Piper phalangense C. DC. Repert., 2018

Mukherjee, Prasanta Kumar, 2018, Nomenclatural notes on Piper Linn. (Piperaceae) from India II, Phytotaxa 338 (1), pp. 17-32 : 26

16. Piper phalangense C. DC. Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 10: 518. 1912.

Type:— INDIA: Manipur, Phalang, Nagabrerge, 5000 ft. Meebold 7102 (lectotype designated G-DC G 00322079 image!).

Piper isopleurum C. DC. Candollea 2: 201, 1925 syn. nov.

Type:— INDIA: Sikkim, unknown collector s.n. (holotype CAL!).

Piper listeri C. DC. Candollea 2: 201. 1925 syn. nov.

Type:— INDIA: Assam, Duphla hills, Borpanee, J. L. Lister s. n. (holotype CAL!).

Piper mannii C. DC. . Candollea 2: 204. 1925 pro parte syn. nov.

Type:— INDIA: Meghalaya, Khasia hills, 4000ft. Mann 252 (lectotype designated here CAL!).

Piper mannii var. glabrum C. DC. . Candollea 2: 204. 1925 pro parte syn. nov.

Type:— INDIA: Assam, Cachar, Prazer s.n. (lectotype designated here CAL!).

Piper parvilimbum C. DC. . Candollea 2: 201. 1925 pro parte syn. nov.

Type:— INDIA: Meghalaya, Mydung, C. B. Clarke 45707 A (lectotype designated here: CAL!; syntype Khasi hills, Bishop falls , 4–5000ft, Mann 896 CAL!) .

Distribution:— INDIA: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Meghalaya, & Manipur.

Note: —A sheet at G-DC of A. Meebold 7102 with a fragment consisting of two leaves and a male spike is the only surviving original material of Piper phalangense C. DC. (the type at WRSL has probably been lost/destroyed during the second World War). It matches the description of P. phalangense and hence is designated here as the lectotype. Types of all the new synonyms proposed here are present at CAL and are found to be remarkably similar to P. phalangense . The species is similar in foliage and general appearance to P. khasianum , differing only in the length of the male spike, which is shorter than the leaves.

Piper mannii was described as an erect shrub with four syntypes collected from Meghalaya (Khasia & Jaintea hills) and Sikkim. Casimir de Candolle (1925: 204) added a variety, P. mannii var. glabrum , representing a large scandent plant based on five syntypes. All of these types are available at CAL and some are at G-DC. An examination of these reveal that both the species and its variety are composed of discordant elements.

Of the syntypes of P. mannii excluded here are: (i) “Siogha, Gamble 2577β”, with its briefly pedicellate fruits, identifiable as Piper curtistipes ; (ii) “Khasia & Junteah hills, Gallatly 259” mentioned as one of the syntypes for both P. mannii and P. mannii var. glabrum has three plants: the left lower one is the holotype of P. cornilimbum C. DC. (1925: 197) and the upper two syntypes of P. mannii var. glabrum are P. khasianum ; (iii) Clarke 43300A, a syntype of P. mannii var. glabrum is similar to P. pedicellatum C. DC. (1866: 144) ; (iv) Clarke 44034 DD, is similar to P. suipigua . With a majority of the syntypes of both the species and its variety being excluded, this species is circumscribed narrowly such that it is manifestly similar to P. phalangense , necessitating synonimization of the three taxa.