Corresponding author: Ramchandra Gore (
Academic editor: Werner Greuter
A new species,
The pantropical genus
In 2012, the authors came across an interesting species of
Twining annual herbs. Stems terete, up to 2 m long, covered with 1-3 mm long, retrorse or spreading bulbous based hairs. Leaves 3-foliolate; petioles 3-5(-7) cm long, densely covered with retrorse or spreading bulbous based hairs; stipules elliptically lanceolate, medifixed, 7-9 mm long, 5-7 nerved, rounded at base, acute at apex, hairy on dorsal surface; stipels 2, linear-lanceolate, 2-3 mm long, acute or acuminate at apex, glabrous. Leaflets membranous, entire; lateral ones obliquely ovate or rhomboid to lanceolate, 2.2-5.5 x 1.5-2.3 cm, obliquely rounded at base, acute or shortly acuminate at apex, sparsely hairy; terminal leaflet ovate or rhomboid-lanceolate, 3-6.4 x 1.2-4 cm, base rounded (not oblique as in lateral leaflets), apex acute or shortly acuminate, sparsely hairy, margins entire or sometimes wavy; rachis 2-10 mm long, densely covered with whitish hairs. Flowers are of two kinds; the chasmogamous flowers present on leafy aerial shoots while cleistogamous flowers present on leafless subterranean shoots, which are close to soil surface.
August-October.
The specific epithet honors Prof AK Pandey, Department of Botany, Delhi University, New Delhi (India), in recognition of his valuable contribution to the taxonomy of flowering plants of India.
India, Maharashtra, Satara district, near Chalkewadi in Patan tahsil.
It is a twining annual herb, grows on lateritic gravelly soil on hill slopes amonggrasses and herbs at about 1200 m altitude above mean sea level in Satara district of Maharashtra, India. The species has adapted to the monsoon seasonality. It thrives in humid climate with heavy rainfall during growth season. The seed germination takes place with onset of monsoon rain in the first week of June and the plant completes its life cycle with formation of seeds when rains ceasein mid October. The common associates of the species are
Interestingly, two types of shoots are observed in the species, one a normal aerial leafy shoot and the other subterranean (close to soil surface) leafless shoot producedatthe lower nodes of the stem. The later shoots produce cleistogamous flowers, which remain closed. They show differences in the structure of their floral parts as compared to chasmogamous flowers such as standard petal without central protuberance inside, keel petals without horn-like pocket, curved style and short style beak (0.3-0.5 mm long). (Figs
The authors are thankful to the Principal, Walchand College of Arts and Science, Solapur for making available research facilities; to Prof Delin Wu, South China Botanical garden, Leyiju, Guangdong, China, Dr M Sanjappa, Ex-Director, Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata, and Dr IS Bist, Principal Scientist, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi, India for their expert comments on the identity of the species; to Dr MM Sardesai, Department of Botany, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad for providing literature, and to JF Veldkamp, National herbarium of the Netherlands (NHN) for the Latin diagnosis and verification of gender ending of the new species.
Details of chasmogamous flowers of
Details of cleistogamous flowers of
Photoraphs of
Leafless branches with pods
Stipule
Chasmogamous flower
Cleistogamous flower with bracts and bracteoles
Details of chasmogamous flowers of
Standard petal
Stamens and pistil
Wing petals
Style beak
Keel petals
Seed
Details of cleistogamous flowers of
Standard petal
Stamens and pistil
Wing petals
Style beak
Keel petals
Seed
Photoraphs of
Pods of cleistogamous flower
Pod of chasmogamous flower
Seed germination of
Comparison between
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dimorphic (i.e. someone aerial,normal leafy and the others leafless, which produceds atfrom the lower nodes of the stem) | not dimorphic (only normal leafy shoot present) | not dimorphic (only aerinormal leafy shoots present) |
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epigeal | hypogeal | hypogeal |
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present on leafless subterranean shoots which produced atfrom the lower nodes of the stem, close to soil surface | present on underground positively geotropic branches | Cleistogamous flowers absent |
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absent | present ( |
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absent | present (1.6-2 mm long) | |
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curved with 0.3-0.5 mm long beak | ‘ |
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straight, 2.5-4 cm long, sparsely hairy, green when young and turn brown with maturity | curved, 1.5-2.5 cm long, glabrescent, white/albino | |
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8-9 per pod, obliquely rounded (3.5-4 x 3-3.5 mm), dark brown | 3-5 per pod, oblong or sub-cylindric (2.5-3 x 2-2.2 mm), whitish brown, | |
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foveolate with mesh-like reticulation | non-foveolate, shiny | |
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well developed, 2-2.2 mm long, protruding | poorly developed, 1-1.1 mm long, not protruding | |
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4-10 seeded, densely covered with 2-3 mm long brownish hairs | 6-12 seeded, sparsely covered with |
8-10 seeded, quite glabrous |
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foveolate with mesh-like reticulation | non-foveolate, shiny | foveolate |