Table Of ContentSYMPLOCOS KOTHAYARENSIS (SYMPLOCACE
AE),
NEW
FROM
A PENINSULAR
SPECIES INDIA
V.Sundaresan S.Rajkumar
and and
Genetic Resources Biotechnology Division Genetic resources Biotechnology
Divis
& Aromatic Plants (CIMAP)
Lucknow-226
015
Uttar Pradesh, INDIA
[email protected]
GJJothi V.S.Manickam
Xavier's College Xavier's College
St. St.
Palayamkottai^627002
Tamil Nadu, INDIA Tamil Nadu, INDIA
[email protected]
ABSTRACT
&
new
species of Symplocaceae, Symplocos kothayarenszs Sundaresanjothi, Rajkumar Manic
,m the Southern Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India described and illustrated.
IS
Words: Symplocaceae, Symplocos kothayarens Tamil Nadu, India.
;y lis,
RESUMEN
Sundan
nplocaceae, Symplocos kothayarensis
&
Rajkumar Manickam Gha
del suroeste de
:h,,
INTRODUCTION
Nommum
The family Symplocaceae comprises genera Index
four (fide
Genericorum; ex: Bobu, Dicalix, Cordyloblaste) and 500 species distributed in
&
and (Ahmedullah Nayar
the tropical subtropical regions, except Africa 1986).
Bombay
They occur in the eastern parts of the Old World, reaching from in the
New
West and from Manchuria north South Wales
to in the east in the to
Fiji
New
Howe
and Lord Island in the south. In the World the species occur from
Washington (Nooteboom
southern
the state of to Brazil 1981).
m
Among
The genus Symplocos represented India by 45 species.
]3.cq. is ca.
these, 13 species and one variety are endemic to peninsular India (Ahmedullah
&
Nadu
Nayar 1986). In Tamil alone the genus Symplocos represented by 10
is
species and six subspecies (Gopalan 1987).
The southern section of the Western Ghats in India by far the richest
is
&
loristic area with a concentration of endemic taxa (Ahmedullah Nayar 1986).
f
The Tirunelveli hills which include the "Agasthiyamalai' hills, is a remarkable
micro endemic center and one of the hot spots of the fndian flora (Nayar f996)
CPD
lUCN CITE
and attested by as IS7 (Davis et 1994).
al.
During the preparation of the famify Symplocaceae for the flora of
Tirunelveli one specimen was observed with striking differences belong-
hills,
On
was
ing to the genus Symplocos ]acq. critical examination, found to be a
it
new and and
species, described illustrated here.
is
&
Symplocos kothayarensis Sundaresan, Rajkumar Manickam, nov
Jothi, sp.
(Fig. 1). Typf.: INDIA, Tamil Nadu. Tirunelveli Hills. Kanyakumari Dt.: Kothayar near
Small trees to 2(-3)m tall; branchlets fulvous tawny hairy. Leaves simple, alter-
6-9 2-4
nate, coriaceous, oblong-obovate, x cm, entire or serrate or half serrate
at margin, the nerves ca. 6 pairs, faintly prominent, glabrous above, sparsely
hairy beneath, the apex obtuse, emarginate, base acute-subobtuse; petioles ca.
2mm
tawny Powers condensed
long, thick, bristly hairy. 15 in axillary
ca.
1cm 1.2mm
racemes, ca. long; bracts ovate, ca. 2.3 x long, obtuse at apex, densely
villous without, glabrous within, persistent; flowers sessile or shortly pedicel-
mm
Calyx tube long, with long appressed hairs; lobes ovate, obtuse
late. ca. 1
5,
or subacute apex, appressed hairy without, glabrous within. Corolla white,
at
mm
apex Stamens
lobes ovate-elliptic, subacute-obtuse, ca. 3.2 long. ca. 30,
5,
2-2.5mm
connate at the base, filaments free, ca. long; anthers 2-celled, ca. 0.5
mm mm
Ovary
long, ca. f.3 long, hairy, 3-locular; ovules 2-3; styles stout, ca.
3mtri long; stigma capitate; disc 5-lobed, glandular, glabrous. Fruits not seen.
Disf ribulion —Symplocos kothayarensis endemic to the southern part of
is
known
Western Cihats, Tamil Nadu, India and only from the type locality,
is
Kothayar TirunelveHhillsnearMuthukuzhivayal Kanyakumari
hills o{ in Dis-
m
Ecologyand phenology—This species grows at 1450 elevation in the dense
evergreen forests along with the species like Cullenia exarillata Robyns,
Elacocarpus serratus Mallotus philippensis (Lam.) Muell.-Arg. var.
L.,
philippcusis, Artotarpus heterophyllusLam. SymplocoscochinchinensisiLour.)
Moore subsp u na Retz.) Nooteb. flowering late February to April.
la
ri etc....;
(
vmology— The named
hi species is after its type locality.
Wight
Symploc OS kothayarensis closely allied to pulchra but differs in
is S. it
and and
the obovate-oblong, obtuse leaves, short racemes, glabrous disc style base.
IDENTIFICATION KEY TO SYMPLOCOS KOTHAYARENSIS
>
rounded or subcordate. Racemes 2 cm. Disc and style base hairy S. pulchra
ACKNOWLEDGMHNTS
We
would thank Ex
like to Nair, Joint Director, Botanical Survey of India for
V.J.
comments We
his valuable on our specimen and
for the Latin diagnosis. are
Nadu
thankful to the Tamil Forest Department allowing us undertake
for to
work was
fieldwork. This supported by University Grants Commission (UGC).
The was
illustration prepared by H. Sankar, CBB, Xavier's College,
St.
We
Palayamkottai. also extend our thanks to the two anonymous referees for
their suggestions in the earlier manuscript.
RRFHRHNCES
AHMtDULLAH,M.and MP. 1986. Endemic plantsof the Indian region. Botanical Survey
Nayar,
of Calcutta.
India,
The World
Heywood, and Hamilton 994. Centres of plant diversity. lUCN.
V.H. A.C.
Davis, S.D.,
1
Conservation Union. Oxford,
U.K. Vol.
II.
G()i'ArAN,R.1987.Synnplocaceae.ln:A.N.Henry,G.R.KumanandV.Chithraeds.FloraofTamil
68-69.
Nadu, India. Bot. Survey India. Coimbatore.Vol. Pp.
II.
Nayar, M.P. 996. Hot spots of endemic plants of India, Nepal and Bhutan.Tropical Botanic
1
Garden & Research Thiruvananthapuram.
Institute,
NooTEBOOM, H.R 981 Symplocaceae. M.D.Dassanayake and Fosberg eds. Flora of
In: F.R,
1
.
New
Amerind
Ceylon. Publishing Co., Delhi.
