Journal of Threatened Taxa |
www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 February 2021 | 13(2): 17843–17846
ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893
(Print)
https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.5990.13.2.17843-17846
#5990 | Received 14 April 2020 | Final
received 13 January 2021 | Finally accepted 24 January 2021
Addition of four species to the flora of Andaman
Islands, India
Mudavath Chennakesavulu
Naik 1, Lal Ji Singh 2, Gautam Anuj Ekka 3 & C.P. Vivek
4
1–4
Botanical Survey of India, Andaman & Nicobar Regional Centre, Port Blair,
Andaman & Nicobar Islands 744102, India.
1 chenna.lilly@gmail.com
(corresponding author), 2 laljisingh1970@rediffmail.com, 3 shalom_gautam281@rediffmail.com,
4 vvkcpoulose@gmail.com
Editor: N.P.
Balakrishnan, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. Date
of publication: 26 February 2021 (online & print)
Citation:
Naik, M.C., L.J. Singh, G.A. Ekka & C.P. Vivek (2021). Addition of
four species to the flora of Andaman Islands, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 13(2): 17843–17846. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.5990.13.2.17843-17846
Copyright: © Naik et al. 2021. Creative
Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproduction,
and distribution of this article in any medium by providing adequate credit to
the author(s) and the source of publication.
Funding: Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB, N-PDF), Govt. of India.
Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
Acknowledgements: The authors are grateful to Dr.
A.A. Mao, director, Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata for constant support and
facilities. The authors greatly
acknowledge Department of Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB
N-PDF/2017/001479), Govt. of India, New Delhi for providing financial
assistance. We are also thankful to
Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change for facilities and
Department of Environment & Forests, Andaman & Nicobar Administration,
for necessary permission and logistic support in conducting field studies. The authors are thankful to scientists and
staff of BSI who have always shown readiness for help.
The genus Chlorophytum
Ker Gawler belonging to the family of Asparagaceae includes about 200 species (Govaerts et al. 2012) distributed in the Old-World tropics
(Mabberley 2017).
In India, the genus is represented by 19 species (Chandore
et al. 2012). In Andaman & Nicobar
Islands only one species - Chlorophytum comosum (Thunb.) Jacques was
reported. The genus Elatostema
J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.
belongs to the family Urticaceae. It is one of the largest genera in the family
with ca. 350 species from tropical to subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, and
Oceania. In mainland India more than 10
species are distributed while in Andaman & Nicobar Islands two species are
listed, viz., Elatostema integrifolium (D.Don) Wedd.
and Elatostema rostratum
(Blume) Hassk.
The genus Ammannia L. belongs to the
family Lythraceae; about 25 species are widely
distributed in tropical areas, mainly in Africa and Asia; three taxa in Andaman
& Nicobar Islands have been enlisted, viz.: Ammannia
baccifera L., A. baccifera
L. ssp. aegyptiaca (Willd.)
Koehne, and A. multiflora Roxb. The genus Christisonia Gardner (including Campbellia
Wight) is mostly parasitic and the species-rich family Orobanchaceae
is recognized worldwide with 90 genera and ca. 1,800 species. In southern and eastern Asia, the genus
consists of 17 species distributed in India, Sri Lanka, Laos, southwestern
China, Thailand, and Malesia (modified after Nickerent
2012). In India nine species of Christisonia have been recorded (Benniamin et al. 2012; Govaerts
et al. 2012). In Andaman Islands one
species, Christisonia subacaulis
(Benth.) Gardner has been reported (Murugan et al. 2016).
On scrutiny of the relevant literature (Parkinson
1923; Hajra et al. 1999; Sinha 1999; Pandey
& Diwakar 2008; Singh et al. 2014; Murugan et al.
2016; Naik & Singh 2018 a,b; Naik et al. 2019;
Singh & Naik 2019) and on critical examination the identity of plants was
confirmed as Chlorophytum vestitum, Elatostema cuneatum, Ammannia auriculata, and Christisonia
siamensis hitherto unreported from Andaman &
Nicobar Islands. Hence, this collection
is found to be an addition to angiosperm flora of Andaman Islands. Representative specimens were collected in
quadruplicates, poisoned, dried, and made into herbarium specimens following
Jain & Rao (1977). The herbarium specimens were critically examined with
the help of standard floras and appropriate websites. The voucher specimens are deposited at
herbarium of Andaman & Nicobar Regional Centre, Port Blair (PBL).
Abbreviation used for collectors are: MCN (M. Chennakesavulu
Naik) GAE (Gautam Anuj Ekka) VCP (Vivek, C.P.) and
LJS (Lal Ji Singh).
Asparagaceae
Chlorophytum vestitum Baker
J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 15: 326. 1876. (Image 1).
Specimens examined: 33671 (PBL), 30.ix.2019.
Middle Andaman Islands, Rangat, Panchavathi Hills, MCN.
Description: Perennial herbs, up to 30cm high, rhizome
horizontal, narrow, roots fibrous with few tubers. Leaves distichous, linear, 10–20 cm × 2-6 mm
long, grass-like, ciliate to hairy, fleshy, pale green. Inflorescence lax panicle, 3–5 flowered, 5–10
cm long, cylindrical, terete. Flowers
white, pale green base. Bracts caducous.
Tepals 6, 3–4 × 2 mm, lanceolate, glabrous. Stamens 6, fused. Anthers spirally arranged. Capsule trilocular,
glabrous.
Seeds cordate-shaped, glabrous, glaucous,
middle notched.
Flowering & fruiting: September–December.
Distribution: India (Middle Andaman Islands (Panchavathi Hills) and Andhra Pradesh); tropical Africa, Zambesiaca (Malawi).
Habitat and ecology: Rare, in rocky crevices and sun
exposed areas of hill tops.
Associate species: Hybanthus
enneaspermus (L.) F.Muell.
and Osbeckia chinensis
L.
Urticaceae
Elatostema cuneatum Wight
Icon. Pl. Ind. Orient. 6: t. 2094, f. 3. 1853. (Image
2).
Specimens examined: 33704 (PBL), 03.ix.2019. South Andaman Islands, Ross
Island, MCN & GAE.
Description: Annual herbs, up to 5 cm high; stems
triangular. Leaves subsessile,
opposite, falcate-cuneate to obovate, 0.5–3 × 0.3–1.8 cm, narrowed entire base,
obtuse or acute, crenate-serrate in the upper part, ciliate, glabrous or thinly hairy, linear cystoliths;
stipules minute, ovate, acute.
Inflorescence axillary, head like; male flowers: heads in the axils of
upper leaves; pedicel very short.
Perianth segments ovate, obtuse, glabrous. Stamens 4; filaments 0.08mm long. Female flowers; heads with few female flowers
in the centre; involucre bracts 3–4; outer ones ovate, acuminate; inner ones
ovate-oblong, rounded, ciliate; bracteoles spathulate. Perianth 3–4, dentate at
mouth. Achenes reddish brown, ovoid-ellipsoid.
Flowering and fruiting: September–February.
Distribution: India (South Andaman Islands, Ross
Island, Goa, Himalaya, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Sikkim, and Tamil Nadu),
China, Japan, Korea, India, Laos, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
Habitat & ecology: Rare, in moist localities and
shady places.
Associate species: Pilea
microphylla (L.) Liebm.
and Pouzolzia hirta
Blume ex Hassk.
Lythraceae
Ammannia auriculata Willd.
Hort. Berol. 1: 7. 1806. (Image 3).
Specimens examined: 33692 (PBL), 02.ii.2020. Middle Andaman Islands, Billiground, MCN.
Description: Annual herb, up to 40cm. Stem quadrangular. Leaves linear-lanceolate, 6-60 × 1.78 mm.
Inflorescence axillary, cymose; 1–12 flowered;
peduncle 6mm long; pedicel 1–4 mm long.
Hypanthium vertically 8–10 green-ribbed; ribs obscure in fruit. Epicalyx minute. Petals obovate-cuneate. Stamens inserted above the middle of the
hypanthium. Ovary broad; style 1–7 mm
long. Capsule slightly exceeding the
hypanthium, 2–3 mm long. Seeds discoid.
Flowering and fruiting: August–September.
Distribution: India (Middle Andaman Islands, Billiground, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and
Tamil Nadu), widely distributed throughout tropical and warm temperate regions.
Habitat & ecology: Rare, distributed seashore
areas.
Associate species: Justicia
procumbens L. and Mecardonia
procumbens (Mill.) Small.
Orobanchaceae
Christisonia siamensis Craib
Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 129. 1914. (Image 4).
Specimens examined: 33639 (PBL), 16.i.2019. South Andaman Islands, Mount
Harriet, MCN.
Description: Root parasite, biennial herb, up to 6-8
cm high, subglabrous. Stems 1–2 cm
long. Leaves not shown. Flowers 2 to several, clustered at stem
apices; bracts oblong or ovate, 6–8 × 3–5 mm.
Pedicel short or absent. Calyx
tubular, 1.5–3 cm long, sub-membranous or leathery when dry, apex irregularly
five-toothed; lobes triangular or lanceolate, two larger and 0.5–1 cm, three
smaller, 4–8 mm, apex usually acute.
Corolla very unusual in lacking all violet pigmentation, corolla is
largely white but with an obvious yellow internal stripe running on the length
of the middle of the abaxial lip and sometimes with patches of yellow on the
lateral lobes at the mouth of the flower.
Filaments 8–10 mm long, glabrous or sparsely
glandular; anthers with one fertile cell in upper two stamens, reduced into
sticks in lower two stamens. Ovary
1-locular. Style 2–3.6 cm; stigma
larger, discoid, 4–6 mm in diam. Capsule
ovoid.
Flowering & fruiting: January–February
Distribution: India (South Andaman Island (Mount
Harriet), Kerala, and Nagaland) and Thailand.
Habitat & ecology: Rare, in moist localities,
shady places.
Associate (host plant) species: Syzygium
claviflorum.
References
Benniamin, A., S.K. Chaturvedi, S. Dey
& Moaakum (2012). Supplements to the root parasitic plant in India. A
new recorded species Christisonia siamensis Craib. (Orobanchaceae). Taiwania
57(2): 217–221.
Chandore, A.N., N.V. Malpure, Adsul, A.A. & S.R. Yadav (2012) Chlorophytum belgaumense, a
new species of Asparagaceae from the Western Ghats of
India. Kew Bulletin 67: 527–531.
Govaerts, R., B.J.M. Zonneveld & S.A. Zona (2012) World Checklist of Asparagaceae.
Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. [Published on the Internet]
Available at http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/. Accessed on 26 January 2012.
Hajra, P.K., P.S.N. Rao & V. Mudgal
(Eds.) (1999). Flora of Andaman-Nicobar
Islands (Ranunculaceae- Combretaceae). Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta.
Vol. 1, 487pp.
Jain, S.K & R.R. Rao (1977). Hand-book of Field and Herbarium Methods.
Today & Tomorrow Printers and Publishers, New Delhi, 157pp.
Mabberley, D.J. (2017). The Plant Book, 4th ed. Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge, 1120pp.
Murugan, C., S. Prabhu, R. Sathiyaseelan & R.P. Pandey (2016). A Checklist of Plants of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. (edited by Singh, P. and W. Arisdason)
ENVIS Centre on Floral Diversity, Botanical Survey of India, Howrah. Published
on the Internet. Accessed on 02 June 2018.
http://bsienvis.nic.in/Database/Checklist-of-Andaman-Nicobar-Islands_24427.aspx
Naik, M.C.K & L.J. Singh
(2018a). Notes on occurrence and
distribution of some angiosperm species in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Indian
Journal of Forestry 41(4): 385–389.
Naik, M.C.K & L.J. Singh (2018b). A preliminary outcome reports from flora of south
Andaman Islands, India. Review of Research 1–3.
Naik, M.C.K., L.J. Singh & G.A. Ekka (2019). Ipomoea
imperati (Convolvulaceae)
- An addition to flora of India from Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Journal
of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity 12(4): 713–717. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.japb.2019.09.005
Nickrent, D.L. (2012). The parasitic plant connection: parasitic plant
genera. Department of plant Biology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale,
Illinois, USA. Website. http://www.parasiticplants.siu.edu/ListParasites.html.
Accessed on 17 July 2012.
Parkinson, C.E. (1923). A Forest Flora of the Andaman Islands. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh,
Dehradun, Uttarakhand, 325pp.
Pandey, R.P. & P.G. Diwakar (2008). An integrated check-list Flora of Andaman &
Nicobar Islands, India. Journal Economic Taxonomic Botany 33: 403–500.
Singh, L.J. & M.C.K. Naik (2019). Merremia umbellata ssp. orientalis
(Hallier f.) Ooststr. – a
new addition to Indian Convolvulaceae from Andaman
Islands, India. Indian Journal of Forestry 42(2): 119–122.
Singh, L.J., C. Murugan
& P. Singh (2014). Plant genetic
diversity of endemic species in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In National
Conference on Islands Biodiversity, U.P. State Board Biodiversity Board,
Lucknow: 49–57.
Sinha, B.K. (1999). Flora of Great Nicobar Island. In: Hajra, P.K. & P.S.N. Rao (eds.). Botanical Survey of
India, Calcutta, 509pp.