Indigofera himachalensis V. Chauhan & A.K. Pandey, 2013

Chauhan, Vibha, Pandey, Arun K. & Schaefer, Hanno, 2013, Indigofera himachalensis (Fabaceae: Indigofereae), a new species from Himachal Pradesh, India, Phytotaxa 112 (2), pp. 43-49 : 47

Indigofera himachalensis V. Chauhan & A.K. Pandey , sp. nov. ( Fig. 4 )

Indigofera himachalensis is similar to I. heterantha but differs in having larger leaflet size, longer petiole and petiolule length, longer and sparsely adpressed hairy pods, larger seed size, greater number of seeds per pod and reticulorugulate pattern of the spermoderm.

Type:— INDIA. Himachal Pradesh: Sirmaur district , Sail, 30 0 4l’ 47” N , 77 0 25’ 7” E, 4500 m, 15 September 2012, Chauhan & Pandey 5011 (holotype CAL!, isotype BSD!, DUH!) .

Shrub, 0.5–5 m high; stem 4–20 cm in diameter, lenticellate; branches spreading, densely adpressed white biramous hairs with equal arms. Leaves 2–10 cm long including a 1–10 mm long petiole; rachis 3–9 cm long, canaliculate; stipellae 0.5–1 mm long, pubescent; petiolules 0.5–1 mm long, pubescent; leaflets 5–35, opposite or subopposite, 3–15 x 2–10 mm, elliptic, ovate, obovate to oblong, obtuse to cuneate at base, rounded to retuse and mucronate at apex, adpressed pubescent on both surfaces; stipule 3–5 x 0.5 mm, linear, pubescent. Racemes 2–12 cm long including a 1–2 cm long peduncle, axillary; axis 1.5–9 cm long, angular, adpressed pubescent, 8–many-flowered. Flower pink to purplish–pink, 4–8 mm long; bracts 2–4 x 0.5 mm, narrowly triangular, pubescent, caducous; pedicels up to 1 mm long. Calyx adpressed pubescent outside, cup 1–2 mm long, teeth 1.5–2 mm long, narrowly triangular. Standard 4–8 x 2.5–4.5mm, elliptic to obovate, mucronate at apex, adpressed hyaline strigose on the back; wing petals 2.5–5 x 1.5–2 mm, distal wing beard outside; keel petals 3.5–6.5 x 1.5–3.5 mm, adpressed pubescent outside. Staminal sheath 4.5–6.5 mm long; anthers c. 0.6 mm long. Ovary 2.5–4.5 mm long, linear, glabrous or sometimes with a few hairs, ovules 6–12; style 2.5–3 mm long, glabrous. Pod 15–55 x 2–4 mm, spreading, straight, cylindrical, sparsely adpressed hairy, sutures narrow, 2–8-seeded. Seeds 2 x 1 mm, cylindrical, rounded at both ends, smooth, reddish-brown, spermoderm reticulo-rugulate.

Distribution and habitat:— Himachal Pradesh, India, 30 0 4l’ 47” N, 77 0 25’ 7” E, growing along rocky hill slopes as low copiously branched shrub in around 1500–5000 m elevation.

Phenology:— Flowering from May to August; fruiting from June to September.

Etymology:— The species is named after the province from where it was collected, Himachal Pradesh.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— INDIA. Jammu & Kashmir: Mandi-Loran, 1500–2500 m, 16 September 1985, J. N . Vohra & B . D. Nathani 78284 ( BSD); Himachal Pradesh: Pangi Village , Bashahr, 2900 m, 3 September, 1963, N. C . Nair 30435 ( BSD); Uttarakhand: Chamoli Dist., Tapowan area , September 1980, B . D. Nathani 71032 ( BSD) .

Figures

FIGURE 4. Indigofera himachalensis (from Chauhan & Pandey 5011) A. Habit, B. Leaflet (leftside)-abaxial, (rightside)-adaxial C. Standard, D. Wings, E. Keel, F. Calyx with gynoecium, G. Pod, H. Seed. Drawn by V. Chauhan.