Morina ludlowii (M.J.Cannon) D.Y. Hong, Novon

Kumar, Rahul, Krishna, Gopal & Kumar, Vikas, 2023, Rediscovery of Morina ludlowii (Caprifoliaceae): An overlooked species from India, Phytotaxa 591 (2), pp. 177-180 : 177-178

Morina ludlowii (M.J.Cannon) D.Y. Hong, Novon 20(4): 418. 2010.

Cryptothladia ludlowii M.J. Cannon, Bull. Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.), Bot. 12(1): 22. 1984.— Figure 1

Type:— Bhutan, Ju La , Mangde Chu, 4250 m, 19.07.1949, Ludlow, Sherriff & Hicks 16903 (holotype-BM ( BM 000945726 ) image!, isotype-E ( E 00265256 ) image!); Paratypes:— Bhutan, Me La , South Side, 4250 m, 29.05.1949, Ludlow, Sherriff & Hicks 20305 ( BM); Kantanang, Tsampa , 3850 m, 04.06.1949, Ludlow, Sherriff & Hicks 19050 ( BM image!, E); Ridge of Tashigong Kurted, 3700 m, 21.08.1915, Cooper 4525 ( BM image!) ; India, Orka La , 4000–4250 m, 29.09.1938, Kingdon-Ward 14310 ( BM image!), Mago , 4000–4250m, Kingdon-Ward 12383 ( BM, K) .

Description:— Perennial herb, 35–50 cm tall. Leaves in 3–4 whorls, lanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, 5.5–11 × 0.7–1.5 cm, margin entire with 3–4 mm long spines, apex acute with short apicula, margin and midvein ciliate; petiole decurrent, sheathing, spinose. Inflorescence 10–12 cm long, densely white pilose hairy; flowers many, compactly arranged in whorls of 8–12, pale yellow to greenish yellow; involucral bracts leafy, ovate with 2–3 pairs of lateral spinose-dentate teeth, equal or exceeding flowers; involucel obconical to campanulate, 5–8 mm long, teeth 6–9, spiny, 3–5 mm long. Calyx 7–10 mm long, 2-lobed at apex, with long hairs and weakly glandular inside, glabrous outside. Corolla yellow, included, tubular, 5–6 mm long, 4-lobed, fimbriate, upper lip slightly large, hooded, hispid inside. Fertile stamens 2, hairy below anthers; nectaries present at the base; staminodes 2, much shorter than fertile anther. Style 4–5 mm long; stigma disc-shaped; Achenes subglobose, ca 3 × 1.5 mm.

Flowering & Fruiting:— May to September.

Distribution:— India (Arunachal Pradesh), Bhutan, China.

Habitat:— Grows in moss covered areas of subalpine to alpine rocky-mountains in association with Rhododendron lepidotum, Geranium himalayense, Saxifraga hispidula etc.

Specimens examined:— India: Arunachal Pradesh, on way to Geshila , ca 3850 m; 02.08.2022, Vikas Kumar & Rahul Kumar 22119 (PLP) .

Conservation Status:— The conservation status of Morina ludlowii is assessed using IUCN Red listing guidelines ( IUCN 2022). By using GeoCAT tool based using a 2 km × 2 km grid, the extent of occurrence (EOO) and area of occupancy (AOO) were calculated as 6103 km ² and 28 km 2 respectively. Although, EOO qualified the Vulnerable however, AOO qualifies for Endangered under Criterion B2. So far, M. ludlowii is known from five subpopulations from Bhutan, China and India. In India, it is recorded only from two localities viz. Orka La and another from Mago both were collected by Kingdon-Ward (1938). Recently, authors (VK & RK) during a field exploration in Arunachal Pradesh in 2022, located a small population of about 40–50 mature individuals of this species on the way to Geshila (Tawang district). Both the Indian sub-populations are threatened by natural calamities like landslides, habitat destruction and anthropogenic activities. Based on the present observations its threat status can be evaluated as ‘Endangered’ [EN B2ab(v)].

Figures

FIGURE 1. a. Morina ludlowii (M.J. Cannon) D.Y. Hong in the field; b. Close up of inflorescence.