Journal of Threatened Taxa |
www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 July 2022 | 14(7): 21480–21483
ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893
(Print)
https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.7857.14.7.21480-21483
#7857 | Received 29 July 2020 | Final
received 12 July 2022 | Finally accepted 15 July 2022
Salsola oppositifolia Desf.
in Great Rann of Kachchh, Gujarat – a new record for
India
Rakesh Gujar 1, Vinesh Gamit 2, Ketan Tatu 3 & R.K. Sugoor
4
1–4 Gujarat Ecological Education and
Research (GEER) foundation, Indroda Nature Park, P.O.
Sector -7, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382007, India.
1 gujarrakesh18@gmail.com
(corresponding author), 2 vineshgamit4u@gmail.com, 3 ketantatu1@gmail.com,
4 rksugoor@yahoo.com
Editor: Aparna Watve,
Biome Conservation Foundation, Pune, India. Date
of publication: 26 July 2022 (online & print)
Citation: Gujar, R., V. Gamit, K. Tatu & R.K. Sugoor (2022). Salsola oppositifolia
Desf. in Great Rann of Kachchh, Gujarat – a new record for India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 14(7): 21480–21483. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.7857.14.7.21480-21483
Copyright: © Gujar et al. 2022. 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: Gujarat Forestry
Research Foundation (GFRF), Gandhinagar.
Competing interests: The authors
declare no competing interests.
Acknowledgements: The authors are thankful to the
Gujarat Forestry Research Foundation (GFRF), Gandhinagar (Gujarat) for funding
‘Study of flora and fauna of Great Rann of Kachchh’
project. But for this project funded by
GFRF, the present plant record could not have been made. Gratitudes
are also due due to the Gujarat Forest Department
authorities managing Kachchh Desert Wildlife Sanctuary, Great Rann of Kachchh. Authors are also thankful to Dr. S.L. Meena (Scientist E), Botanical Survey of India,
Jodhpur for species confirmation. The first two authors are thankful to Jigar
Joshi, SRF, GEER Foundation and other team members of project for accompanying
during the field. Authors are also thankful to research staff of GEER
Foundation who helped during the study.
The genus Salsola,
usually having small shrubby habit, commonly occurs in arid, semi-arid, and
temperate regions of the world (Rasheed et al. 2013; Hanif et al. 2018).
There are 100–150 species of this genus in the world (Altay & Ozturk 2020). The genus is characterized by the presence of
axillary flowers with conspicuous bracteoles, winged fruit, and superior ovary
(Borger et al. 2008). The name Salsola is
derived from the Latin word ‘Salsus’ meaning ‘salty’
(Mosyakin 1996). Salsola
taxon belongs to Salsola sect and it is
distributed across Mediterranean region mostly prevalent from Morocco to
Palestine (Botschantzev 1976; Greuter
et al. 1984; Peruzzi & Passlacqua 2004). In
India, five species of Salsola are recoded: Salsola kali, S. hartmanii,
S. monoptera, Caroxylon imbricatum, Halogeton
glomeratus. Among them, the latter two are more
well-known through the synonyms Salsola baryosma and Salsola
glomerata, respectively (BSI 2022; FOI 2022).
They are recorded from different states of India like Rajasthan, Kashmir, Ladakh, Gujarat, Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab. They are used
as fodder in many parts of the country (Altay & Ozturk
2020).
A hitherto unrecorded species of
halophyte, Salsola oppositifolia
Desf., belonging to the family Amaranthaceae
was recorded in the Great Rann of Kachchh (Kachchh
district, Gujarat) in October 2021 during a study on flora and fauna of Great Rann of Kachchh by Gujarat Ecological Education and
Research (GEER) Foundation. Salsola oppositifolia was recorded in three different
localities of Great Rann of Kachchh between August
2021 and December 2021. This species
constitutes a new record for India. The specimen was confirmed by a scientist
at Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Jodhpur. The sample is deposited at BSI,
Jodhpur (Accession No.: BSJO51890). Great Rann of
Kachchh is the largest saline desert-cum-seasonal wetland in Gujarat, which is
spread over an area of around 18,000 km2. It is important not only
due to vast area, but also owing to some of its unique aspects like its dual
ecosystem characteristic (i.e., saline desert-cum-seasonal wetland), unique
genesis, evolution, and presence on hilly islands (‘bets’). The Great Rann has been identified as one of the eight nationally
important wetlands in Gujarat by MoEFCC. A large
portion of it is under legal protection as a wildlife sanctuary named as
Kachchh Desert Wildlife Sanctuary. ‘Flamingo city’ within the Great Rann is an important bird and biodiversity area (IBA).
Salsola oppositifolia Desf., Fl. Atl. 1: 219 (1798); Salsola longifolia
Forsskal var. oppositifolia
(Desf.) Viciosa in
Anal. Jard. Bot. Madrid 6(2): 25 (1946); Seidlitzia oppositifolia
(Desf.) Iljin in Bot.
Mater. Bot. Inst. Komarova Akad.
Nauk. SSSR 16: 88 (1954). (Image 1)
Description: Perrenial,
succulent, shrub, 1–2 m tall, branches are not jointed. Stem erect, 5–10 mm
diameter, branched with opposite branches, glabrous, cylindrical, woody base,
rarely prostate, stipules absent. Leaves upto 20–30
mm, cylindrical to terrete, decurrent, sheathing at
base and adanate to stem, ramal,
opposite (two leaves at each node), ramal, opposite
(two leaves at each node), 6–10 x 2–3 mm in size, sessile or amplexicaul, tip
acute or pointed, subulate lips, apiculate depressed above. Flowers are
axillary and solitary, hermaphrodite. Bracts linear to oblong, keeled, sessile,
lower bract larger, clavate to dumb-bell shaped. Bracteoles are acute, linear
to oblong about 3–4 mm long and 0.5-0.8 mm broad. Perianth ovoid, 15–20 mm in diameter,
yellowish, fructiferous t. Tepals 4–5 mm long, 2–3 mm wide elliptical, rounded
apex and undulate margin. Stamens 4–5, 1–2 mm long, exerted. Anther tetragonal
and two styles. Staminodes are absent. Fruits are winged, homogeneous, about
10–15 mm broad. Wings 2–3 mm, orbicular, unequal (two smaller and three
bigger). The smaller wings are about 4–6 mm wide while bigger wings are 9–10 mm
wide. Seed is horizontal and covered with smooth membrane.
(Dichotomous Key)
1a) Annual herb, leaves and
bracts spinose or aspinose at the apex
.......................... 2
2a) Plant erect or
prostrate, Leaves and bracts spinose at
the apex .......................... 3
3a) Plant erect, Spines long upto 1–2 cm or more .............................................
Salsola kali
3b) Plant prostrate, Spines short
less than 1 mm ............................................... Salsola monoptera
2b) Plant erect or prostrate,
Leaves and bracts aspinose at the apex ...........................
4
4a) Plant erect, Stem curved ....
Salsola glomerata
4b) Plant prostrate
................... Salsola hartmanii
1b) Shrubs, leaves and bracts
without spines …………….... 5
5a) Leaves alternate, stem hairy
....................................................... Salsola
baryozoma
5b) Leaves opposite, stem
glabrous ......................................................... Salsola oppositifolia
Flowering and Fruiting:
October–January
Habitat: It was often found in
association with Sueada nudiflora.
It was recorded on muddy bunds and on the hilly outcrops.
Distribution: Italy, northern Africa, Palestine, Spain,
western Sahara (Brullo 1982; Peruzzi & Passalacqua 2004).
Conservation status as per IUCN
Red Data List of Threatened Species: Not Evaluated (NE).
Taxonomic notes: Salsola oppositifolia
species was first described by Desfontaines in 1798 (Brullo 1982). In early 1800, this species was considered to
be identical to Salsola longifolia
and S. verticillata (Fiori 1923; Maire
1962; Zohary 1966). But later on, it was proved that
three species are completely distinct from one another. Salsola
longifolia and S. verticillata
was kept in Darniella (Maire & Weller)
Brullo. Sect while S. oppositifolia
was kept in Coccosalsola Fenzl. sect. of Salsola (Brullo 1982, 1984). Out of the six species of Salsola recorded in India, four species are distinct
in one or another morphological characters like herbaceous habit, presence of
spines, and prostrate stem. The only species having a close resemblance with Salsola oppositifolia
is Salsola baryozoma.
On close observation of characters of the two taxa, it was found that both the
taxa are morphologically different. This species (= Salsola
oppositifolia) was not recorded in India. In
India, Salsola baryozoma
is most commonly occuring species of this genus. Salsola baryozoma
recorded in India has alternate leaves and hairy stem, while S. oppositifolia has opposite whorl of leaves and
glabrous stem. Both are branched though.
Specimen examined: Tunisia,
06.x.1981, Brullo, S., Fl005525(FI); Spain,
Canary Island, Tenerife, La Orotava, 28.291N,
16.629W, 2,481m, 01.xii.1985, Bourgeu,
K000243929 (RBGK); India, Gujarat, Kutch, Khadir bet,
23.818N, 70.328E, 15.5 m, 24.viii.2021, Vinesh Gamit & Rakesh Gujar GRK002 (GEERF) (Image 2).
For images - -
click here (for full PDF)
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