Biophytum intermedium, 1840

Neotypification of Biophytum intermedium

Wight (1840) mentioned Biophytum intermedium as a species distributed both in Courtallum (south India) and Sri Lanka. He neither cited a specimen nor any previous cited reference in the protologue. Thwaites (1858) cited CP 2419 (6 in parte or CP6) as B. proliferum var. β and considered B. intermedium as a synonym to it. However, Trimen (1893) recognized B. intermedium as a distinct species with a detailed description and a meticulous illustration. Perusal of herbarium specimens in different herbaria revealed that there are five specimens of B. intermedium available with the remarks ‘CP6’, three in P (P02440398!, P02440399!, P02440400!) and one each in W (W00066088!) and K (K000693130!) respectively. All these collections are from Sri Lanka and none from India. It indicated that the cited locality Courtallum might be an error as no later botanists located this from anywhere in India. It was noted that the date of collection mentioned as 1838 by Thwaites in P specimens is obviously an error, as Thwaites arrived in Ceylon in 1849 and was continued as superintendent and Director of Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradenia until 1880 ( Wheeler 1983). Hence, these specimens might be collected after 1849, hence not original material for lectotype designation. Lourteig labelled CP 6 specimen (W00066088) as “ isotype ”, but this is also an error. It is confirmed that no original material referred to B. intermedium prior to 1840 is extant at present and it warrants the need of a neotypification. Out of the three specimens deposited at P, the specimen P02440400 is designated as the neotype according to Art. 9.8 of ICN.