Abutilon bidentatum, Hochst.

2. ABUTILON BIDENTATUM Hochst. View in CoL ex-Rich in Tent. Fl. Abyss.1: 68. 1847. TYPE: ETHIOPIA. prope Aguar, 8 Apr 1839, G. H. W. Schimper #1003 (lectotype: designated by Naqshi et al.1988: K K000240390 [photo!])

Abutilon indicum var. major Blatt. & Hall. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. Hist. Soc. 26(1): 226. 1918. Abutilon bidentatum var. major (Blatt. & Hall.) Bhandari in Fl. Ind. Desert 60. 1978. TYPE: INDIA. Rajasthan, Jaisalmer, Amarsagar, s.d., Blatter 5644 (BLAT!).

Shrubs, 2 to 3 m tall. Stems light brown, glabrous, young stem stellate pubescent intermixed with simple and sparse glandular hairs. Leaf lamina 5–25 3 5–20 cm, ovate–suborbicular; both surfaces stellate pubescent, softly tomentose at abaxial surface, slightly or distinctly trilobed, 5–7-nerved, margin serrate to sharply dentate, acute to shortly acuminate at apex. Petioles 4–20 cm long, stellate pubescent intermingled with long simple hairs. Flowers axillary, solitary; flowering pedicel 1.5–2 cm long, articulated 2–3 mm below the flower; fruiting pedicel 5–6 cm long, articulated 8–10 mm below the fruit. Calyx campanulate, 1 cm across. Corolla 1.5 cm across, yellow, rotate, saucer shaped; petals 1.3 3 0.7 cm, obovate, apex emarginated with unequal lobes, glabrous, few stellate hairs at base. Staminal column 5–7 mm, base glabrous; tube 2–3 mm, stellate pubescent; filaments 3–4 mm, glabrous. Carpels 12–13; ovary 2 3 1.5 mm, densely stellate pubescent, globose. Schizocarps 0.8–1 3 0.7–0.8 cm, cylindrical, indented. Mericarps oblong, stellate pubescent dorsally, sharp hook-like appearance at placental attachment, with 1–2 mm reflexed awn, bidentate, 3-seeded. Seeds 2 3 1.5–2 mm, reniform, flattened, glabrous throughout, brownish to black, sometime stellate pubescent at hilum, warted, warts deeply concave. Figures 1F–J View FIG , 2H–N View FIG .

Distribution and Habitat —The species is distributed in Africa, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and India. The plants are commonly observed in drier parts of the country, from Maharashtra to Northern Western India, occurring along roadsides and waste places ( Fig. 3 View FIG ). The species is recently reported as a new record to Karnataka state ( Annigeri et al. 2011).

Etymology —Specific epithet denotes the bidentate apex of mericarps which can also be observed in non-dehisced green fruits (bidentate apex of mericarp can also be seen in other Abutilon spp. ).

Phenology —Flowers from July to December; fruiting begins in September and ends in January. Blooms in the afternoon.

Notes —In the present study, A. bidentatum var. major is not considered a distinct variety; instead, it is merged with the main Abutilon fruticosum var. chrysocarpa Blatt. & Hall., Journ. Bomb. Nat. Hist. Soc. View in CoL 26 (1): 227. 1918. TYPE: INDIA, Rajasthan, Jaisalmer, Vinjorai, Blatter 5660 ( BLAT!) .

species. Diagnostic characters for the taxon viz., longer petioles and larger leaf lamina specified in the protologue are extremely variable and the type specimen (Blatter 5644) observed at BLAT does not assert it with distinct taxonomic status.

Lectotypification of the name A. bidentatum was attempted by Abedin (1979), However, Verloove and Galasso (2020) pointed out the selection of lectotype by Naqshi et al. (1988) which supersedes Abedin’ s designation supported by Art. 9.19(a) of the ICN.

Additional Specimens Examined— India. — KARNATAKA: Dharwar, Mar 1919, s.c. 27648 (BLAT). — MAHARASHTRA: Aurangabad Dt., B. A. M. University Campus, 12 Oct 2014, VVN 505 (BAMU, SPPU). Mumbai, Salsette, Dec 1916, E. Blatter 18365 (BLAT). Nashik Dt., Nandur-Madhmeshwar, 23 Jan 2016, VVN 562 (BAMU). Pune Dt., Mumbai-Bangalore Highway, 26 Jan. 2015, VVN 524 (BAMU, SPPU); Junnar, 3 Sep 2016, VVN 571 (BAMU). Khandesh, Dec 1918, s.c. 27113 (BLAT). — HARYANA: Rohtak Dt., Rohtak, 13 Aug 1962, V. J. Nair 23208 (BSD). — RAJASTHAN: Alwar Dt., Akbarpur, 13 Apr 1984, P. J. Parmar 9738 (BSJO). Banswara Dt., Banswara city, roadside, 24 Sept 2015, VVN 557 (SPPU). Bikaner Dt., Devikund sagar, 6 Dec 1975, G. P. Roy 2437 (BSJO). Churu Dt., Khanpur village, 360m, 19 Mar 1976, G. P. Pandey 2512 (BSJO). Chittorgarh Dt., Chambal Dam, 20 Dec 1963, B. M. Varma 5119 (BSJO). Dungarpur Dt., Masana, 28 Nov 1968, R. B. Majumdar 10184 (BSJO). Jaisalmer Dt., Amarsagar garden, 16 Nov 1973, G. L. Tiwari 853 (BSJO). Jodhpur Dt., Mandore garden, 6 Jan 1975, s.c. 1536 (BSJO); Bilara, 26 Feb 1977, A. N. Singh 3284 (BSJO); Mehrangarh fort, 21 Sep 2015, VVN 547 (BAMU). Udaypur Dt., Udaypur city, 24 Sep 2015, VVN 553 (BAMU).