Journal of
Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 October 2018 | 10(11):
12610–12613
Amorphophallus longiconnectivus and A.
margaritifer: additional aroids from Maharashtra with notes on the floral
variations
Avinash R. Gholave
1, Ravikiran S. Govekar
2, Vasanta I. Kahalkar
3, Milind M. Sardesai
4 & Shrirang R. Yadav 5
1 Department of Botany, Walchand
College of Arts and Science, Walchand Hirachand Marg, Ashok Chowk, Solapur, Maharastra 413006, India
2 Office of the Field Director, Pench Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra Forest Department, BSNL
Building, Kasturchand Park, Nagpur, Maharashtra
440001, India
3 Department of Botany, Mahatma Gandhi Arts
& Science and Late N.P. Commerce College, Armori,
Gadchiroli District, Maharastra
441208, India
4 Department of Botany, Savitribai
Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind
Road, Aundh, Pune, Maharashtra
411007, India
5 Department of Botany, Shivaji
University, Vidyanagar, Kolhapur, Maharashtra 416004,
India
1agholave@gmail.com (corresponding author),
2 ntcanag@gmail.com, 3 vasantak30@rediffmail.com, 4
sardesaimm@gmail.com, 5 sryadavdu@rediffmail.com
doi: https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.2446.10.11.12610-12613
Editor: Aparna Watve, Pune, Maharashtra, India. Date of publication: 26 October
2018 (online & print)
Manuscript details: Ms # 2446 |
Received 06 December 2016 | Final received 29 August 2017 | Finally accepted 10
October 2018
Citation: Gholave, A.R., R.S. Govekar,
V.I. Kahalkar, M.M. Sardesai
& S.R. Yadav (2018). Amorphophallus longiconnectivus and A. margaritifer:
additional aroids from Maharashtra with notes on the floral variations. Journal of Threatened
Taxa 10(11): 12610–12613; https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.2446.10.11.12610-12613
Copyright: © Gholave et al. 2018. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License. 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: SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) and DBT-IPLS.
Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
Acknowledgements: We are
grateful to the Principal Walchand College of Arts
and Science, Solapur; Mahatma Gandhi Arts &
Science and Late N.P. Commerce College, Armori for
providing research facilities. The first
author thanks the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of
Science and Technology, New Delhi (SERB/PDF/2016/001910) and DBT-IPLS: No. BT/PR4572/INF/22/147/2012 for financial assistance.
Genus Amorphophallus Blume
ex Decne. comprises 203
species worldwide (The Plant List 2013).
It is distributed in tropical Africa, Madagascar, tropical and
subtropical Asia, Archipelago, Melanesia and Australia (Mayo et al. 1997). In India the genus is represented by 19
species and five varieties belonging to three sections, viz., Amorphophallus, Conophallus
(Schott) Engl. and Rhaphiophallus
(Schott) Engl., of which 13 species and three varieties are endemic to India (Jaleel et al. 2011, 2012, 2014).
As a
part of taxonomic revision during our explorations in northeastern Maharashtra,
we collected Amorphophallus longiconnectivus and A. margaritifer
and reported the floral variations (Image 1). A. longiconnectivus
and A. margaritifer show a range of
variation which needs to be considered by future taxonomists before describing
a new species. The specimens (A.R. Gholave & Kahalkar ARG-52,
A.R. Gholave & Kahalkar
ARG-59) have been deposited in Shivaji University
Kolhapur (SUK).
Amorphophallus longiconnectivus
Bogner, Kew Bull. 50(2): 397.1995; Sivad. & Jaleel,
Rheedea 8(2): 243.1998; Jaleel
et al., Bangladesh J Plant Taxon. 18: 1–26.
2011.
Tuberous
herbs. Tubers smooth, subglobose, 5–9 cm in diam.
Leaf solitary; petiole smooth, 32–75 cm long, 1.2–2.3 cm in diam.;
lamina 35–45 cm across., leaflets linear - lanceolate, 7–15 x 2–4 cm, acuminate at apex, base unequal
and decurrent on rachis. Inflorescence solitary, long pedunculate; peduncle similar to leaf petiole, 52–108 cm
long, 1.5–3 cm in diam.;cataphylls
2–3, 17–31 x 2–6 cm, pale pinkish. Spathe broadly ovate to broadly triangular, usually broader
than long, 10.5–17.5 cm long, 1.5–4 cm in diam., tip acute, completely
convolute, not differentiated in to basal tube and upper limb, pale green
outside, pale purplish within, dark purplish verrucose
inside at base. Spadix
as long as spathe or slightly shorter than spathe; 10.5–17.5 cm long and 1–1.5 cm diam., stipitate, stipe 0.4–0.6 cm long; female zone 2.5–3 cm
long; staminodial zone between male and female zone
1.5–2 cm long; neuters elongated, 3–6 mm long, 1–3 mm in diam., brown at curved
tip. Male zone 5–8.5 cm long; appendix 1.5–3.4 cm long,
clothed with sterile flowers and rarely with a scattered fertile stamens. Ovaries sub-globose,
1.5–2 mm in length, 2–3 mm in diam.,pale
green, 2-3 locular with one basal ovule per locule; style very short, 1– 1.5 mm long; stigma 2–3 lobed,
1–2 mm in diam. Male flowers with 4–8
stamens; stamen 2–2.5 mm long, 1–1.5 mm in diam., yellowish-pink; filament
short, thecae lateral, ellipsoid, 1.5–2.5 mm long; connective elongated, 1–1.5
mm long. Fruit berry, ellipsoid, 6– 9 mm long, 5–6 mm in diam., green when
young, red at maturity, 2–3 seeded; seed ovoid, 6–7 mm long and 4–5 mm in diam.
Flowering
& fruiting: June–September.
Chromosome
number: 2n = 3x =
39 (Lekhak & Yadav
2011).
Distribution:
India:
Madhya Pradesh (Piparia, Khandwa)
and Maharashtra (Tumsar, Bhandara
District) (Fig. 1a).
Specimens
examined: India,
Madhya Pradesh; Khandwa District, Singar, 9.vii.2012, A.R. Gholave
ARG - 3, 3.vii.2009, Lekhak & Shimpale
3862, SUK. Maharashtra; Bhandara
District, Tumsar, Bamhani,
21.0420N & 79.5510E; 272m, 26.vi.2015, A.R. Gholave & Kahalkar ARG- 59,
SUK.
Discussion:
The genus Amorphophallus is highly variable in its spadix and floral morphology. These two species belong to Amorphophallus sect. Rhaphiophallus. There are nine species in this section and
all are endemic to India except A. sylvaticus which is also
reported from Sri Lanka (Jaleel et al. 2011).
Amorphophallus longiconnectivus was described by Bogner
(1995) based on Haines’s collection (1910) from Madhya Pradesh, Piparia District. Sivadasan & Jaleel (1998)
studied the variations in the species.
The spadix shows considerable variations with
reference to size, shape, colour of neuters and appendix. Some morphological variations were observed
in the population of the species at Bamhani Village, Bhandara District.
Specimens from the above mentioned localities exactly matched with the
description and illustration given in the protologues.
On the basis of elongated neuters this
species is easily distinguishable from other species in the genus. Variations are also reported from within a
species. Green coloured hooked neuters,
appendix covered with clothed sterile flowers (Image 1b), lemon coloured hooked
neuters with sterile flowers (Image 1c).
Elongated, green coloured, hooked neuters with brown coloured forked tip
and very short appendix with a few sterile flowers (Image 1d), were variations
noted in the same locality, i.e., Maharashtra; Bhandara
District, Tumsar, Bamhani. Variations were seen in neuter structure
e.g., very short blunt, golden neuters, (Image 1e & f) straight, faint
golden coloured neuters with tip brown (Image 1g). In Gadchiroli,
Maharashtra, individuals with blunt quadrangular neuters, half basal part moss
green coloured, half upper part brown coloured neuters, male flowers arranged
in groups, each group with 4-5 flowers were observed in the species’
populations (Image 1h).
Amorphophallus margaritifer (Roxb.)
Kunth, Enum. Pl. 3: 34.1841; Hett.
& De Sarker, Aroideana 19: 131.1996; Jaleel et
al., Bangladesh J Plant Taxon. 18: 1–26. 2011. Arum
margaritiferum Roxb., Fl. Ind. (Ed., Carey) 3: 512. 1832;
Wight, Ic. 3(1): 6, t. 795.
1844; Plesmonium margaritifer
(Roxb.) Schott, Syn. Aroid.:
34.1856; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 518.1893; Engl.,
Pflanzenr. IV 23C (48): 49.1911;
C.E.C. Fisch. in
Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras: 1588. 1931.
Tuberous
herbs. Tubers smooth, more or less sub-globose, 7.5–8.5 cm in diam.,5–6.5
cm in height. Leaf solitary, petiolate; petiole smooth,up to 24–85 cm long, 1–3.5 cm in diam., green to
greenish-brown with greenish-white with regular elongated stripes; lamina 30–75
cm across, rachis smooth; 4–10 cm long, 3–13 mm in diam., leaflets linear-lanceolate, 8–27 x 1–4 cm, sub-marginal vein present,
margins entire. Inflorescence long peduncled;
peduncle 58–64 cm long, 1–1.2 cm in diam.; cataphylls-2, 11–17 x1–2 cm. Spathe broader than
long, triangular, tip acute, 12–14.5 cm long,4–5 cm in
diam., outside pale greenish, inside pale purplish, prominently verrucate at base within. Spadix
11.5–13.7 cm long as long as or slightly longer than spathe,
stipitate; stipe green, 0.3–0.5 cm long, 0.5–0.8 cm
diam.; female zone 2–3 cm long; staminodal zone
between male and female zone, 3.5–4 cm long; staminodes
congested, in 5–6 rows; male zone longer than female zone, 6–7 cm long, 0.5–1.5
cm in diam.; appendix absent. Ovaries
pale-green,1.5–2 mm in diam., 1–1.5 mm long,
3-locular, one basal ovule per locule; style very
short, 0.5–1.0 mm long; stigma yellowish, capitate,
1–1.2 mm high, ca. 2mm in diam., 2–4 lobed.
Stamens many, compactly arranged in male zone, 1.5–2 mm long, pale
brownish; staminodes loosely arranged, large,
elongate- obovoid,0.8–1 cm long, 0.5–0.7 cm in diam.,
yellowish-white. Berries red at
maturity, globose, 1–3 seeded.
Flowering
& fruiting: May–August.
Chromosome
number: 2n = 3x =
39 (Lekhak & Yadav
2011).
Distribution:
India: Maharashtra,
Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim and Assam
(Fig. 1b).
Specimens
examined: India:
Jharkhand; Giridih District, Parasnath
Hill, 630m, 23.vii.2012 A.R. Gholave ARG-7,
23.vii.2012, A.R. Gholave ARG – 8, SUK; West Bengal;
9.vi.1897, Prain, CAL Acc. No. 4968 & 4969;
Maharashtra; 2.vii.2008 Kahalkar 3108, SUK; Bhandara District, Tumsar, Bamhani 21.0420N & 79.5510E;
272m, 26.vi.2015, A.R. Gholave & Kahalkar ARG-52, SUK.
Discussion
Amorphophallus margaritifer is unique as it lacks a spadix appendix. Jaleel et al. (2011) in his revision mentioned that Haines
collected A. margaritifer from Chorbush, Nagpur; however, this place is not in Maharashtra
and it is evident from the literature (Stafleu &
Cowan 1976–1978). Haines worked in Chhota Nagpur area (today’s Jharkhand & Chhattisgarh) and
hence it is likely to be that he must have collected this species from
Jharkhand rather than from Maharashtra.
Specimens collected from Bhandara District,
Maharashtra showed compact and rounded shaped neuters especially in premature
condition (Image 1j), loosely arranged and elongated diamond
shaped neuters were observed on mature inflorescences (Image 1k &
1l).
Conclusion
The
genus Amorphophallus is highly variable in its
spadix morphology.
Variation is mainly observed in appendage colour and shape, neuter
shape, size and colour, colour and interior of the spathe. The section is mainly characterised by staminodial zone /neuters between the male and female zone
of the spadix.
Many insects visit the inflorescence for feeding on neuters and at that
time many flowers are pollinated. For
attraction of insects inflorescence may be displaying these variations but
these variations are not constant. These variations should be considered in
future while delimiting the species.
References
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