New distribution record of the endemic and rare Ficus dalhousiae Miq. (Moraceae)
K.K. Sampath Kumara 1, A.N. Sringeswara 2, K.B. Sadananda3 & H.S. Prakash 4
1,4 Department of Studies in
Biotechnology, University of Mysore, Manasagangotri, Mysuru, Karnataka 570006, India
2 Department of Forestry &
Environmental Science, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK Campus,
Bengaluru, Karnataka 560065, India
3 # 11, Temple Road, Jayalakshmipuram, Mysuru,
Karnataka 570012, India
1 sampathsringeri@yahoo.com (corresponding author), 2 ansringesh@gmail.com, 3 shubhadutt21@gmail.com, 4 hasriprakash@gmail.com
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.o3012.4808-10
Editor: N.P. Balakrishnan,Retd. Botanical Survey of India,
Coimbatore, India. Date
of publication: 26 September 2013 (online & print)
Manuscript details: Ms #
o3012 | Received 20 November 2011 | Final received 02 July 2013 | Finally
accepted 18 August 2013
Citation: Kumara, K.K.S.,
A.N. Sringeswara, K.B. Sadananda& H.S. Prakash (2013). New
distribution record of the endemic and rare Ficus dalhousiae Miq.(Moraceae). Journal of Threatened Taxa 5(13): 4808–4810; http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.o3012.4808-10
Copyright: © Kumara et al. 2013. Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 UnportedLicense. JoTT allows unrestricted use of this
article in any medium, reproduction and distribution by providing adequate
credit to the authors and the source of publication.
Funding: Self funded.
Competing Interest: The authors declare no competing
interests.
Acknowledgements: We
thank Dr. G.V.S. Murthy and Sri. J.V. Sudhakar (BSI,
Southern circle, Coimbatore) for their help in plant identification. Thanks are
also due to Sri. A. Shivaprakash for photographs of
the plant.
During the botanical
explorations in Kunthi Bettanear Pandavapura of MandyaDistrict (Karnataka State), the authors came across an interesting species of Ficus of the family Moraceaegrowing in rock crevices. On
careful examination and extended search, this turned out to be Ficus dalhousiae Miq. (Image 1). Interestingly, it is a species endemic
to peninsular India (Ahmedullah & Nayar 1986) and a very rare species (Sukumaranet al. 2008). Miquel(1847) first described this species as Urostigma dalhousiae based on Wight’s collection from India
and later (1867) he renamed it as Ficus dalhousiae. Subsequently, King (1888), Hooker (1890),Brandis (1906) and Gamble (1928) recorded this
species from the Nilgiri Mountains in the altitudinal
range of 605–1,370 m. This
species has been reported from many parts of Kerala (Bourdillon1908; Corner 1965; Nayar et al. 2006; Sasidharan, 2006), Tamil Nadu (Henry et al. 1987; Sukuraman et al. 2008) and Andhra Pradesh (Pullaiah & Rani 1999). So far, this species has not been
reported from Karnataka. Therefore,
the present sighting in Kunthi Bettanear Pandavapura forms a new distribution record for
Karnataka (Image 2). It is briefly
described here with phenological data, its
distribution, a specimen examined and notes for a better understanding of the
species. A voucher specimen (Image
3) has been deposited by the authors (KBF 1001) in the herbarium of the
Department of Studies in Botany (MGM), University of Mysore, Manasagangotri, Mysuru.
Ficus dalhousiae Miq.
in Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavi. 3: 285. 1867; Hooker in Fl. Brit. India. 5: 499. 1890; Gamble in FPM. Repr. ed. 3:1364. 1998. Urostigma dalhousiae Miq. in London J. Bot. 6:571. 1847.
Specimen examined: KBF-1001, 01.xi.2008, hill top of Kunthi Betta (12.50610N & 76.69250E),
near Pandavapura (MandyaDistrict), Karnataka (India), coll. K.K. Sampath Kumara, A.N. Sringeswara,
K.B. Sadananda. We observed only a single tree of F. dalhousiaein the study area.
Description: A
small spreading tree; young branches softly pubescent. Leaves ovate-elliptic to
broadly ovate, white pubescent below; apex shortly acuminate; base more or less
deeply cordate, up to 30cm long and 20cm broad;
primary nerves 10–14 pairs, prominent below; petioles up to 10cm long. Receptacles in pairs, shortly peduncled, obovoid, pubescent, about 1.5cm in diameter, with three
apical scales and three bifid basal bracts.
Habitat: Rocky hill top of dry deciduous forest.
Phenology: September–February.
Distribution:Peninsular India: Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. Endemic and very rare.
Discussion: The sighting of only one
tree of F. dalhousiae in the study area
indicates its rarity. We have also
sighted a few trees of this species growing on the rocky hill
tops of Savanadurga (RamanagaramDistrict of Karnataka) and Siddara Betta (Tumkur District of
Karnataka). Wherever it grows, its
population size is very small and probably that is the reason for its inclusion
under the very rare category in the threatened plants list (Sukumaranet al. 2008). Future studies should
address reasons for its endemism and factors affecting the abundant growth of
this plant’s populations. That may help us to conserve this very rare species.
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