Corresponding author: Ramchandra D. Gore (
Academic editor: Quentin Groom
A new species of
During field survey of plants of the family
Twining annual herbs. Stems slender, terete, 1–2 m long, covered with 1–3 mm long bulbous based spreading or retrose brownish hairs, rooting at nodes and internodes of the stem in absence of support. Stipules sub-medifixed, elliptic-lanceolate, 5–7 mm long, base obtuse to rounded, 5–7-nerved, apex acute, densely pubescent. Leaves 3-foliolate; petioles 5–7 cm long, densely hairy with bulbous based retrose or spreading whitish hairs as stem. Leaflets membranous, entire; lateral leaflets ovate-rhomboid with obliquely rounded, obtuse or truncate at base, 3–4.5 x 2–3 cm, margins entire or sometimes shallowly lobed, acute or shortly acuminate at apex, sparsely hairy; rachis 2–3 mm long, covered with whitish brown, 0.5–1 mm long, spreading or retrose hairs; terminal leaflet slightly larger than the lateral ones, ovate, 3.5–6.5 x 1.7–3.5 cm, rounded at base, shortly acuminate or acute at apex, rachis 3–4 mm long, covered with whitish-brown, 0.5–1 mm long, spreading or retrose hairs; stipels two, linear, 1–2 mm long, sparsely hairy. Flowers of two kinds, aerial chasmogamic flowers and underground cleistogamic flowers.
August–November.
The species is named in honor of Prof. S.R. Yadav, Department of Botany, Shivaji University Kolhapur, India (MS), in recognition of his valuable contribution to taxonomy of flowering plants of Western Ghats of India.
India, Maharashtra, Nasik Dist., Kasara-Ghat near Igatpuri and Kalvan, Saptashrungi hills; Satara Dist., Thoseghar.
During rainy season (August–November), the species produces chasmogamous flowers on aerial branches and underground obligate cleistogamous flowers on positively geotropic branches. The cleistogamous flowers are much smaller than chasmogamous flowers and white-albino in color. They remain closed. The pods of cleistogamous flowers are colorless, short, curved and 3–5-seeded. There are no structural differences in chasmogamic and cleistogamic flowers except for the smaller size and white albino color of the latter.
We are thankful to Principal, Walchand College of Arts and Science, Solapur for providing available research facilities; to Prof. Delin Wu, South China Botanical garden, Leyiju, Guangdong, China; Prof. N. Tomooka, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan; Dr. M. Sanjappa, Ex-Director, Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata and Dr. I.S. Bist, Principal Scientist, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi, India for their expert comments on identity of the species, and to J.F. Veldkamp, National herbarium of the Netherlands (NHN) for Latin diagnosis and verification of gender ending of new species.
Photo plate of
Habit
Cleistogamous flowers on positively geotropic branches
Aerial roots at nodes and internodes on the stem
Underground cleistogamous flowers
Seedling
Cleistogamous flower
Photo plate of
Pod of chasmogamous flower
Pods of cleistogamous flowers
Seeds of the chasmogamous flowers
Seeds of the cleistogamous flowers
Morphological differences between
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Corolla | 4–6 mm long | c. 1.5 cm long |
Style beak | linear, 0.4–0.5 mm long | flattened, 0.9–1.2 mm long |
Calyx | hairy | glabrous |
Seeds | 6–12 per pod | 8–10 per pod |
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Flowers | present on positively geotropic branches | absent |
Pods | short, 1.5–2.5 cm long, cylindrical curved, white (albino), glabrescent. | absent |
Seeds | 3–5 per pod, whitish brown, 2–3 × 1.7–2 mm; hilum poorly developed and not protruded out. | absent |