Table Of ContentNEW
MUNROCHLOA, A GENUS
BAMBUSOIDEAE)
(POACEAE:
NEW
WITH FROM
A COMBINATION
INDIA
Kumar Remesh
Muktesh and
M.
and
Forest Ecology Biodiversity Conservation Division
Peechi,680653Jhrissu
INTRODUCTION
&
While working on Munro,
revisionary studies of the genera Oxytenanthera Pseudoxytenanthera Soderstr.
was
observed that Pseudoxytenanthera (Munro) Naithani, possessed characters not included in
Ellis, ritchiei
it
number
the genus Pseudoxytenanthera. Detailed morphological studies revealed that the species possesses a of
unique which from and
characters are very distinct the generic characters of Oxytenanthera Pseudoxytenanthera.
we new
accommodate
genus
Therefore, are erecting a to the species.
was Munro who new monograph on
Colonel (1868) described the species in his Bambusa.
It first
Bambusa ritcheyi, was based on a herbarium specimen collected by Ritchie from Kala Nuddi, Bombay,
J.C.
Munro
addenda same
India. In the of the publication, corrected the spelling of the ritcheyi to
'ritchiei'
commemorate Beddome bamboo
name. from
to Ritchie's After a lapse of five years (1873) collected this
Due
Anamalai and included under the genus Oxytenanthera Munro. to the presence of a monostigmatic
it
Beddome named
was
ovary, this species as Oxytenanthera monostigma. This species subsequently reported
by various workers from Western Ghats, of south west India from Mahabaleshwar Anamalai up
hills to to
WA.
Palakkad gap such as Brandis from Sattara Ghats in 1870; R.S. Fagan Mahabaleshwar in 1892; Talbot
at
Ahamed
from North Canara 1884 and Wroghton, from Pune and Wilkins from
A.D.
in 1889; R.C. district
Munro new
Nagar in 1892 (Gamble 1896). Gamble stated that himself had also agreed with the treatment
and Gamble,
as Oxytenanthera monostigma. Later, Brandis (1906) Bourdillon (1908) followed this treatment.
noted that the species has very well-marked velvety culms, narrow culm sheath, long narrow spikelets
a
with only one flower, and a glabrous ovary and While working on this species a later day, Gamble
style. at
am And
name
commented,
rather in doubt whether Munro's specific should not have precedence". this
"I
McCann new
was
doubt noted by and and provided combination Oxytenanthera
clearly Blatter (1929) a
ritchiei
&
name
(Munro) McCann. Without considering the corrected species as several workers
Blatt.
'ritchiei',
erroneously spelled the epithet as in their publications. Nayar and Ansari (1982) also followed the
ritcheyi
name
species spelling
ritcheyi.
it
While preparing an account enumeration Indian monocotyledons, Majumdar came
of the of (1989) to
do
the conclusion that the Indian species of Oxytenanthera not the generic description of Oxytenanthera.
fit
He new
erected a genus, Pseudotenanthera, to include species having sub-scandent to scandent branches in
made new
no and from and
tufts, resting central bud, a thin solid style, a pericarp thin separable seed, a
combination (Munro) Majumdar.
Pseudotenanthera
ritcheyi R.
Subsequently, Naithani (1990) treated in the genus Pseudoxytenanthera of Soderstrom and
ritcheyi Ellis
Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 2(1)
374
numerous
accommodate Oxytenanthera monadelpha (Thwaites) Alston which has a vine like culm,
(1988)
to
Majumdar's
maintained
and stamens. Naithani (1990) that
basal branches, capitate cluster of spikelets, six
&
new possesses similar characters of Pseudoxytenanthera Soderstr.
coincidental!/
genus, Pseudotenanthera,
known
name
and
Naithani considered the genus a superfluous transferred all the species
Therefore,
Ellis.
&
from genus Pseudoxytenanthera Soderstr.
Oxytenanthera India the Ellis.
of to
Bamboos conducted comparative account
During on Indian the authors a detailed
revisionary studies
on Oxytenanthera, Pseudoxytenanthera and noted that the Pseudoxytenanthera ritchiei
generic characters of
prophyllum
number such completely culms,
solid
(Munro) Naithani, possesses of distinct characters as,
a
and
buds without inflorescence with strongly capitate heads, with leaf sheaths, palea without keels,
keels,
hollow culms,
The under genus Oxytenanthera possesses
monostigmatic other species treated the
ovary.
a
and The
keeled prophyllum of buds, semicapitate heads without leaf sheaths, palea two keeled, three stigmas.
Bambusinae
were compared with other genera of the sub tribe
distinguishing characters of the species also
Bambusa and has been noted that the diagnostic characters like
such Dendrocalamus, Gigantochloa
as It
culms with white tomentum; prophyllum buds and palea without keel; monostigmatic
clothed silky
solid
new
under genus
make and belongs
a
ovary, and united filaments, together this species distinct therefore,
Munrochloa.
generic
Inter affinities
and
The genus Munrochloa shows some with Dendrocalamus, Oxytenanthera, Pseudoxytenanthera
affinities
and
Dendro-
The and taxon resembles Denrocalamus
Gigantochloa. (Table habit habitats of this stocksii
1).
Though
clumps growing dry
both having walled culms those especially in areas.
calamus thick for
strictus
The
have culms. nature of inflorescence
Munrochloa grows even in fully irrigated areas fully solid is
ritchiei
Munrochloa
and Pseudoxytenanthera but in spikelets clusters
almost similar Dendrocalamus, Oxytenanthera
to
members
The
are usually supported with leaf sheaths. The spikelets are single flowered. palea of all the other
The
without any stigma of the species
Bambusinae two-keeled. In Munrochloa palea keels.
in the subtribe is
is
and Munrochloa has monostigmatic ovary
Oxytenanthera and Pseudoxytenanthera divided in to three a
of is
shows
similar Dendrocalamus and Gigantochloa. The inter generic affinity of the Munrochloa that there is
to
with few key
and and having generic status
an between Dendrocalamus Oxytenanthera also distinct
interlink
any
without
prophyllum culms, palea keels.
characters imperfectly keeled buds, fully solid
like,
MUNROCHLOA AND GENERA
KEY TO ALLIED
Bamboo
with undivided stigma.
floret
1,
Culms midculm prophyllsar
fully solid,
>.
Culms midculm and
hollow, prophylls
>.
|
packed
Inflorescence strongly
in s<
3.
Dendrocalamus
_
Gigantochloa
&
&
Munrochloa M. Kumar Remesh, nOV (Munro) M. Kumar Remesh.
gen. Munrochloa
Typus species: ritchiei
Culms
An medium bamboo forming loose clumps. Rhizome sympodial. are erect
sized gregarious, is
erect
Culm Branches almost equal
and Prophyllum sheaths narrow, conical in shape. are
imperfectly keeled.
solid.
compound on nodes
on terminal panicle, arises the
Leaves branches. Inflorescence a large spicate,
arise
size.
sometimes
branches dense globose heads associated with leaf sheaths. Spikelets usually single flowered,
of as
Lemma membranous, not Stamens
glabrous, keeled.
glabrous. Palea 6,
lanceolate, linear-lanceolate,
2,
Kumar and Remesh, Munrochloa, a new genus of bamboo
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Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 2(1)
376
Ovary stigma curved plumose. Fruit a caryopsis,
monadelphous, strongly apiculate. glabrous, ovate; single,
grooved with small beak.
linear-oblong, faintly a
Munro appearance and inflorescence type but differs in presence of
Oxytenanthera in general
Similar
to
mid culm
tomentum prophyll buds,
on keeled
culms clothed with silky white the surface, imperfectly
solid
and monostigmatic
palea without keels ovary.
Munro
name commemorate name William (1818-1880),
Colonel
Etymology.—The the of
generic
to
is
who monograph on Bamboos This genus represented
had most of the world.
contributed the valuable is
and endemic Western Ghats
only with a single species to of India.
Munro,
Bambusa
nov. (Fig. Trans. Linn. Soc.
1).
ritchiei
).
Bombay Nair
Nat. Hist. Soc. 33:773. 1929, "ritcheyi"; VJ.
in,
J.
an isonym. INDIA: Bombay, Kala Nuddi, Ritchie 820 (lectotype, here designated: K).
999, Type: J.C.
Korn
and
names.— Choomaree, chiwa, chiwan, Huda, manga, udhe, thandali (Marathi) Erankol
Vernacular
(Malayalam)
ecology— endemic Western Ghats. distributed in northern Kerala
Distribution and This species is to It is
200-1100
and Karnataka. was reported from Maharashtra. found growing from an altitude of
also is
It
It
component and found pure patches. Sporadic flowering
m. moist deciduous also as is
of forests
a
It is
Nilambur
common during summer months. Gregarious flowering was observed in the year 2001 at forests,
Malappuram
Kerala.
district,
The
bamboo various recent
Conservation status.—This potential of south India is extracted for uses.
IUCN
and
by Conservation Dependent as per the standards
study the authors revealed that the species
is
management
and sustainable utilization of this species.
needs appropriate conservation strategies for a
._The solid culms of this bamboo are used for making furniture, lathi, etc. It is also used as a
[/ses
and walking
making umbrella handles
support baskets, sticks.
for betal plants, for
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Research Peechi his
The authors wish acknowledge Sharma, Director, Kerala Forest Institute, for
to J.K.
Herbarium,
keen and encouragement and the The help rendered by S.A. Renvoize,
interest for facilities.
K
and
Royal Botanic garden, Kew sending the cibachrome sheets of the type specimen deposited in the
for
MH, BLAT
authorities of the Indian Herbaria such as CAL, CALI, DD, BSI, and for the permission to consult
The
acknowledged. authors express their
the specimens deposited in the respective herbaria are gratefully
The providing
Leiden Netherlands, the
Veldkamp, Nationaal Herbarium, Nederland, for
gratitude to
J.F
Environment and
Latin diagnoses. The authors are also thankful to the Ministry of forest, Govt, of India,
We
New AICOPTAX thank Kanchi
Scheme undertaking
under study.
Delhi, for the financial support for this
anonymous
Gandhi and two
reviewers for their help.
Kumar new bamboo
and Remesh, Munrochloa, a genus of
378 Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 2(1)
REFERENCES
The southern Madras. 3:232-233.
Beddome, R.H. 1873. flora Sylvatica for India.
Bombay
and McCann. 1929. Gramineae. Blatter Revision of the flora of the Presidency Part X.
Blatter In: E. J.
E.
Bombay Soc
33:753-775.
Nat.
Hist.
Govt
The ofTravancore.TheTravancore Trivand rum.
908. forest trees Press,
Bourdillon,
J.F.
1
Mahendra Dehra Dun.
Brandis, D. 1906. Indian trees. Bishen Singh Pal Singh,
Gamble, 1896. The Bambuseae of British India. Ann. Royal Bot. Gard., Calcutta 75-76.
7:
J.S.
A monograph London 26-1
Bambuseae.
Munro, W. 868. of Trans. Linn. Soc. 26:1 27.
1
Monocotyledonae.
Enumeratio Botanical
Majumdar, 989. Karthikeyan, et Flora Indicae, vol.
ser. 4,
R.B. In: S. al.
1
1 .
274-283.
Howrah,
Survey of
Calcutta. Pp.
India,
Bombay
Munro.
1990. Nomenclature of Indian species of Oxytenanthera Nat. Hist. Soc.
Naithani, H.B. J.
87:439^*40.
name monostigma (Bambusaceae). Econ.Taxon.
and 1982. Correct of Oxytenanthera Bedd.
Nair VJ. R. Ansari. J.
