Sonerila periyarensis sp.nov.-A new species of Melastomataceae from Kerala, India

Deepthy Kumary Kunjukrishna Pillai; Sreekala Appukuttan Nair Kamalabhai; Usha Vikraman Pillalai Sarojini Amma; Raju Ramasubbu

Asian Journal of Biological and Life Sciences,2024,13,1,67-70.

DOI:10.5530/ajbls.2024.13.9

Published:June 2024

Type:Research Article

Authors:

Author(s) affiliations:

Deepthy Kumary Kunjukrishna Pillai¹, Sreekala Appukuttan Nair Kamalabhai², Usha Vikraman Pillalai Sarojini Amma¹, Raju Ramasubbu³

¹Plant systematics and Evolutionary Science Division, Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Pacha- Palode, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, INDIA.

²Conservation Biology Division, Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Pacha-Palode, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, INDIA.

³Department of Biology, The Gandhigram Rural Institute (Deemed to be University), Gandhigram, Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, INDIA.

Abstract:

Sonerila periyarensis, a new taxon was collected from the forest of Gavi, Periyar Tiger Reserve, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India is described. Sonerila periyarensis is similar to S. zeylanica and S. nairii but differs from it by having erect, translucent lesser- branched stem, ovate or ovatelanceolate leaves with white-long glandular hairs adaxially, axillary condensed cyme with pink flower, funnel-shaped calyx tube with ovate-obovate petals and scattered glandular-hairy capsule. This combination of characters makes determining the relationships of S. periyarensis difficult.

Keywords:Gavi, Periyar Tiger Reserve, Sonerila zeylanica, Sonerileae