Choerospondias auriculata Dali Chandra is Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle (Simaroubaceae)

1 Pages·1996·0.12 MB·English

by  Mitra, R L

SHORT COMMUNICATIONS : BULL.BOT.SURV.INDIAV OL. 38 (1-4): 1996 135
that there is another specimen of this taxon, Helfer Botanical Survey of India, Coimbatore, for facilities,
604611, at L. But no such specimen exists there the Director (M), for loaning the types, the Executive
(Brinkman, in litt.). The tropical evergreen lowland Director, National Parks Board, Singapore and Dr.
forests in South Andarnan remain much disturbed Tay Eng Pin (SING), for a photograph of the type
(N.P. Balakrishnan, personal communication), of C. lankawiense and Mrs. G.E. Brinkman, Chief
Nothing much is known about this species including Collection Manager (L), for the information from L.
the habit and specific habitat. However, as Kurz A. R. is thankful to the Director, Botanical Survey
mentioned a specific locality, North Corbyn's Cove, of India, for a research fellowship.
we suggest that intensive searches be made in this
REFERENCE
area to rediscover this plant. Because only a
TH~HATHRKI. ,A review on the floristic studies in
rediscovery can prove the present existence of this
the Andaman and Nicobar Islands up to 1970.
species.
Bull. Bot. Sum. India 19 : 127 131 . 1979.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A. RAJENDRAN*A ND P. .DANIEL
We thank Dr. N.P. Balakrishnan, former Joint
Botanical Survey of India, Coimbatore
Director and Dr. E. Vajravelu, Joint Director,
*National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226001.
CHOEROSPONDZAS AURICULATA DALI CHANDRA IS AILANTHUS ALTISSIMA
(MILL.) SWINGLE (SIMAROUBACEAE)
P.W.M ackinnon in 1899 collected a few the ovate-lanceolate leaflets all of which are having
specimens (CAL, Acc. No.98623,98625 & 98626) of a few,l arge basal teeth marked with a gland beneath,
a tree having pinnate leaves and r?le flowers in indicated that C. aun'culata specimens are nearer
terminal panicles from the Missourie hills in Uttar to- Ailanthus Desf. (Simaroubaceae) and not to
Pradesh and identified them in schedule as Pistacia Choerospondias. Further cornparision with
integerrima Stewart (Anacardiaceae). Dali Chandra Ailanthus collections in CAL confirmed that
(1978) while revising the genus for a Flora of India Mackinnon, CAL, Acc. No. 98623,98625 & 98626
account of the family Anacardiaceae found that the from Missourie are neither Pistacia nor
above noted specimens so identified by Mackinnon Choerospondias but are Ailanthus altissima (Mill.)
do not belong to the genus Pistacia. She however, Swingle. The plant is a native of China, introduced
mistook them as some undescribed species of and naturalised in the hills of northwestern India up
Choerospondias and described the same as C. to 1800 m and is known earlier under the replaced
auriculata. name, A. glandulosa Desf. in Indian Floras.
Burtt and Hill (1937) established
R.L. MITRAA ND G.V.S. MURTHY
Choerospondias as distinct from Spondias L. on
the basis of seed morphology to accomodate the Botanical Survey of India, Howrah.
lone species Spondias axillaris Roxb. One of us REFERENCES
(RLM) while scrutinising the manuscript of
BURTT,B .L. AND A.W. HILLT.h e method of
Anacardiaceae for Flora of India became sceptical
germination of seeds enclosed in a stony
about the identity of the second species of
endocarp. 11. Ann. Bot. (New Series) 1 : 254.
Choerospondias C. auriculata Dali Chandra
1937.
described on a few specimens having only male
flowers! This prompted the authors to examine the CHANDRA,D . Choerospondias auriculata
type of C. auriculata in CAL (P.W. Mackinnon (Anacardiaceael- A new species from India. J.
s.n.. CAL, Acc. No. 98623 !). The general texture of Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 7J (2) : 457-460 1978,