Venugopalan Nair Saradamma Anil Kumar

A new species of Phyllocephalum is described and illustrated from Palakkad district of Kerala, India. The new species shows similarity to P. rangacharii but differs with respect to key floral traits, viz. ovoid shape of the capitula, involucral bracts in 3 series, inflated receptacle and ovoid 6‐ribbed ovary with 5–6 densely barbellate pappus setae. Colour photographs, SEM images of pollen and florets along with a distribution map are provided.

Selaginella jobii Alen Alex, Abhilash, Gayathri, Sojan, V. Suresh & Leeja, sp. nova (Selaginellaceae) is described as a new lycophyte species from the southern Western Ghats in Kerala, India. It morphologically resembles S. tenera, but can be distinguished by its small habit, basal rhizophores, median leaf traits, lack of vegetative buds and tapering strobili. The taxonomic delimitation is strongly supported by multivariate morphometric analysis (PCA) of macro- and micromorphological traits. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the rbcL gene places S. jobii as a sister to S. miniatospora. Growing on shaded laterite habitats in Palakkad, the species has an Area of Occupancy of less than 10 km2. Consequently, it is preliminarily assessed as Critically Endangered (CR) following the IUCN criteria.

The taxonomic status of Asystasia nemorum (Russel ex Wall.) Nees has been critically evaluated in the present study. The taxon is ambiguously considered in various floras and herbaria, demanding a thorough revisionary approach. The nomenclature of the taxon since 1826 has been over-checked. A. nemorum has been wrongly interpreted as A. intrusa, A. hispida, A. salicifolia and A. australasica as observed in various herbaria. Meanwhile A. blumei, Isochoriste javanica and Ruellia clavata has been mentioned as the heterotypic synonym of this taxon as per IPNI. A thorough analysis of the various voucher specimens has been done along with descriptions in the literature which shows that A. nemorum stands distinct. The erroneous interpretation done for the taxon from time to time has been justified.

Isachne cuspidata, a new grass species from the Western Ghats of Kerala, is described here. Traits such as indumentum of the culms, leaves, and glumes; leaf shape; venation of the glumes and lemmas; and the shape and size of the glumes and lemmas have been used to distinguish species of Isachne . The new species belongs to sect. Isachne and is similar to I. kunthiana in having homomorphic florets and 7‐nerved glumes. I. cuspidata has also been compared to I. setosa , since they share a similar habit, especially in the panicle size, and both have 7‐nerved glumes. I. cuspidata differs from both I. kunthiana and I. setosa in having glabrous culm nodes, densely pubescent and lanceolate leaves, oblique and truncate leaf bases, up to 2 mm long spikelets having 1–2 mm long broadly elliptic glumes with cuspidate apices, florets with rachilla extension, and orbicular, 5‐nerved lemmas. Detailed morphological descriptions, field photographs, microscopic images, and an analysis of its taxonomic relationships with closely related species are provided.

During field expeditions, Asystasia dalzelliana specimens were collected from different geographical locations from the state of Kerala. The collected populations varied with respect to the color and size of the flowers. Subsequently, critical evaluation has been done using qualitative and quantitative traits. The DL3 and DL4 types were found to have restricted distribution patterns. The affinities among the collected specimens have been interpreted through two-dimensional scatter plot and PCA which proves that the variations are solely restricted in the flower color and banding of anthers. The study resolves the ambiguity among the color variants of A.dalzelliana.

A new species of Stellaria (Stellaria nagae) is described. It resembles S. sikkimensis from which differs by the shape of sepal (oblong, exceeding the length of petals vs. ovate to lanceolate, equal or shorter than length of petal) , bract (linear, more than 4 mm vs. ovate-lanceolate, up to 8 mm), shape of capsule (oblong vs. ovate), seed surface architecture (tubercle spinulose vs. tubercle flat topped), and pollen morphology (visible frequency of pores 19 vs. visible frequency of pores 14). Detailed description of the new species along with original photographs and SEM images are provided.

The genus Isachne includes grasses which are found particularly in wetlands. Most of the species included in the genus are either endemic or rare, one of the exception being Isachne globosa, which is found in almost all regions from where the other species have been reported. Their rarity and diminutive florets make it difficult for taxonomists to identify, collect, distinguish and microscopically study them. The most available grass I. globosa can be used as a representative species and is well flourished in regions where they grow. Also, it shows intraspecific variations, which again makes taxonomists hard to distinguish the species. Recently I. henryi reported in 1988 has been shown to be a variation of I. globosa. No taxonomic studies or revisions have been carried out in this genus so far. The present study targets review of the genus which also highlights observations of the present researchers. An extensive study of the genus is recommended to unwind the existing taxonomic ambiguities.

A new species of Allmania—Allmania janakiae—has been described from vegetational belts near the coastal areas of Kollam district of the state of Kerala. Floral traits like absence of bracteole, shape and length of bract, length of tepals, number of flowers per synflorescence, pollen morphology and lack of aril in the seed clearly delineates the new taxon from A. nodiflora and A. multiflora, the two species currently known from the genus. SEM images of seed and pollen along with colour photographs have been provided. The species status of the taxa has been confirmed using ITS gene.

A new species, Impatiens minnamparaensis, belonging to section uniflorae is described and illustrated from southern Western Ghats of Kerala. It is morphologically similar to Impatiens sasidharanii but can easily be distinguished in having ovate-oblong leaf, milky white distal lobe of keel petal, red blotch on lower sepal, pollen architecture and capsule morphology. It is also showing similarities with I. rupicola but differs in shape of lower sepal, shape of distal lobe, number of flowers per axil, anther, pollen and capsule morphology. Impatiens minnamparaensis is assessed here as Endangered based on the categories and criteria of the IUCN Red List.

Isachne henryi, a species reported from Wayanad district of Kerala is allied to I. miliacea which is currently a synonym of I. globosa. The taxonomic status of I. henryi collected from the type locality has been evaluated and compared with variant accessions of I. globosa. As per reports, the traits that differentiate I. henryi from I. globosa are lanceolate or linear lanceolate leaves up to 8 cm long, 8 mm long pedicels, 9–11 nerved setose hairy glumes, staminate lower floret with 1.5–2 mm long anthers, bisexual upper floret and glabrous palea and lemma. These traits were found to be overlapping with that of I. globosa. The authors explain that I. henryi reported during 1988 could be a misidentification.