSI); Raigad District, Matheran , 02.09.1890 , P. S. Kanetkar s.n. ( BSI); PuneDistrict ,Junnar-DhakFort, 01.05.1967 , Hemadri K. 107466 ( BSI); Raigad District, Dasgaon , December 1890 , G. M. Woodrow s.n. ( BSI); Beed District, Pokhari Ghat , 09.09.1956 , G. S. Puri 7367 ( BSI); Pune District, Mulshi , 20.11.1956 , S. K. Jain 9424 ( BSI); Satara District, Lonavala , 12.11.1904 ,

G.A. Garade s.n. (BSI); Nashik District, Saputara,

10.08.1983, P. Lakshaminarsimhan 165234

(BSI); Nashik District, Bramhagiri, Trimbak,

10.08.1983, P . Lakshaminarsimhan 166859 (BSI);

Amravati District, Tarubande, 27.08.1976,

M.Y. Ansari 144085 (BSI); Amravati District,

Ghatang, Sembadon Ghat, 27.08.1976, M. Y. Ansari

144016 (BSI); Pune District, Harishchandragad,

04.11.2001, S. B. Nagarkar 18762 ( AHMA); Pune

District, Junnar, Dhak, 23.09.2001, S. B. Nagarkar

18761 ( AHMA); Pune District , Kudap, 23.12.2003 ,

D.K. Kulkarni 22296 (AHMA); Sindhudurg

District, Kunakeshwar, 27.12.1976, H. D. Sane 429

(AHMA); Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Dolara Forest,

04.10.1963, M. Y. Ansari 14165 ( CAL); Bhandara

District, Navegaon WLS, 25.09.2018, P. R. Lawand

060 ( NCK); Kolhapur District , Panhala, way to Masai plateau, September 2016, P. R. Lawand

023 ( NCK); Pune District , Mulshi, 18.09.2016 ,

P.R. Lawand 024 (NCK); Kolhapur District,

Hatkanangale, Atigre, Ramling Dongar, October

2016, P.R. Lawand 061 (NCK). Rajasthan, Banswara District, Bagayeha Forest Block,

22.10.1976, V. Singh 3778 ( CAL). Telangana , Mehaboobnagar District, Borapuram , 04.11.2008,

B. Sadasivaiah & Khabar Basha 32357 ( DRC). Uttar Pradesh, Chauda District , Chichipalli-Chauda Road, 07.09.1963 , S. R. Rolla 91277/91155 (BSI).

Conservation status: The taxon is known from Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Telangana hence has larger Extent of Occurrence ( EOO) and also Area of Occupancy hence such a widely distributed taxon must be assigned a category of Least Concern ( LC, IUCN 2024 ) .

Vernacular names: Dhukka Mal, Tharapa (Telugu), Maheshvel, Gavli Vel (Marathi).

Notes: The species shows variation in the nature of the silvery silkiness. The plants from the western Maharashtra possess shining sericeous tomentum on lower leaf surface, whereas Bhandara (Vidharbha) and Khandwa (Madhya Pradesh) plants with silvery hairy. The species is very close to A. argentea in its silvery hairy leaves, corolla size, yellow berries but differs in its capitate inflorescence, foliaceous outer bract, oblong to lance-ovate sepals.

Figures

Fig. 11. Argyreia roxburghii (Sweet) Choisy (a-d): a. Flowering twig;b. A flower;c. Corolla front view;d. Sepals.Argyreia sericea Dalzell (e-g): e. Leaf abaxial surface; f. Inflorescence; g. Bracts. Argyreia setosa (Roxb.) Sweet (h-k): h. Inflorescence; i. Corolla top & side view;j. Bracts; k. Infructescence.