Amaranthus parganensis (Amaranthaceae), a New Species from West Bengal, India

2015·7.4 MB·English

by  Saubhik Das

New
West
Amaranthus
parganensis (Amaranthaceae), a Species from
Bengal, India
Das
Saubhik
Government West 24
Taki College with Bengal State University), Taki, North Parganas,
(affiliated
PIN-743429, West [email protected]
Bengal,
India,
A
new Amaranthus
Abstract. species of vegetable amaranth, currently divided into four sections:
sect.
Amaranthus parganensis Saubhik Das (Amarantha- Amaranthus Pentamorion (Beck) Mo-
Blitopsis, sect.
&
has been described from the lower Gangetic syakin K. R. Robertson, and Amaranthus
ceae),
sect.
&
West morphology and Mosyakin which
Plain of Bengal, India. Goerziella (Urb.) K. R. Robertson,
Its
and Amaranthus
distributional range suggest that related A. comprise indehiscent-fmited species,
to
is
it
tricolor L., both adapted to tropical climate, having a sect. Pyxidium, which includes taxa with dehiscent,
&
sympatric distribution and similar ecology. circumscissile utricles (Mosyakin Robertson, 1996).
Few
Key Amaranthus, such
words: Amaranthaceae, Amaranthus, gyno- species of as A. tricolor L., A.
lUCN
monoecy, Indo-Gangetic Red West blitum A. cruentus, and A. dubius Mart, ex Thell.
Plain, L.,
List,
Bengal. are used as leafy vegetables, but the most widely
members
and
cultivated are A. tricolor A. blitum.
Amaranthus Pyxidium
Amaranthus L. (Amaranthaceae) a cosmopolitan tricolor is included in section
is
A
genus of herbs comprising 60 70 species (Sauer, and A. blitum is included in section Blitopsis. deep
ca. to
which 40 Americas, red-colored, dark-seeded form of grain amaranth, A.
of are native the the
1976), ca. to
and cruentus used as a leafy vegetable in tropical African
rest distributed across Australia, Africa, Asia, is
Weedy
and Caribbean
Europe. Most annual weeds, and few valued regions. species A. dubius,
are a are
&
Amaranthus Dubia Mosyakin
as vegetable and ornamental amaranths. The protein- included in nothosect.
rich seeds of species such as A. hypochondriacus A. K. R. Robertson, is often used as a green vegetable in
L.,
West America and ama-
and consumed the Caribbean. Vegetable
caudatus L., A. cruentus L. are as
Amaranthus Pyxidium
known ranths are included in of
pseudocereals; these taxa are as the grain sect.
subgenus and appears be
amaranths. Sauer accepted two subgenera Albersia, this to the least
(1955)
under genus Amaranthus, Amaranthus satisfactory taxonomic grouping within the genus.
with subg.
Amaranthus Amaranthus
Acnida Aellen ex K. R. Robertson having tricolor included within
is
(L.)
Pyxidium and
and Amaranthus Amaranthus morphologically variable.
dioecious species subg. sect. is
by monoecious Further, the morphological distinctiveness of Indian
identified species. Traditionally,
its
Amaranthus
Amaranthus subg. Amaranthus has been divided into populations within are independently
and
two Amaranthus Amaranthus recognized, a novel species described herein.
sections, as sect. [= is
Amaranthus Amaranthotypus and
Dumort.]
sect.
Amaranthus
parganensis Saubhik Das,
nov.
sp.
Amaranthus
Dumort.
(Thellung,
sect. Blitopsis
s.l.
TYPE:
West 24
Bengal: North Parganas,
India.
1919; Aellen, 1959; Robertson, 1981). Carretero
EM
Lake 27
Salt City, bypass, sea level, Sep.
Amaranthus
two
(1985) split sect. Blitopsis into
Das
[specimen
2010, no. (holotype,
S. s.n. 17]
Amaranthus
comprising
sections: sect. Blitopsis
s. str.,
CAL;
MO).
Figure
isotype,
I.
and Amaranthus
species with indehiscent fmits,
sect.
Pyxidium
Moq., including species with dehiscent
Amarantho
fmits. More recently, Mosyakin and Robertson (1996) Species nova tricolori L. affinis, sed ab eo
cum
laminae
petiolo proportione majore, floribus
foliaris
recognized three subgenera on the basis of inflores-
quam
hermaphroditis hermaphroditis
et pistillatis, pistillatis
cence and Amaranthus Acnida,
features, as subg.
floral
multo majoribus, apice acuminatis atque fmctu
tepalis in
Amaranthus Amaranthus, and Amaranthus
subg. subg.
semper
tepalo longiore incluso distinguitur.
&
moved
and
Albersia (Kunth) Gren. Godr., section
cm
Pyxidium from subgenus Amaranthus subgenus Robust herbs, I00-I20 appearing gyno-
to
tall,
Albersia. All the grain amaranths, along with few monoecious, but not functionally; stems erect, green,
weeds, included Amaranthus Amaranthus. branched. Leaves arranged,
are in exstipulate, spirally
sect.
Amaranthus
Vegetable amaranths are included in blades green, ovate lanceolate or lanceolate but
to
X ±
cm
13-17 5-9
subg. Albersia, which taxonomically complex and not rhombic, cm, blade apices
is is
Novon 406-410. Published on 9 January 2015. 10.3417/2012078
23:
doi:
Number
Volume Das 407
4
23,
2014 Amaranthus
(Amaranthaceae) from
India
1
12
3 5
0 4
; 1 I i 1
cm
— — — —
Figure Amaranthus parganensis Saubhik Das. A. Fertile habit. B. Aristate bract. C. Aristate bracteole. D. Aristate
1.
— — —
tepal. E. Bisexual flower. F. Arrangement of stamens and rudimentary carpel in bisexual flower. G. Pistillate flower.
—
CAL
Gynoecium from A-FI drawn from Das
FI. pistillate flower. are the type s.n. [17].
acute or often minutely notched, with a minute inflorescence massive but less branched. Flowers
5-8
unequal
apiculum, blade bases cuneate; petioles green, either bisexual or pistillate, in size,
±
cm. Flowers in small axillary glomerules and as a intermixed, sessile, the tepals of bisexual flowers
compound
terminal inflorescence of cymes; terminal larger than those of pistillate flowers; bracts.
408 Novon
bracteoles and tepals with apical awns; bracts and subgenus Amaranthus Pyxidium due
this to sect. to
mm;
bracteoles broadly ovate lanceolate, 1.5-2 the dehiscent Other species of vegetable
to utricles.
tepals ovate lanceolate or oblong, membranous, amaranths growing in West Bengal, India
to {A. tricolor^
3,
mm
apex acuminate, tepal length 4.5-5 in bisexual A. blitum) are generally monoecious and are also self
mm
3-3.5 stamens Breeding mechanisms amaranths
flowers, in flowers; compatible. in are
pistillate
3,
mm
free, filaments filiform, 4.5-5 in hermaphroditic complex and variable. The vegetable amaranths have
number
flowers; stamens or staminodes are absent in a of staminate flowers per glomerules and are
pistillate
&
mm,
2.5-3 and predominantly Khoshoo,
flowers; carpels three, style short self pollinating (Pal
thickened, ovary ovoid, stigmas filiform, transpar- 1973). Vegetable amaranths are predominantly a
3,
gynoecium
ent, papillose, in the bisexual flower with self-pollinating crop, with varying degrees of out-
&
gynoecium The new
thickened gynophore,
a short, in the crossing (Hauptli Jain, 1985). species
pistillate flower lacking a gynophore; the gynoecium shows a structural gynomonoecy, although gynoecia
rudimentary in bisexual flowers. Fruit a circumscis- are rudimentary. There no functional gynomonoecy
is
sile utricle produced only by pistillate flowers, ovoid, and no seeds were found within the rudimentary
mm
much Among
1.5-2 long, included by the longer tepal, carpels of bisexual flowers. the three
with surface smooth; seeds blackish brown, subgenera delimited by Mosyakin and Robertson
fruit as
mm
shiny, compressed, 1.2-1. 5 diam. subgenus Acnida comprises only dioecious
(1996),
subgenus and
species, while the other two, Albersia
and Amaranthus parganen-
Distribution habitat.
subgenus Amaranthus^ comprise only monoecious
West
occurs in the lower Gangetic Plain of Bengal.
sis There no any amaranths
species. are records of other
grows extensively North and South 24 Parganas,
in
It having gynomonoecy gynomonoecy.
or incipient
and has been from Hooghly, Howrah,
also collected
Amaran-
In general appearance and morphology,
Midnapur, Burdwan, and Nadia West
districts in
parganensis resembles Both
thus closely A.
tricolor.
The new
Bengal. species cultivated as a vegetable
common
is
by such
species are distinguished features
crop and found open There no
also in areas.
is is
as the erect habit, leaf bracts smaller than the
size,
from
previous record of this species as evident
and
tepal, the fruit as a dehiscent, circumscissile
herbarium vouchers examined by
the author.
smooth and brown
with a surface blackish
utricle
Amaranthus morpho-
has
seeds. tricolor significant
lUCN
Red Amaranthus parganen-
category.
List
and some morphotypes have
logical variability, of
its
assessed as Data Deficient (DD), according
sis is to
been Pan
given varietal status (Das, 2013). In India,
lUCN
and
categories Currently there
(2001) criteria.
45 and
studied indigenous exotic
et (1992)
al.
make
inadequate information a direct or indirect
to
is
genotypes of A. using 10 qualitative
tricolor^ traits
assessment based on
of risk of extinction the
its
among
Devdas
explore differences the genotypes.
to
new
distribution and/or population status of the
found
(1992) greater variability in the
et al.
species.
morphotypes of A. tricolor than exhibited by the
morphotypes and
of A. dubius, A. spinosus A.
L.,
Ama-
Phenology. After germination from seed,
Both parganensis and occur
viridis L. A. A. tricolor
50 60
ranthus parganensis matures within days
as
to
sympatrically, although the distribution of A. tricolor
revealed from study in natural habitat. has been
its It
much
broader, cultivated as a leafy vegetable in
is
months September
observed
flower in the of
to to
Asia and as a green crop in Africa. Another vegetable
November
December.
October, with seeds
in
to
may
amaranth, be
A. blitum, a close associate of the
new new
from
species but A. blitum differs the
The
Etymology. taken from
specific epithet the
is
much
species being a smaller plant with smaller
where
Latin in reference the geographic region the
to
and and
leaves other differences in flower
new fruit
grows (cf.
species extensively.
Table Dispersal of the and seeds of
fruit
1).
Discussion. The new species assigned Amaranthus species often performed by humans
to
is is
Amaranthus which
subg. Albersia, as a vegetable amaranth. (Costea ah, 2004; lamonico, 2010, 2012),
et
Amaranthus would
parganensis further assigned within obscure native distributions of these taxa.
is
Key West
to Amaranthus Species Bengal, India
in
Fmit
dehiscent 2
la.
.
Fmit
IB. indetiifirent
2a. Monoecious, flowers unisexual 4.
2b. Incipient gynomonoecious, flowers either or bisexual with mdimentary gynoecia
pistillate
parganensis Saubhik Das
A.
Number
Volume Das 409
4
23,
2014 Amaranthus
(Amaranthaceae) from
India
Table 1. Comparative morphology of Amaranthus parganensis Saubhik Das, A. tricolor L., and A. blitum L.
Morphological
characteristics A. parganensis A. tricolor A. blitum
Breeding system gynomonoecious monoecious monoecious
incipiently
cm cm cm
100-120 90-100 35-45
Stems
ascending,
erect, erect, erect or
Leaf shape rhomboid
ovate lanceolate or lanceolate. deltoid ovate or ovate ovate lanceolate or
to to to
rhombic oblong
not lanceolate or ovate
X X X
cm cm cm
Leaf 13-17 5-9 9-17 5-9 2.5-8 1.5-6
sizes
Ratio lamina 2.1-2.6:1 0.89-1.66:1 0.5-1.5:l
of
petiole lengths
to
Leaf apices acute or minutely notched acute or slightly emerginate emerginate
Inflorescences terminal inflorescence massive terminal inflorescence massive terminal inflorescence short
much
branched and branched
but
less
and and and
Flowers both bisexual unisexual; unisexual; staminate unisexual; staminate
and
bisexual female flowers flowers equal flowers equal
pistillate pistillate
unequal
< <
<
Bract tepal bract tepal bract tepal bract tepal
vs.
mm mm mm
Bract length 1.5-2 1.5-2 0.5-2. 5
Tepal shape ovate lanceolate or oblong ovate lanceolate or lanceolate spathulate
to to to
spathulate
awned
Tepal acuminate acute or acute or obtuse
tip
mm mm mm
3-5
Tepal length 25-2. 5(— 1.2-2. 5
2.
5)
may may
Fruit tepal included by longer tepal or not exceed marginally exceeding tepal
vs. fruit fruit fruit
tepal
Fruit surface smooth smooth faintly rugose
mm mm mm
Fruit length 1.5-2 1.5-2 1.5-2. 8
Dehiscence circumscissile dehiscent circumscissile indehiscent
utricle, utricle,
dehiscent
mm mm mm
Seed diameter 1.2-1. 5 1.2-1. 5 1.1-1. 8
Seed color blackish brown blackish brown black
mm
3a. Stems erect or ascending; terminal inflorescence simple, short; fruit surface faintly rugose; seeds 1.1-1. 8
diam
A. blitum L.
mm
3b. Stems erect, terminal inflorescence complex, thyrsoid, fruit surface very rugose; seeds 1 diam.
A. viridis L.
and and
4a. Staminate pistillate flowers intermixed; stems leaves red, reddish green or green 5.
and
4b. Staminate flowers not intermixed, with staminate flowers usually clustered inflorescence apices;
pistillate at
and
stems leaves green
6.
mm
5a. Tepals stamens bract smaller than tepals; seeds brownish black, 1.2-1. 8 diam A. tricolor L.
3; 3;
mm
much
diam
5b. Tepals stamens bract longer than tepals; seeds black, 1 A. hybridus L.
5; 5;
6a. Presence of paired divergent spines at the nodal region; bracts ovate to lanceolate; utricle irregularly dehiscent
Absence
6b. of paired spines at nodes; bracts lanceolate; utricle circumscissile A. dubius Mart, ex Thell.
Mem-
Paratypes. INDIA. West Bengal: Burdwan
distr., Gandhi of the Harvard University Herbaria for their
29 Das Hooghly Arambagh,
Sep. 2010, (CAL);
ari, S. distr., 1
assistanee with the Latin diagnosis.
Das Howrah
Oct. 2010, (CAL); Baksara, 3 Oct.
S. distr.,
2010, Das (CAL); West Midnapur Jhargram, 10 Oct.
S. distr.,
2010, Das (CAL); Nadia Kalyani, 15 Oct. 2010, Literature Cited
S. distr., S.
Das 24 22
(CAL); South Parganas Basanti, Oct. 2010,
distr.,
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P. L. in (editor),
Das (CAL); North 24 Parganas, Dhapa, Lake, 24
Salt Oct.
S.
Flora von Mitteleuropa. Ed. Vol. Part
lllustrierte 2.
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2010, (MO).
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Munchen.
The Carretero, L. 1985. Consideraciones sobre las amaranta-
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is
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