Alysicarpus gautalensis A. Gholami & A.K.Pandey, 2016

Gholami, Akram & Pandey, Arun K., 2016, Alysicarpus gautalensis (Leguminosae: Desmodieae), a new species from Maharashtra, India, Phytotaxa 266 (2), pp. 141-145 : 142

Alysicarpus gautalensis A. Gholami & A.K.Pandey , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1A–F )

Alysicarpus gautalensis is similar to A. bupleurifolius in having an imbricate calyx, glabrous ovary and pod, but distinct from it in having glabrous branches, elliptic-oblong, obtuse leaflets with ciliate margins and trichomes present on both surfaces of the leaves, lobes of the calyx ciliate, pods 2–6 jointed, moniliform, constricted between the articles (vs. not constricted between the articles) with foveo-rugulate surface sculpturing ( Fig. 2A,B ). Table 1 gives an overview of the differences between A. gautalensis (the new species proposed here), and A. bupleurifolius .

Type:— INDIA. Maharashtra: Aurangabad district, Gautala, 20020 ’ 46.03” N, 75005 ’ 59.76” E, 188 m, 26 September 2013, Gholami & Pandey 4549 (holotype DUH!, isotype BSD!).

A small, annual, glabrous herb, erect, about 0.15–0.4 m tall. Stipules acute, 2–7 x 1–2 mm, striate, lanceolate, glabrous, margin ciliate. Petiole 1–3 mm long with a few hairs. Leaves unifoliolate, leaflets elliptic-oblong, obtuse, rounded at base and obtuse at the apex, 10–30 x 3–10 mm, margin ciliate, trichomes present on both surfaces; petioles 1–3 mm. Inflorescence a lax raceme, 30–70 mm long, with 5–10 flowers in distant pairs. Pairs of flowers subtended by three caducous, slightly ciliate and striate bracts, central or primary bract caudate,3–4 x 1.5–2.0 mm, two lateral or secondary bracts obtuse 1.5–2.5 x 0.5–1.5 mm. Pedicels pubescent c. 1–2 mm long. Calyx 2.5–5.0 mm long, tube 0.7– 1.0 mm long, lobes imbricate, ciliate, the upper clearly bifid. Corolla glabrous, pink with a tinge of yellow. Standard petal emarginate or rounded, claw c. 0.7 mm long; blade obovate, 3–5 x 2–5 mm. Wing petals with claw 0.5–1.0 mm, blade oblong 2–4 x 0.5–0.7 mm. Keel petals with claw 0.5–0.8, blade boat-shaped and folded, 2.5–3.0 x 1.5–1.8 mm. Stamens diadelphous (9+1), glabrous, 2.0– 2.5 mm long, free part of filaments 0.1–0.5 mm long, free stamen 1.5–2.0 mm long. Ovary 2.0– 2.5 mm long, glabrous, style 1.0– 1.5 mm long glabrous, Pods exserted from the calyx, glabrous, 3–7 x 1.0– 1.5 mm, 2–6 articles, moniliform, constricted between the articles, pod surface foveo-rugulate ( Fig. 2 ). Seeds rectangular or bead-shaped, 0.8–1.0 x 0.5–0.8 mm.

Distribution and Habitat:— Maharashtra, Aurangabad district, India, 20020 ’ 46.03” N, 75005 ’ 59.76” E ( Fig. 3 ). Common in grasslands, under the shade of trees.

Phenology:— Flowering: July to September; fruiting from August to November.

Etymology:— The species is named after the place from where it was collected in Maharashtra.

Additional specimens examined:— INDIA. Andhra Pradesh: Srikakulam , 11 September 1962, N.P. Balakrishnan 1128 (CAL) ; Bihar: Harjaria , 1September 1999, Inayat 121920 (CAL) ; Mrig Vihar , 17 September 2003, A.K. Ghosh, 33007 (CAL) ; Champaran , 11 November 1963, B.V. Shetty 241 (CAL) ; Karnataka: Bangalore , 1 September 1910, A. Meebold 11282 (CAL) ; Shimoga , 1 October 1908, A. Meebold 9673 (CAL) ; Hassan , 21September 1971, K.N. Gandhi 2108 (CAL) ; Kerala: Idukki, 12 November 1975, K. Vivekananthan 46654 (CAL). Idukki , 10 November 1981, V.S. Raju 71221 (CAL) ; Palghat , 16 October 1963, J. Joseph 17746 (CAL) ; Taliparamba, 16 November 977, V.S. Ramachandran 52364 (MH) ; Madhya Pradesh: Khandwa , 26August1949, V. Narayanaswami 3640 (CAL) ; Kapildhara, 27 October 1960, J. K. Maheshwari 4182 (CAL). Khari , 29.11.1961, J. Joseph 13487 (CAL) ; KunKuri, 31 Decmber 1964, C.M. Arura 7344 (CAL) ; Maharashtra: Pune , 25 September 1953, G.S. Puri, 5692 (CAL) ; Vithalwadi , 30September 1956, S.D. Mahajan 7255 (CAL) ; Vishrautvadi , 23 September 1960, M.Y. Ansari 64733 (CAL) ; Rajasthan: Baragaon , 10 October 1965, S. Sharma 1890 (CAL) ; Tonk , 24September 1974, B.V. Shetty 1319 (CAL) ; Tolesar , 21August 1977, A.N.Singh 4350 (CAL) ; Zawar mines, 1 October 1983, N.C. Aery, 859 (CAL) ; Tamil Nadu: Coimbatore , 10 December 1956, K.M. Sebastine 1691 (CAL) ; Coimbatore , 26 November 1962, K.M. Sebastine 15359 (CAL) ; Coimbatore , 27 October 1961, J. Joseph 13353 (CAL) ; Dharmapuri , 17 November 1972, E. Vajravelu 5930 (CAL) ; Coimbatore, Siruvani , 21 November 1956, K. Subramanyam 1391 (CAL) ; Coimbatore, Siruvani , 28 December 1956, K. Subramanyam 1841 (MH) ; Coimbatore , 23 November 1956, K.M. Sebastine 1425 (MH) ; Coimbatore, 10 December 1956, K.M. Sebastine 1691 (MH). North Arcot , 5 December 1985, M.B. Viswanathan 840 (MH) ; Athipalli , 17 November 1977, E.Vajravelu 51930 (MH) ; Uttarakhand: Dehradun , 1 September 1994, J.S. Gamble 24984 (CAL) ; West Bengal: Raigunj , 1 November 1983, R.N. Banerjee & M.C. Biswas 16100 (CAL) ; Jhalda , 17 September 1964, K.C. Malick 162 (CAL) ; Chatowlea , 2 November1968, L.S. Kurz 121736 (CAL) ; Sambodala , 22 September 1956, S.K. Mukherjee, 4371 (CAL) ; PAKISTAN: Northwest Frontier Province, Malakand , 1 October 1910, S. Toppin 2692 (CAL) ; MYANMAR: Silltia , 1 October 1902, Shaik Mokim 438 (CAL) ; Rangoon, 4 October 1954, Heyint Kyi, A4 (CAL) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. A. Habit. Alysicarpus gautalensis (from Gholami & Pandey 4549). B.Habit. A. bupleurifolius (from Gholami & Pandey 4512).C, D. Pods of A. gautalensis and A. bupleurifolius, respectively. E, F. Calyx of A. gautalensis and A. bupleurifolius, respectively.

FIGURE 2. Pod surface sculpturing. A. Alysicarpus gautalensis. B. Alysicarpus bupleurifolius (x600).

FIGURE 3. Known distribution of Alysicarpus gautalensis