Table Of Content.
Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 102 (2), May-Aug 2005 198-200
EUONYMUS KANYAKUMARIENSIS - A NEW SPECIES
OF CELASTRACEAE FROM INDIA
1
C. Murugan2'3 andV.S. Manickam2-4
'Accepted February, 2003
"Centre for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Botany Department, St. Xavier’s College, Palayamkottai 627 002,
Tamil Nadu, India.
3Email: [email protected]
4Email: [email protected]
Euonymuskanyakumariensis(Celastraceae),anewspeciesresemblingE. pendulusWall,fromtheMahendragiriHillsin
theWesternGhatsofTamil Nadu isdescribed and illustrated.
Key words: Celastraceae, Euonymuskanyakumariensissp. nov., E. pendulus Mahendragiri,WesternGhats,
,
Tamil Nadu
INTRODUCTION imbricate inbud,subequal, sub-orbicular,2-3 mmdiameter,
mm
persistent, entire at margin. Petals 5, orbicular, 3-4
EuonymusL. (c. 177 species)ofCelastraceae,foundin diameter, greenish-purple, base slightly clawed, margin
Tropical and subtropical Asia and America, is estimated to crispate,apexrounded. Stamens5,oppositetosepals,shorter
have 32 species in India (Lawson 1872; Gamble 1918; thanpetals;filamentsobscure;anthers2-celled,deltoid. Disc
Blakelock 1951; Ramamurthy 2000). According to Bat,5-lobed. Ovary 1-2 mmlong,5-celled,immersedindisc;
Ramamurthy (1983), 6 species are recorded inTamil Nadu ovules 2 in each, collateral; style subulate; stigma simple,
and 4 from the Tirunelveli Hills (both Tirunelveli and acute. Capsule obcordate, c. 2 x 1.5 cm, pink, apex retuse,
Kanyakumari districts). Botanical collections (1996-2000) base acute; lobes 5, towards base, obtuse; seeds 5-10,
mm
from the Tirunelveli Hills at the southernmost end of the c.7.5 long,browntoblack,yellowarillate.
WesternGhats, India,yieldedataxonverydifferentfromthe Ecology: Rareinevergreenforestsatc. 1,400m.
4p-reviously known Indian species of Euonymus L. It is FI.&Fr.:March.
described here as a new species. Distribution: Known only from Mahendragiri
5- Euonymus kanyakumariensis C. Murugan and Hills of Kanyakumari district, southern Western Ghats,
V.S.Manickamsp. nov. (Fig. 1)E.penduloWall, arteaffinis, India.
sed foliis ad marginem integris (in ille serratis), petiolis c. Etymology: The species is named after the type
0.5 cm longis (in ille 2-3 cm longis), stipulis glabris (in die locality: Kanyakumari district, southern Western Ghats,
hirsutis), sepalis ad marginem integris (in ille fimbriatis), India.
staminibus petalis curtioribus (in ille longioribus) et lobis Note:ThisnewspeciesdiffersfromEuonymuspendulus
capsularum5,integris,nonalatis(inille3-4,acute/angulatis Wallich asshown inTable 1
etalatis)differt.
Type: India, Tamil Nadu, Kanyakumari district,
Mahendragiri Hills, on the way to Parvathain, c. 1,400 m, Table1: ComparisionofEuonymuspendulusWallichand
28.iii.1999.C.Murugan 18741 (Holotype:XCH;IsotypeXCH E. kanyakumariensissp. nov.
andMH). Characterstate E.pendulusWall. £. kanyakumariensis
m
Shrub - small tree, c. 3 tall; branchlets obscurely sp. nov.
angular; internodes2-6 cmlong.Leavesdecussate,rarely
ternate, elliptic-oblong, 3-7 x 1.5-3 cm, membranous, base Leafmargin serrate entire
acute, margin entire, recurved, apex obtusely acute; nerves Petioles 2-3cmlong upto0.5cmlong
7 pairs, obscure above, prominent beneath; petioles up to Stipules hairy glabrous
mm Sepals’margin fimbriate entire
5 long, hemispherical; stipules glabrous. Inflorescence
axillary,ofdichotomouslybranchedcymes,toc. 6 cmlong; Petals white greenish-purple
peduncles 3-4 cm long. Flowers 7-9, c. 1.5 cm diameter, Stamens as longaspetals shorterthan petals
bisexual, 5-merous,actinomorphic; pedicels5-10 mm long, Capsules 3-4lobed, sharply 5lobed,entire, not
mm angular,winged winged
slender;bractssubulate, 1-2 long,sub-persistent.Sepals5,
NEW DESCRIPTIONS
Fig. 1: Euonymuskanyakumariensissp. nov.
A.Twig; B. Flower;C.Calyx; D. Petals; E.Stamens; F-G.Ovary(l.sandc.s.);
H.Capsule;I.Seed
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS forfinancial assistance; the Forest Department, Tamil Nadu
forallowing us to undertake field studies; Dr. V.J. Nair, BSI
OurheartfeltthanksareduetoDr. G.V.S. Murthy,Joint CoimbatorefortheLatindiagnosis;H.Sankar,CBB,St.Xavier’s
Director, Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Coimbatore for College, Palayamkottai fortheillustration.Wearegrateful to
permission to use the herbarium and library. We also thank Dr. K. RamamurthyandDr. R. Gopalan,Botanical Surveyof
theUniversityGrantsCommission(No.F.3-39/96),NewDelhi India,Coimbatorefortheirgeneroushelp.
1 Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 102 (2), May-Aug 2005 199
NEW DESCRIPTIONS
REFERENCES
Blakelock. R.A. (1951): A synopsis of the genus Euonymus. Kew Ramamurthy, K. (1983): Celastraceae. (including Hippocrateaceae).
Bull. Vol. 1951: 210-290. Pp. 72-76. In: Flora of Tamil Nadu (Eds: Nair, N.C. and A.N.
Gamble, J.S. (1918): Celastraceae. Pp. 201-212. In: Flora of the Henry). Botanical Survey ofIndia, Coimbatore.
PresidencyofMadras(Ed:GambleJ.S.).AdlardandSonLtd.,London. Ramamurthy, K. (2000): Celastraceae. Pp. 91-110. In: Flora ofIndia
Lawson, M.A. (1872): Celastrineae. Pp. 606-629. In: Flora ofBritish (Eds:Singh,N.P.,J.N.Vohra,P.K.HajraandD.K.Singh).Botanical
India(Ed.: HookerJ.D.). Reeve andCo., London. SurveyofIndia,Calcutta.
200 J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 102 (2), May-Aug 2005
