Ceropegia concanensis Kambale, Chandore & S.R. Yadav, Kew Bull.

Ceropegia concanensis Kambale, Chandore & S.R. Yadav, Kew Bull. View in CoL 67(4): 843. 2012; Kambale & S.R. Yadav, Asklepios 115: 29. 2013. Type: INDIA, Maharashtra, Sindhudurg , Vengurla , 28.08.2011, S.S. Kambale 3130 (holo CAL!; iso K001070967 image!, SUK!). Fig. 51 View Fig

Perennial erect herbs. Rootstock tuberous; tubers 2–5 cm in diam., globose, ovoid or depressed; roots fibrous. Stem solitary, terete, unbranched, c. 30 cm high, 1–2 mm diam., more or less pubescent when young, glabrous when mature, green or dark purple. Leaves sub-sessile; lamina 3.2–6.4 × 0.8–1.4 cm, linear, acute, narrowed at base, midrib prominent, puberulous on the upper surface and glabrous beneath, ciliolate at margins. Flowers solitary, extra-axillary; peduncles 3–5 mm long, slender, pubescent; bracts solitary, subulate, 2–3 × 0.2–0.4 mm, hairy along the margins; pedicels 5–6 × 1–1.5 mm, slender, pubescent. Sepals 4–7 × 0.3– 0.6 mm, acute, hairy along the midnerve. Corolla 5-lobed, 4–5.4 cm long, usually slightly curved, purple; tube 3–3.5 cm long, abruptly dilated at base, cylindrical at middle, funnel-shaped at throat, glabrous, purple outside, pale yellowish-green at dilated base, striated with dark purple lines inside in upper-half and dark purple with light windows in lower half; lobes 1.2–1.6 cm long, narrowly linear, reflexed on their back, connate at the tips forming ovoid cage, pubescent along margins, yellowish-green to reddish-yellow, blotched with dark purple spots at the base. Corona bi-seriate, 4–5 mm long; outer cupular, entire, deeply bifid at the time of shading, segments acute, sparsely ciliate along the margins; inner of 5 linear lobes, erecto-divergent at apex, purple at lower half and yellow at upper-half. Pollinarium c. 0.3 × 0.2 mm. Follicles in pairs, c. 8 × 0.3 cm, straight, tapering at both ends, glabrous. Seeds c. 4 × 2 mm, brown, ovate-oblong, comose; coma c. 1 cm long.

Flowering & fruiting: July–October.

Habitat: Grows on lateritic plateaus at an elevation ranging from 50– 750 m. Typical associates are Dimeria spp. , Eriocaulon spp. , Euphorbia antiquorum L., Glyphochloa spp. , Hedyotis pumila L.f., Impatiens tomentosa Heyne , Leucas aspera (Willd.) Link , Rhamphicarpa longiflora Wight ex Benth. and Striga gesnerioides (Willd.) Vatke.

Distribution: Endemic to Maharashtra ( India).

Specimens examined: INDIA, Maharashtra, Kolhapur district, Tillari , 08.08.2010, S. S . Kambale 3131; 15.08.2010, A. N . Chandore 1531 ( SUK!); Sindhudurg district, Vengurla , 28.08.2011, S. S . Kambale 3130; Tillari Ghat , 26.09.2014, S. S . Kambale , K . Das & A. R . Gholvae SSK 321 ( SUK!) .

Conservation status: Ceropegia concanensis is assessed as Critically Endangered [CR: B1 a, b (i, ii, iii)]. Exploitation of edible tubers by local people and conversion of lateritic plateaus for mango cultivation are the major threats to the species (Kambale et al., 2012).

Notes: Ceropegia concanensis is similar to C. attenuata but can be easily identified by its corolla lobes shorter than tube (vs. lobes equal to tube), abruptly dilated corolla tube (vs. gradually dilated tube) and sparsely hairy outer corona (vs. densely hairy corona).

Ceropegia fimbriifera Bedd., Madras J. Lit. Sci. Ser. View in CoL 3(1): 53. 1864 et Icon. Pl. Ind. Or. 1: 38, t. 172. 1874; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 4: 66. 1883; Gamble, Fl. Madras 2: 856. 1921; H. Huber, Mem. Soc. Brot. 12: 127. 1957; B.D. Sharma et al. Fl. Karnataka, Analysis 166. 1984; Ansari, Fasc. Fl. India 16: 16. 1984; M.P. Nayar & Sastry, Red Data Book Indian Pl. 1: 57. 1987; S.R. Sriniv. in Henry et al., Fl. Tamil Nadu Ind., Ser I, Analysis 2: 83. 1987; F. Albers & Meve, Ill. Handb. Succ. Pl. Asclepiadaceae 79. 2002; Nayar et al., Fl. Pl. Kerala 85. 2006; Bruyns, Rheedea 7(2): 113. 1997; A.P. Jagtap & N.P. Singh, Fasc. Fl. India 24: 223. 1999; Karthik. et al., Fl. Pl. India 1: 161. 2009; Kambale & S.R. Yadav, Asklepios 115: 31. 2013. Lectotype (designated by Huber, 1957): INDIA, Tamil Nadu, Annamalay hills, s.d., R.H. Beddome s.n. (BM001014217 image!) Fig. 52 View Fig

Perennial erect (twining under cultivation) herbs. Rootstock tuberous; tubers 1–2.6 cm in diam., sub-globose; roots fibrous. Stem usually solitary, rarely branched, terete, c. 15–30 cm high (c. 2 m under cultivation), 1–2 mm in diam., pubescent when young, glabrous when mature, green or dark purple, internodes 1.2–13 cm (20–26 cm under cultivation). Lamina 2.8–12.5 × 0.6–1.7 cm, elliptic-lanceolate, acute at apex, narrowed at base, pubescent along margins and midnerve beneath, glabrous otherwise; petioles 0.2–1.5 cm long, channeled above, hairy along margins, glabrous otherwise. Cymes 2–3-flowered, extra-axillary; peduncles 0.2–2.8 cm long, slender, pubescent; bracts solitary, linear, c. 3 mm long, pubescent; pedicels 1–1.2 cm, slender, glabrous. Sepals c. 5.5 mm long, linear, glabrous, minutely hairy at the tip. Corolla c. 3.8 cm long, usually slightly curved, rarely straight; tube 1.5–2 cm long, gradually dilated at base, glabrous, usually mottled with purple strips at mouth, rarely mottled throughout, deep purple within, striated with purple lines in upper-half; lobes 0.6–1.8 cm long, narrowly linear, reflexed on their back, connate at the tips to form ovoid cage, glabrous otherwise, green, purple and fimbriate at the base; fimbriae 2.5–3 mm long, glandular, purple, clavate. Corona bi-seriate; outer of 5 deeply bifid lobes, saucer to bowl-shaped, c. 2 × 1.5 mm, deep purple along margins, hairy along margins and within; inner of 5 linear to sub-spathulate erect lobes, c. 2 mm long, glabrous, pinkish purple. Pollinarium erect, c. 0.3 × 0.2 mm. Follicles in pairs, c. 8 cm long, straight, tapering at both ends, glabrous.

Flowering & fruiting: June–November.

Habitat: Occurs amongst grasses on the hill-sides of dry regions in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. In Kerala it occurs amidst grasses on rocky hill slopes in evergreen forests.

Distribution: Endemic to South India.

Specimens examined: INDIA, Karnataka, Chamarajanagar district, Biligiriranga hills, 06.1938, E . Barnes 1875 ( BSI!); Chikkaballapur district , Nandi Hills, 21.08.1976, N . P . Singh 143185 ( BSI!); Ibid., 09.08.2013, S . S . Kambale & S . Surveswaran SSK 63; Ibid. (grown in garden), 23.11.2013, S . S . Kambale & S . Surveswaran SSK 203 ( SUK!); Dakshina Kannada district , Charmadi, 26.10.1996, K . Ravikumar , G . S . Goraya & S . R . Ramesh 9731 ( FRLH!) . Kerala, Palakkad district, Silent Valley National Park , 15.10.2010, A . R . Kulavmode 46386 ( TBGT!); Ibid. (grown in garden), 06.10.2012, A . R . Kulavmode & S . S . Kambale SSK 24; Ibid. , 19.09.2014, S . S . Kambale & A . R . Kulavmode SSK 319 ( SUK!) . Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore district, Annamalay , 1866, R . H . Beddome s.n.; Kadamparai, Attakutti , 21.07.1978, M . C . Bose 57222; Nilgiris district, Ebbanad , Koil peak & surrounding, 11.09.1970, G . V . Subbarao 36637 ( MH!); Ibid., 21.11.2012, S . S Kambale & S . R . Yadav SSK 28; Ibid. (grown in garden), 23.10.2013, S . S Kambale & S . R . Yadav SSK 95 ( SUK!) .

Conservation status: This plant is poorly represented in Indian herbaria . Nayar and Sastry (1987) assessed it as Vulnerable. Populations are very sparse as very few individuals where located during field surveys and a thorough field observation is required. It is assessed as Data Deficient (DD).

Notes: Ceropegia fimbriifera is allied to C. noorjahaniae but differs in having fimbriate corolla lobes and gradually dilated corolla tube. It is also closer to C. bhatii but can be distinguished by its reflexed, fimbriate corolla lobes and corolla tube mottled with purple at the throat outside and deep purple inside. In C. bhatii flowers are deep green throughout, corolla lobes not reflexed on the back, they are glabrous throughout and corolla tube reddish mottled within. However plants collected from Kerala are without fimbriae or trichomes at the base of corolla lobes.

Ceropegia jainii Ansari & B.G. Kulk., Bull. Bot. Surv. View in CoL India 22(1–4): 221. 1982; Ansari, Fasc. Fl. India 16: 18. 1984; M.P. Nayar & Sastry, Red Data Book Indian Pl. 2: 43. 1988; S.M. Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 1: 258. 1989; Bachulkar et al., J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 92 (2): 291. 1995; A.P. Jagtap & N.P. Singh, Fasc. Fl. India 24: 226. 1999; D.K. Mishra & N.P. Singh, Endem. Threat. Pl. Maharashtra 135. 2001; A.P. Jagtap & Das Das in N.P. Singh et al., Fl. Maharashtra, Dicot. 2: 351. 2001; M.R. Almeida, Fl. Maharashtra 3 A: 232. 2001; F. Albers & Meve, Ill. Handb. Succ. Pl. Asclepiadaceae 83. 2002; Karthik. et al., Fl. Pl. India 1: 162. 2009; Kambale & S.R. Yadav, Asklepios 115: 35. 2013. Type: INDIA, Maharashtra, Sindhudurg district, Amboli Ghat, s.d., Kulkarni 121885A (holo CAL!). Fig. 53 View Fig

Perennial erect herbs. Rootstock tuberous; tubers sub-globose, depressed. Stem 5–16.5 cm (under cultivation 55 cm), terete, unbranched; internodes 0.3–4.7 cm long, scabrid, pale to dark purple. Lamina 2.7–5 × 0.4–0.8 cm, lower ones elliptic, upper ones elliptic-linear, scabrid above, ciliolate along margins and beneath along midnerve, dark green above, pale below; midnerve prominent; petioles 1–2 mm long, channeled above, scabrid. Flowers solitary, extra-axillary; peduncles 1–2 mm long, puberulous; bracts small c. 1.2 × 0.2 mm, hairy at apex, subulate; pedicels 3–4 mm long, pubescent, slender. Sepals c. 4 × 2.5 mm, subulate, hairy along midnerve, up to the middle. Corolla 1.8–2.7 cm long; tube c. 1.3–1.5 cm long, dilated at the base, green at dilated part, glabrous, purple otherwise, slightly curved, with deep purple striations in the dilated part; lobes c. 9 mm long, linear-oblong, acute and connate at the tip forming globose cage, 8 mm across, hairy at the base, hairs downwardly directed, glabrous otherwise, greenish-purple. Corona bi-seriate, stipitate; outer of 5-bifid lobes, bowl-shaped, c. 3 × 3 mm, ciliate along margins and within, yellow blotched with purple; inner of 5 erect lobes, 1.5–2 mm long, divergent, yellowishpurple. Pollinarium c. 0.25 × 0.25 mm. Follicles tapering towards apex, 5.5–7.5 cm, glabrous, reddish-purple-green. Seeds 3–5 × 1.2–1.5 mm, ovate, oblong, comose; coma 1–1.4 cm long.

Flowering & fruiting: August–September.

Chromosome number: 2 n = 22 ( Gosavi et al., 2012).

Habitat: Grows on high and low elevation lateritic plateaus in Western Ghats in association with Glyphochloa forficulata (C.E.C. Fisch.) Clayton , Jansenella griffithiana (Mull. Hal.) Bor , Lepidagathis cristata Willd. and Rostellularia japonica (Thunb.) J.L. Ellis.

Distribution: Endemic to northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra and Karnataka, India.

Specimens examined: INDIA, Karnataka, Belgaum district, Sada-Kankumbi , 12.08.2012, S. S . Kambale SSK 9; Ibid. , 06.09.2013, S. S . Kambale SSK 76 ( SUK!) . Maharashtra, Ratnagiri district, Chalakewadi , 10.1994, M. P . Bachulkar-Cholekar 5713; Gothane , 10.2003, S. P . Gaikwad SPG 382; Ibid. (grown in garden), 23.09.2012, S. S . Kambale SSK 22; Ibid. , 19.09.2014, S. S . Kambale SSK 315 ( SUK!); Satara district, Kas , 09.1992, M. P . Bachulkar-Cholekar 5249; Ibid. , 06.09.2013, S. S . Kambale SSK 78; Ibid. , 16.10.2012, S. S . Kambale SSK 26; Valmiki Plateau , 01.09.2013, S. S . Kambale & P. R . Lawand SSK 72; Ibid. , 20.09.2013, P. R . Lawand & S. S . Kambale SSK 92; s.loc., 25.09.1999, S. R . Yadav s.n. ( SUK!); Sindhudurg district, Amboli , Moose plateau, 13.08.1971, B. G . Kulkarni 131615 A ( BSI!); Chaukul plateau, 21.09.2013, S. S . Kambale SUK 92 View Materials ; Ibid. , 01.09.2014, S. S . Kambale & K . Das SSK 299; Ibid. , 18.10.2014, S. S . Kambale SSK 327 ( SUK!)

Conservation s tatus: Nayar and Sastry (1987) assessed it as Rare. Apart from the type locality, this plant has been collected from other localities as well. Inspite of this, it is under threat due to anthropogenic pressures. In the present study, it is assessed as Critically Endangered [ CR: B1 a, b (iii, iv, v)] .

Notes: Ceropegia jainii is closely related to C. pusilla Wight but differs in having elliptic leaves, reddish flowers and hairy corolla lobes equaling the tube. The plants are comparatively shorter and erect but become a twiner under cultivation with significant elongation of the internodes.

Ceropegia mahabalei Hemadri & Ansari View in CoL , Indian Forester 97(2): 105. 1971; Ansari, Fasc. Fl. India 16: 24. 1984; M.P. Nayar & Sastry, Red Data Book Indian Pl. 2: 49. 1988; A.P. Jagtap & N.P. Singh, Fasc. Fl. India 24: 232. 1999; D.K. Mishra & N.P. Singh, Endem. Threat. Pl. Maharashtra 139. 2001; A.P. Jagtap & Das Das in N.P. Singh et al., Fl. Maharashtra, Dicot. 2: 353. 2001; M.R. Almeida, Fl. Maharashtra 3 A: 234. 2001; F. Albers & Meve, Ill. Handb. Succ. Pl. Asclepiadaceae 89. 2002; Karthik. et al., Fl. Pl. India 1: 162. 2009. Type: INDIA, Maharashtra, Ralegaon hills, west of Junnar, 25.09.1968, K. Hemadri 107266A (holo CAL!; iso BSI!, CAL!, K!, L!). Fig. 54 View Fig

Vernacular name: Gauti Kharpudi (Marathi).

Perennial erect herbs. Rootstock tuberous; tubers 2–4.5 cm in diam., sub-globose; roots fibrous. Stem erect, unbranched, 20–24 cm long (40–65 cm long in cultivation), terete, hirsute. Leaves sessile to sub-sessile; lamina 6.5–9 × 0.3–0.5 cm, linear to linear-lanceolate, acute at apex, narrowed at base, with stiff hairs above, along margins and midrib beneath. Flowers solitary, extra-axillary; peduncles 1–3 mm long, hirsute; bracts 5–6 mm long,, subulate, hairy along midnerve and margins; pedicels 6–9 mm long, hairy. Sepals 1.2–1.4 cm long, subulate, densely hairy along midnerve, blotched purple along midnerve. Corolla 7.5–9.5 cm long;tube 5.3–6 cm long,slightly curved, broadly dilated at base, cylindrical at middle, funnel-shaped at throat, glabrous within, pale green at dilated part, brownish-red towards throat, green with purple striations within the dilated part and brownish-purple above; lobes 2.2–3.5 cm long, always shorter than tube, reflexed, linear, elongated above from ovate deltoid base, connate at the tip form a beak, finely pubescent within, dark green with brownish-yellow blotches at the base. Corona bi-seriate, stipitate; outer of 5 shortly bifid lobes, c. 3 × 3 mm, saucer-shaped, sparsely ciliate within, yellow, slightly blotched with brown; inner of 5 erect lobes, c. 3 mm long, connivent, linear, alternate with outer corona, purple at base, yellow otherwise. Pollinarium c. 0.7 × 0.6 mm. Follicles in pairs, c. 4 cm long, terete, narrowed at apex, glabrous. Seeds c. 5 × 2.5 mm, ovoid, flat, marginate; coma c. 6 mm long, silky white.

Flowering & fruiting: July–October.

Habitat: Grows along hill slopes among grasses in association with Euphorbia antiquaorum L. and Senecio bombayensis N.P. Balakr.

Distribution: Endemic to northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra, India.

Specimens examined: INDIA, Maharashtra, Pune district, Junnar, Ralegaon Shinde , s.d., S. R . Yadav 5812; Ralegaon Shinde (grown in garden), 19.09.2011, S. S . Kambale & A. A . Adsul SUK 2600 View Materials ; Ibid. , 08.10.2012, S. S . Kambale & A. A . Adsul SSK 25; Ibid. , 19.09.2013, S. S . Kambale & A. A . Adsul SSK 91 ( SUK!) .

Conservation status: Nayar and Sastry (1987) assessed it as Endangered while Mishra & Singh (2001) considered as Critically Endangered. In the present study only 10 individuals were observed and the species is assessed here as Critically Endangered [CR: B2 a, b (iii, iv, v), c (iv)].

Notes: Ceropegia mahabalei is unique in having longest flowers in this genus. It closely resembles C. attenuata but can be distinguished by its corolla lobes shorter than tube, length of flowers, glabrous outer corona and non-divergent inner corona.