Swertia patnitopiansis Bikarma Singh, 2021

Singh, Bikarma, 2021, Swertia patnitopiansis, a new species of Gentianaceae from North-Western Himalaya, India, Phytotaxa 498 (4), pp. 273-280 : 273-274

Swertia patnitopiansis Bikarma Singh , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1–3 )

Diagnosis

The new species shows some morphological similarities with S. cordata , but differs from the later by its biennial habit (vs. annual), plant height 10–20 cm (vs. 30–70 cm), 1 or 2 branches (vs. 8–25), leaf base rounded, obtuse or cuneate, 4–12 × 3–10 mm (vs. base cordate, 14–56 × 8–33 mm), 3–6 flowered inflorescence (vs. 8–12 flowered), 4–5 mm diam. pure white flowers (vs. 7–10 mm diam. yellowish-white), nectaries globose, fimbriate (vs. orbicular or rhomboid, membranous dentate) and polyhedral seeds with minutely thorny seed coats (vs. ellipsoid to globose, winged) ( Table1).

Type: — INDIA. Himalaya Region: Jammu and Kashmir UT, Jammu Province, Udhampur District , Patnitop Hill proper, 33.08°N, 75.33°E, elev. 2202 m, 16 October 2014, Bikarma Singh 52757 (holotype: RRLH!, isotype RRLH!) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Location map of Swertia patnitopiansis in Himalaya; (a) locations of Patnitop and Nathatop Hills in India, (b) satellite image of vegetation composition and location of new species, (c–d) natural habitat of S. patnitopiansis.

FIGURE 2. Illustration of Swertia patnitopiansis, sp. nov.; (a) plant habit, (b) complete flower, (c) five number sepals, (d) a single sepal (e) five number petals with nectaries, (f) a single petal, (g) five number stamens, (h) a single stamen with filament and anther, (i) carpel with ovary, style and bifid stigma.

FIGURE 3. Comparison of Swertia patnitopiansis (a) wild habit, (a 1) flower, (a 2) herbarium sample and Swertia cordata (b) wild habit, (b1) flower, (b2) herbarium sample.