Pseudoxytenanthera madhavii P.Tetali, Datar, S.Tetali, Muralidharan, and R.K.Choudhary, 2021

Tetali, P., Tetali, Sujata, Muralidharan, E. M., Bokil, Sarang A., Choudhary, Ritesh Kumar & Datar, Mandar N., 2021, Pseudoxytenanthera madhavii (Poaceae: Bambusoideae), a new species of woody bamboo from the northern Western Ghats, India, Phytotaxa 498 (3), pp. 186-196 : 187-194

Pseudoxytenanthera madhavii P.Tetali, Datar, S.Tetali, Muralidharan, and R.K.Choudhary sp. nov.

Shining culms, white powdery scuff covering young culms, fresh culm sheaths with waxy coating, black to brownish black hairs on culm sheaths, undulating blades; culm wall thickness of 0.9–1.9 cm at breast height, long apiculate anthers; striated, membranous lower palea, filament tube united more than half of its length, 2–3 stigmas and hirsute ovary.

Type:— INDIA. Maharashtra: Pune district, Velhe Taluka, Shirkoli village , 18.360759° N, 73.613238° E, 687 AMSL, 02 October 2019 (fl.) , P. Tetali, MN Datar and RK Choudhary, 000141 (holotype: AHMA!, isotypes BSI!, CAL!) .

A deciduous, arborescent and gregarious bamboo. Rhizomes sympodial, produce 1–3 tillers per rhizome. Culms erect, loose, 9–16 m high; the young ones without branches, covered with white powdery deciduous scurf; older culms (more than 3 years) turn yellowish green, hollow, diameter 6–10 cm, at breast height 8.5 cm; culm wall thickness 0.9–1.9 cm, solid at base, solidness maximum up to one meter, cavity 2.5–5 cm at breast height. Few branches appear in second year mostly on upper part, branches with slightly out curved tips, older branches drooping. Internodes terete, 22–70 cm long, lower ones shorter, middle nodes show maximum internodal distance. Nodes slightly swollen with prominent white hairy rings 10 mm above, and 2–5 mm below. Culm-sheaths: young ones covered with wax coating, narrowed upwards, sparsely covered with black or dark-brown deciduous hairs; 17–44 cm long and 14–28 cm wide; auricles with few long hairs; shoulders with or without hairs; deep prominent ligule; dentate or fimbriate; 5–7 mm high; culm sheath blade persistent, conspicuous, triangular; imperfect; prominently undulating, 7–15 cm long, gradually tapering, reflexed at maturity; sparsely hairy on abaxial surface. Leaves 7–9 per branch; base round; blade lanceolate to linear–lanceolate; acuminate; 16–28 cm long; veins 12–14; mid vein prominent; ligule purplish; base attenuated into a small petiole; petiole grooved; 0.3–0.7 cm long. Inflorescence of a large compound panicle with distinct globular heads; heads 2–5 cm in diameter, spinescent; spikelets 0.8–0.9 cm long; lower glume, ovate, 0.7–0.8 cm, mucronate, 5–8 nerved, lemmas ovate, upper lemma sharply pointed, 1.6–1.7 cm long; lower lemma ovate, sharply acute, 1.4– 1.5 cm long; upper palea mucronate, 1.2–1.3 cm long, sparsely hairy on back; lower palea dull green, two keeled, cleft at the top, hairy above, almost the same size; some floriferous branches show both male and female flowers, exerted anthers and plumose stigmas. Staminal tube up to 1.5 cm long; stamens exerted, anthers bright sulphur yellow, apiculate, 0.7–0.9 cm long, filaments united below to almost half of the length, free above; free part of filaments longer or almost equal to the size of anthers, light purple, turns colourless and drooping after dehiscence; gynoecium long, up to 1.2 cm; ovary and style hairy; stigma 2–3, dark purple, plumose.

Local name:— Both names Mes and Manga are misapplied to Pseudoxytenanthera stocksii . However local communities of the northern Western Ghats distinguish them from each other based on morphological characters. The present description of Pseudoxytenanthera madhavii will clear the doubts in use of vernacular names. Pseudoxytenanthera madhavii , should be known by the name Mes while its allied species P. stocksii by the name Manga .

Phenology:— Gregarious flowering of this species is neither recorded in last 25 years by authors during their field work, nor there is any report of the flowering from the northern Western Ghats. Careful observations were made for the present sporadic flowering. Insects visit flowers mostly in the morning and continue till afternoon; non dehisced anthers exist even at 2 pm. Honey bees and solitary bees are the most common opportunistic visitors interested in pollen collection. However, seed setting seems to be very poor.

Etymology:— The specific epithet is given in honour of Prof. Madhav Gadgil, eminent Indian ecologist for his contribution in the field of Biodiversity and conservation in India and his affection towards bamboos.

Habitat, distribution and utilities:— Pseudoxytenanthera madhavii is one of the most common bamboos of the northern Western Ghats. It is wild in moist and dry deciduous forests and has been widely cultivated in Pune and Satara districts of Maharashtra. Much of this bamboo is used in construction and in shelter construction. However, its demand for furniture and housing industry is increasing due to its smooth surface, mechanical strength, better slivering and stripe making qualities. In addition, it takes good polish.