Ophioglossum gujaratense SM Patil, RN Kachhiyapatel, R Patel & KS Rajput, 2018

Patil, Sachin M., Kachhiyapatel, Ronak N., Patel, Ravi S. & Rajput, Kishore S., 2018, Ophioglossum gujaratense, a new species from Gujarat State, India, Phytotaxa 351 (4), pp. 273-280 : 274-276

Ophioglossum gujaratense SM Patil, RN Kachhiyapatel, R Patel & KS Rajput sp. nov., Fig. 1

Type:— INDIA. Gujarat: Panchmahal district, Jambughoda, Dhanpuri , 22°21.486’N 73°42.871’E, 214 m, 30 July 2017, S. M.Patil, R. N. Kachhiyapatel & K. S.Rajput 215. (Holotype CAL!; Isotype BARO!, SUK!, BSI!, MH!) .

Description: — Plants less than 10 cm, terrestrial, herbaceous; rhizomorph subterranean, sub-globose (young)–tuberose (mature), yellow–brown, bearing numerous fleshy roots (sometimes stoloniferous); common stalk 0.5–1.5 cm long, subterranean, white, glabrous, covered with leaf sheath (brown or white); trophophylls born close to the ground, slightly convex from above, 0.5–2 cm long, 0.5–1.2 cm broad, 1–5 per rhizomorph, ovate–elliptic or elliptic–lanceolate, acute–acuminate at apex, cuneate at base, margins entire, green–dark green, glabrous, tough, horizontally attached to substratum; venation reticulate; fertile segment 2–8 cm long, round–flat, pale green–green, arising from base of leaf; strobili 0.5–2 cm long, thick, apex acute–acuminate, green (young)–yellow (mature); sporangia 5–15, arranged in two alternate rows; spores 30–40 μm dia., trilete, exine verrucose.

Specimens Examined:— INDIA, Gujarat, Panchmahal district, Jambughoda, Dhanpuri , 22°21.486’N 73°42.871’E, 124 m, 30 th July 2017, S. M.Patil, R. N. Kachhiyapatel & K. S.Rajput 215 ( BARO) BARO0070041 ; Gujarat, Panchmahal district, Jambughoda, Zand , 22°22.264 N 73°40.022 E, 154 m, 4 th August 2017, S. M.Patil, R. N. Kachhiyapatel & K. S.Rajput 234 ( BARO) BARO0070042 ; Gujarat, Panchmahal district, Halol, Shivrajpur , 22°24.235 N 73°37.077 E, 195 m, 8 th August 2017, S. M.Patil, R. N. Kachhiyapatel & K. S.Rajput 241 ( BARO) BARO0070043 .

Additional specimens examined: — Ophioglossum nudicaule : INDIA-Madhya Pradesh, Hoshangabad Dist. Kesla, alt. 500m., 22/07/1961, J. Joseph ( MH) MH25305 ; Tamil Nadu, Rmnad Dist., Erani forest , alt. 100m., 19/08/1964, R. D. Dixit ( MH) MH39459 ; Tirunelvel Dist. , way to falls, alt. 400m., 25/07/1951, K. Subramanyan ( MH) MH17579 ; Way to Five Falls Courtallum, Subramanyan ( MH) MH8957 ; Coimbatore Dist., Aliyar , submergible area, alt 350m., 27/07/1962, K. M. Selastive ( MH) MH29569 ; Tiruchirappally Dt., Narthamalai , Ramamurthy ( MH) MH25940 .

Ophioglossum polyphyllum : YEMEN, J. Ma’lih , c 10 km SE of Qalansiyah, A. G. Miller, M. Bazara’a, L. Guarinao & N. Kassim, M10162 ( E) E00217751 ; TANZANIA, Kilimanjaro: near Mabungo hill, Kirua Vunjo , Kilimanjaro, A. Hemp 4483 ( UBT) UBT0000672 ; SAUDI ARABIA, In arena deserti prope Djeddam , W. Schimper 984 ( P) P00466556 ; INDIA, Maharastra, Junnar near S. T. Bus station , 13 th August 1964 K. Hemadri 99630 ( BSI) BSI92046 ; INDIA, Maharastra, Shahanur, Narnala, Akot , 25 th June 1978 S. Y. Kamble 153831 ( BSI) BSI106513.111 .

Ophioglossum parvifolium : India-Maharashtra, Satara Dist., along the way of Kas platue, alt., 1100 m., 05/08/2014, S. M.Patil 2003 ( BARO) BARO70040 ; Gujarat, Panchmahal district, Jambughoda, Zand , 22°22.264 N 73°40.022 E, 154 m, 4 th August 2017, S. M.Patil, R. N. Kachhiyapatel & K. S.Rajput, 38 ( BARO) BARO0070039 .

Phenology:— Sterile phase: June–July; Fertile phase: August–September

Etymology:— The species is named after the type location, i.e. Gujarat state, India.

Distribution:— INDIA, Gujarat: Dhanpuri (Jambughoda), Zand (Jambughoda), Shivrajpur (Halol)

Ecology:— The species grows at the base of the hills and on hill slopes at 200—300 m msl. It grows in association with O. costatum , O. parvifolium and O. reticulatum .

Conservation status:— Ophioglossum gujaratense is collected just from three localities viz. Dhanpuri and Zand, Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary and from Shivrajpur (Halol, Panchmahal district). A population of about 500—700 individuals per km 2 was found at each locality. However, other forested areas of the state are yet to be explored completely. Additionally, we assume that the species might be distributed in similar ecological conditions. Hence, more floristic explorations are needed to determine and document the full range of distribution of O. gujaratense . According to IUCN (2012) criteria, at present this species is considered as data deficient (DD).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Ophioglossum gujaratense. A-D. Habit. E-I. Habit showing one, two, three, four and five trophophylls. J. A portion of rhizomorph, roots and common stalk showing leaf sheathing at base of common stalk. K. Enlarged portion of common stalk. L, M.Adaxial and abaxial view of trophophyll. N. Enlarged portion of trophophyll apex. O. Enlarged portion of spike stalk. P, Q. Young and mature strobilus. R. Enlarged portion of sporangia showing transvers dehiscence of sporangium. S–U. Proximal, distal and lateral view of trilet spore. Scale bars: A-5 mm, B-F, I-1 cm, G,H-5 mm, J-3 mm, K,O, R-0.5 mm, L-N-1 mm, P,Q-2 mm, S-U-10 μm. Photograph by Ronak Kachhiyapatel.