New report of Biophytum nervifolium Thwaites (Oxalidaceae) from Gujarat, India

Authors

  • Kishan Ishwarlal Prajapati Vande Vasundhara Scientifics, near Saurashtra University, Munjka, Rajkot, Gujarat 360001, India. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6909-3506
  • Siddharth Dangar Department of Botany, Government College of Daman (UT), Nani Daman, Gujarat 396210, India.
  • Santhosh Kumar Ettickal Sukumaran Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Palode, Karimankode P.O., Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala 695562, India.
  • Vivek Chauhan Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology
  • Ekta Joshi Department of Botany

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.9661.17.10.27777-27781

Keywords:

Distribution, ecology, floristic study, new record, Saurashtra Peninsula, taxonomy, southwestern India

Abstract

During floristic surveys in the Saurashtra Peninsula of Gujarat, India, specimens of Biophytum nervifolium Thwaites were collected. After reviewing relevant literature and type specimens, it was found that this species was previously known only from Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh, in India. The present collection of B. nervifolium, therefore, represents a new record for Gujarat. This paper presents the taxonomy, ecology, and distribution of the species, along with colour photographs, to facilitate its identification.

Author Biographies

Kishan Ishwarlal Prajapati, Vande Vasundhara Scientifics, near Saurashtra University, Munjka, Rajkot, Gujarat 360001, India.

.

Siddharth Dangar , Department of Botany, Government College of Daman (UT), Nani Daman, Gujarat 396210, India.

.

Santhosh Kumar Ettickal Sukumaran, Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Palode, Karimankode P.O., Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala 695562, India.

.

Vivek Chauhan, Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology

.

Ekta Joshi, Department of Botany

.

References

Bhandari, M.M. (1990). Flora of the Indian Desert. (MPS Reports), Jodhpur, 435 pp.

Dassanayake, M.D. (ed.) (1999). A Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon. Vol. 13. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi & A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, 285 pp.

eFlora Kerala (2025). eFlora Kerala: An Online Database on Plants of 2025, https://www.eflorakerala.com/. Sasidharan, N. (n.d.). Biophytum nervifolium. E-Flora of Kerala. Retrieved May 31, 2025 https://www.eflorakerala.com/plant_detail.php?id=Biophytum_nervifolium

Jisha, D. (2023). Studies on the Systematics and Phytogeographical affinities of the family Oxalidaceae of Kerala, India. PhD Thesis (unpublished), University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, 175 pp.

Jisha, D., E.S.S. Kumar, S.W. Decruse & M. Rajendraprasad (2020). A new species of Biophytum (Oxalidaceae) from the Western Ghats (Kerala, India). Phytotaxa 438(1): 49–52. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.438.1.6

Khan, A.E.S., E.S.S. Kumar, S. Binu & P. Pushpangadan (1998). A new species of Biophytum DC. (Oxalidaceae) from Peninsular India. Rheedea 8: 79–81. https://doi.org/10.22244/rheedea.1998.08.01.05

Kumar, E.S.S., A.E.S. Khan, S. Binu & P. Pushpangadan (2000). A note on the occurrence and identity of Biophytum umbraculum Sch. (Oxalidaceae) in Kerala. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 24(3): 746–748.

Kumar, E.S.S., G.K. Suchithra, K. Murugesan, L.H. Namitha & J.F. Veldkamp (2017). Reinstatement and lectotypification of Biophytum poterioides Edgew. (Oxalidaceae)—an endemic species of the Peninsular India. Abrahamia 3: 16–19.

Lourteig, A. (1980). Oxalidaceae. Flora of Panama. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 67(1): 826–834. https://doi.org/10.2307/2398968

Manna, M.K. (1997). Oxalidaceae, pp. 241–255. In: Hajra, P.K., V.J. Nair & P. Daniel (eds.). Flora of India 4. Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta.

POWO (2025). Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. https://powo.science.kew.org/. Retrieved on 01.x.2025.

Reddy, A.S. & A. Sharma (2015). Biophytum reinwardtii (Zucc.) Klozsch. A new record for Gujarat state. Life Sciences Leaflets 67: 8–11.

Santapau, H. (1962). The flora of Saurashtra Part-I. Ranunculaceae to Rubiaceae. Saurashtra Research Society, Rajkot, 309 pp.

Shah, G.L. (1978). Flora of Gujarat State. Volume 1. Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, 1074 pp.

Shetty, B.V. & V. Singh (1987). Flora of Rajasthan Vol 1, Botanical survey of India, Howrah, 447 pp.

Singh, N.P. & S. Karthikeyan (2001). Flora of Maharashtra State (Vol. 1). Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta, 898 pp.

Thwaites, G.H.K. (1858). Enumeratio plantarum Zeylaniae. Dulau & Co., London, 483 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.574

Veldkamp, J.F. (1971). Oxalidaceae, pp. 151–178. In: van Steenis, C.G.G.J. (ed.) Flora Malesiana 7(1). Bogor, Indonesia. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.40744

Downloads

Published

26-10-2025

Issue

Section

Short Communications