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SYMPLOCOS KOTHAYARENSIS (SYMPLOCACE AE), NEW FROM A PENINSULAR SPECIES INDIA V.Sundaresan S.Rajkumar and and Genetic Resources Biotechnology Division Genetic resources Biotechnology Divis & Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) Lucknow-226 015 Uttar Pradesh, INDIA [email protected] GJJothi V.S.Manickam Xavier's College Xavier's College St. St. Palayamkottai^627002 Tamil Nadu, INDIA Tamil Nadu, INDIA [email protected] ABSTRACT & new species of Symplocaceae, Symplocos kothayarenszs Sundaresanjothi, Rajkumar Manic ,m the Southern Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India described and illustrated. IS Words: Symplocaceae, Symplocos kothayarens Tamil Nadu, India. ;y lis, RESUMEN Sundan nplocaceae, Symplocos kothayarensis & Rajkumar Manickam Gha del suroeste de :h,, INTRODUCTION Nommum The family Symplocaceae comprises genera Index four (fide Genericorum; ex: Bobu, Dicalix, Cordyloblaste) and 500 species distributed in & and (Ahmedullah Nayar the tropical subtropical regions, except Africa 1986). Bombay They occur in the eastern parts of the Old World, reaching from in the New West and from Manchuria north South Wales to in the east in the to Fiji New Howe and Lord Island in the south. In the World the species occur from Washington (Nooteboom southern the state of to Brazil 1981). m Among The genus Symplocos represented India by 45 species. ]3.cq. is ca. these, 13 species and one variety are endemic to peninsular India (Ahmedullah & Nadu Nayar 1986). In Tamil alone the genus Symplocos represented by 10 is species and six subspecies (Gopalan 1987). The southern section of the Western Ghats in India by far the richest is & loristic area with a concentration of endemic taxa (Ahmedullah Nayar 1986). f The Tirunelveli hills which include the "Agasthiyamalai' hills, is a remarkable micro endemic center and one of the hot spots of the fndian flora (Nayar f996) CPD lUCN CITE and attested by as IS7 (Davis et 1994). al. During the preparation of the famify Symplocaceae for the flora of Tirunelveli one specimen was observed with striking differences belong- hills, On was ing to the genus Symplocos ]acq. critical examination, found to be a it new and and species, described illustrated here. is & Symplocos kothayarensis Sundaresan, Rajkumar Manickam, nov Jothi, sp. (Fig. 1). Typf.: INDIA, Tamil Nadu. Tirunelveli Hills. Kanyakumari Dt.: Kothayar near Small trees to 2(-3)m tall; branchlets fulvous tawny hairy. Leaves simple, alter- 6-9 2-4 nate, coriaceous, oblong-obovate, x cm, entire or serrate or half serrate at margin, the nerves ca. 6 pairs, faintly prominent, glabrous above, sparsely hairy beneath, the apex obtuse, emarginate, base acute-subobtuse; petioles ca. 2mm tawny Powers condensed long, thick, bristly hairy. 15 in axillary ca. 1cm 1.2mm racemes, ca. long; bracts ovate, ca. 2.3 x long, obtuse at apex, densely villous without, glabrous within, persistent; flowers sessile or shortly pedicel- mm Calyx tube long, with long appressed hairs; lobes ovate, obtuse late. ca. 1 5, or subacute apex, appressed hairy without, glabrous within. Corolla white, at mm apex Stamens lobes ovate-elliptic, subacute-obtuse, ca. 3.2 long. ca. 30, 5, 2-2.5mm connate at the base, filaments free, ca. long; anthers 2-celled, ca. 0.5 mm mm Ovary long, ca. f.3 long, hairy, 3-locular; ovules 2-3; styles stout, ca. 3mtri long; stigma capitate; disc 5-lobed, glandular, glabrous. Fruits not seen. Disf ribulion —Symplocos kothayarensis endemic to the southern part of is known Western Cihats, Tamil Nadu, India and only from the type locality, is Kothayar TirunelveHhillsnearMuthukuzhivayal Kanyakumari hills o{ in Dis- m Ecologyand phenology—This species grows at 1450 elevation in the dense evergreen forests along with the species like Cullenia exarillata Robyns, Elacocarpus serratus Mallotus philippensis (Lam.) Muell.-Arg. var. L., philippcusis, Artotarpus heterophyllusLam. SymplocoscochinchinensisiLour.) Moore subsp u na Retz.) Nooteb. flowering late February to April. la ri etc....; ( vmology— The named hi species is after its type locality. Wight Symploc OS kothayarensis closely allied to pulchra but differs in is S. it and and the obovate-oblong, obtuse leaves, short racemes, glabrous disc style base. IDENTIFICATION KEY TO SYMPLOCOS KOTHAYARENSIS > rounded or subcordate. Racemes 2 cm. Disc and style base hairy S. pulchra ACKNOWLEDGMHNTS We would thank Ex like to Nair, Joint Director, Botanical Survey of India for V.J. comments We his valuable on our specimen and for the Latin diagnosis. are Nadu thankful to the Tamil Forest Department allowing us undertake for to work was fieldwork. This supported by University Grants Commission (UGC). The was illustration prepared by H. Sankar, CBB, Xavier's College, St. We Palayamkottai. also extend our thanks to the two anonymous referees for their suggestions in the earlier manuscript. RRFHRHNCES AHMtDULLAH,M.and MP. 1986. Endemic plantsof the Indian region. Botanical Survey Nayar, of Calcutta. India, The World Heywood, and Hamilton 994. Centres of plant diversity. lUCN. V.H. A.C. Davis, S.D., 1 Conservation Union. Oxford, U.K. Vol. II. G()i'ArAN,R.1987.Synnplocaceae.ln:A.N.Henry,G.R.KumanandV.Chithraeds.FloraofTamil 68-69. Nadu, India. Bot. Survey India. Coimbatore.Vol. Pp. II. Nayar, M.P. 996. Hot spots of endemic plants of India, Nepal and Bhutan.Tropical Botanic 1 Garden & Research Thiruvananthapuram. Institute, NooTEBOOM, H.R 981 Symplocaceae. M.D.Dassanayake and Fosberg eds. Flora of In: F.R, 1 . New Amerind Ceylon. Publishing Co., Delhi.