Ceropegia anjanerica Malpure, M.Y. Kamble

Ceropegia anjanerica Malpure, M.Y. Kamble View in CoL &

S. R. Yadav, Curr. Sci. 91(9): 1141. 2006; Karthik. et al., Fl. Pl. India 1: 160. 2009; Kambale & S. R. Yadav, Asklepios 115: 29. 2013. Type: INDIA, Maharashtra, Nashik district, Anjaneri hill, 10.09.2005 , N.V. Malpure Malpure 1 (holo CAL!; iso K!, BSI!, BLAT!, SUK!). Fig. 49 View Fig

Perennial erect herbs. Rootstock tuberous; tubers 2–5 cm in diam., depressed globose to discoid, roots fibrous. Stem terete, 10–20 cm high, 1–2 mm in diam., usually unbranched, scabrid. Leaves sub-sessile to petiolate; lamina elliptic-narrowly elliptic, 1.3–3.7 × 0.3–1.1 cm, mucronate at apex, tapering at base, scabrous above, along midrib and margins, glabrous otherwise; petioles 2–6 mm long. Flowers solitary, extra-axillary; peduncles 1–3 mm long, scabrid; bracts c. 1.6 mm long, subulate; pedicels c. 4 mm long, scabrous. Sepals c. 3 × 0.15 mm, subulate, hairy along midnerve, glabrous otherwise. Corolla 1.8–3.5 cm long; tube 0.8–1.5 cm long, gradually dilated at base, funnel-shaped towards throat, slightly curved, glabrous within, greenish-grey, striated with deep purple lines within, white otherwise; lobes 1–1.8 cm long, obovate, attenuate, finely pubescent throughout, connate at tip forming an obovate cage, lobes reflexed on their back, greenish-yellow. Corona bi-seriate, stipitate; outer of 5-bifid lobes, c. 2 × 2 mm, ciliate within and along margins, yellow; inner of 5 erect linear lobes, 2 mm long, alternating with outer corona. Pollinarium c. 0.6 × 0.5 mm. Follicles usually in pairs, c. 7 cm long, straight, tapering to a fine point, erect. Seeds c. 5 × 2 mm, ovate, oblong, comose; coma 1–1.6 cm long, silky white.

Flowering & fruiting: September–October.

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

Habitat: Grows at an elevation of 1296 m in well-drained soil, in association with Curcuma neilgherrensis Wight , Senecio bombayensis N.P. Balakr. , Strobilanthes callosa Nees and Swertia minor Knobl.

Distribution: Endemic to Maharashtra, India.

Specimens examined: INDIA, Maharashtra, Nasik district, Anjaneri hill, 31.09.2010, S. S . Kambale SUK 2564 View Materials ; Ibid. , 18.10.2011, S. S . Kambale SSK 2962; Ibid. , 06.10.2012, S. S . Kambale SSK 23; Ibid. , 12.08.2013, S. S . Kambale SSK 67; Ibid. , 23.10.2013, S. S . Kambale SSK 97 ( SUK!) .

Conservation status: Though it is newly described species, it has not been located elsewhere in Western Ghats after extensive and intensive field survey. The area of occupancy is below10 sq. km. Therefore it is assessed as Critically Endangered [CR: B2 a, b (i, ii, iii)].

Notes: Similar to C. attenuata but easily distinguished by its shorter corolla, obovate, flat corolla lobes, forming an obovate head. Ceropegia anjanerica grows in lateritic soil of high elevation mountains while the latter is restricted to the low elevation lateritic plateaus.

Ceropegia arnottiana Wight, Contr. Bot. View in CoL India 32. 1834; Decne. in Prodr. 8: 644. 1844; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 4: 74. 1883; P.C. Kanjilal et al., Fl. Assam 3: 309. 1939; H. Huber, Mem. Soc. Brot. 12: 52. 1957; Ansari, Fasc. Fl. India 16: 9. 1984; M.P. Nayar & Sastry, Red Data Book Indian Pl. 2: 40. 1988; Karthik. et al., Fl. Pl. India 1: 160. 2009. Lectotype (designated by Huber, 1957): MYANMAR, lower Burma, Prome hills, s.d., N. Wallich Wall. Asclep. n. 3 (K000857820 image!; isolectotype E00179560 image!).

Perennial twining herbs. Rootstock a globose tuber. Stem 50–70 cm high, slender, glabrous. Lamina 4.5–10.5 × 0.5–2.6 cm, narrowly lanceolateelliptic, base narrowed, apex acute-mucronulate, sparsely hairy above and ciliate along margins, glabrous beneath; petioles 0.3–1.2 cm long, slender, glabrous. Cymes 4–6-flowered, extra-axillary; peduncles 1.5–2.3 cm long, glabroussparsely hairy; bracts c. 4 mm long, linear, glabrous; pedicels 3–5 mm long, terete, glabrous. Sepals 4–7 mm long, subulate, glabrous. Corolla 2.7–5.4 cm long; tube 1.2–2.2 cm long, inflated in lower 1/3– 1/4 part, narrow at middle, funnel-shaped at apex, glabrous within; lobes 1.5–3.2 cm long, linear, connate at tip, hairy along margins. Corona bi-seriate; outer of 5-bifid, sparsely-ciliate lobes; inner of 5 erect linear lobes. Follicles c. 3.5 cm long.

Flowering: September.

Distribution: Northeast India, Burma and Thailand.

Conservation status: Nayar and Sastry (1987) assessed it as Endangered or possibly extinct. In present study, authors could not collect this plant and no specimen was found in any of the Indian herbaria . This species is treated here based on Huber (1957)

and Ansari (1984).

Notes: It is similar to C. ensifolia Bedd. but differs by its short peduncles, hairy corolla lobes, sparsely ciliate outer corona and linear inner corona.

Ceropegia attenuata Hook., Icon. Pl. View in CoL 9: t. 867. 1852; Dalzell & A. Gibson, Bombay Fl. 154. 1861; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 4: 67. 1883; T. Cooke, Fl. Bombay 2: 238. 1905; Blatter & McCann, J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 36: 534. 1933; H. Huber, Mem. Soc. Brot. 12: 128. 1957; A.R. Kulk. & Thite, J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 74: 600. 1979; Ansari, Fasc. Fl. India 16: 9. 1984; R.S. Rao, Fl. Goa, Diu, Daman, Dadra & Nagarhaveli 2: 262. 1986; M.P. Nayar & Sastry, Red Data Book Indian Pl. 1: 49. 1987; S.M. Almeida, Fl. Savantwadi 1: 257. 1989; A.P. Jagtap & N.P. Singh, Fasc. Fl. India 24: 215. 1999; D.K. Mishra & N.P. Singh, Endem. Threat. Pl. Maharashtra 130. 2001; A.P. Jagtap & Das Das, N.P. Singh et al., Fl. Maharashtra, Dicot. 2: 347. 2001; F. Albers & Meve, Ill. Handb. Succ. Pl. Asclepiadaceae 69. 2002; K.G. Bhat, Fl. Udupi 371. 2003; Karthik. et al., Fl. Pl. India 1: 160. 2009; Kambale & S.R. Yadav, Asklepios 115: 29. 2013. Type: INDIA, Maharashtra, Bombay, Ghats near Vigorna, s.d., N.A. Dalzell s.n. (K000357705 image!)

C. angustifolia Dalzell View in CoL , Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 2: 259. 1850, non Wight, 1834; Dalzell & A. Gibson, Bombay Fl. 154. 1861. nom. illeg. C. attenuata Hook. var. mookambikae Diwakar & R. K. Singh View in CoL , Indian J. Forest. 34(2): 209. 2011. Type: INDIA, Karnataka, Udupi district, Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary, Manmanhara plateau, 26.08.2007, P.G. Diwakar & R. K. Singh 191852A (holo CAL!). Fig. 50 View Fig

Vernacular names: Tilori, Tilor, Kaper halda (Marathi).

Perennial erect herbs. Rootstock tuberous; tubers 2–4 cm diam., globose, depressed; roots fibrous. Stem terete, usually single from each tuber, unbranched, rarely branched, pubescent, purple below, green above, c. 30 cm tall, 0.3 cm diam. Leaves sub-sessile; lamina 3.2–9.0 × 0.2–1.2 cm, linear-lanceolate, falcate, acute at apex, narrowed at base, ciliolate along margins and nerve beneath, glabrous otherwise. Flowers solitary, extra-axillary or axillary; peduncles 0.4–0.45 cm long, terete, pubescent; bracts c. 2.5 × 0.15 mm, terete; pedicels 0.7–0.9 cm long, terete, pubescent. Sepals 0.4–0.5 cm long, hairy along mid nerve. Corolla 5–7.2 cm long; tube 1.8–3.5 cm long, slightly curved, glaucous, gradually dilated at base, narrow at middle, funnel-shaped above, glabrous, (with 5 angular projections or distinct lines, sometime), parrot green to deep purple, deep purple within at dilated part with dark purple striations up to mouth of corolla tube; lobes c. 3.7 cm long linear attenuate, triangular at base, connate at tip forming conical-ovate cage, twisted in bud and at maturity lobes tend to coil, reflexed, pubescent throughout within and along margins, throughout greenpurple (variable in colour). Corona bi-seriate, stipitate; outer of 5-bifid lobes, cupular, c. 2.5 × 3.5 mm, ciliate along margins and within; inner erect, divergent at maturity, spathulate, 2.5 mm long, alternate with outer corona, yellow. Pollinarium c. 0.4 × 0.6 mm. Follicles 6–8.8 cm long, glabrous, tapering towards apex, usually unequal. Seeds c. 3.7 × 2.2 mm, brown, ovoid-oblong, marginate, comose; coma 1–1.5 cm long, silky white.

Flowering & fruiting: July–October.

Chromosome number: 2 n = 22 ( Raghavan & Ansari, 1975).

Habitat: Grows in rock crevices and soil pockets on plateaus of Western Ghats. Its typical associates include Flemingia nilgheriensis (Baker) T. Cooke , Glyphochloa forficulata (C.E.C. Fisch.) Clayton , Wrightia tinctoria R.Br. , etc.

Distribution: Endemic to Peninsular India. Reported from Arunachal Pradesh by Giri et al. (2008) but without any herbarium data. Since, C. attenuata is restricted to low elevation lateritic plateaus in Konkan, authors assume that whatever Giri (l.c.) observed might be C. poluniniana Bruyns from Nepal. Similarly its report from Rajasthan by Shetty (1991) is also a misidentification of C. bulbosa .

Specimens examined: INDIA, Goa, Loliem Plateau, 20.08.2012, S. S . Kambale SSK 13; Verna village plateau, 19.08.1963, K. C . Kanodia 89351 ( BSI!); Ibid. , 24.07.2014, S. S . Kambale SSK 246 ( SUK!) . Karnataka, way Honnawar to Karwar, 07.04.2012, S. S . Kambale 3; Karwar, 21.08.2014, S. S . Kambale SSK 280; Ibid., 10.09.1987, W. A . Talbot s.n. ( BSI!); way Karwar to Honnawar, 20.08.2012, S. S . Kambale SSK 12 ( SUK!); Udupi district , Bhatkal, 19.09.2014, S. S . Kambale SSK 320 ( SUK!); Durga Parameshwari Temple , 19.08.2012, S. S . Kambale SSK 11; Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary, Mammanhara Plateau, 19.07.2009, P. G . Diwakar & R. K . Singh 185109 ( BSI!); Uttara Kannada district , Castle rock, 25.10.1902, G. A . Gammie 15617. Maharashtra, Concan, s.d., Stocks & Law s.n. ( CAL!); Nasik district, Near Kasara, 23.09.1968, Karl Vore 115319 ( BSI!); Pune district , Khandala , 03.07.1961, M. Y . Ansari 32781 ( BSI!); Raipur district , Bhatgaon, 09.09.2013, S. S . Kambale SSK 86; Jaitapur, 29.07.2014, A. V . Mohite & S. S . Kambale SSK 253; Ibid., 10.08.2014, A. R . Gholave & S. R . Yadav SSK 263; Ibid., 09.10.2014, S. S . Kambale & S. R . Yadav SSK 289; Sanjay Gandhi National Park , Borivali, Mumbai, 17.07.2014, S. S . Kambale SSK 243; 02.09.2014, S. S . Kambale SSK 300 ( SUK!); Ratnagiri district , Bhate, 22.09.1990, S. R . Yadav 5915; Ratnagiri, 05.09.1999, V. T . Patil & R. S . Gaikwad 199; Ibid., 02.07.2003, M. Y . Kamble 2123; Ibid., 05.09.1999, N. R . Patil 406; 16.07.2011, S. S . Kambale SUK 2562 View Materials ; Dapoli, 09.09.2013, S. S . Kambale SSK 87 ( SUK!) Ibid. , Pangari, 09.09.2013, S. S . Kambale SSK 85; Ibid., 16.07.2011, S. S . Kambale SUK 2577 View Materials ; Pawas, 01.08.2011, S. S . Kambale & S. R . Yadav SUK 2563 View Materials ; Chiplun, Pochri, 19.08.2011, S. S . Kambale SUK 2594 View Materials ; Mumbai, Borivali, Canary Caves, 15.09.2011, S. S . Kambale SUK 2599 View Materials ; 04.08.2013, S. S . Kambale SSK 60; Ibid., 07.09.2013, S. S . Kambale SSK 82; Guhagar, 09.09.2013, S. S . Kambale SSK 84 ( SUK!); Thane district, Mumbra hill top, Thana range, 09.09.1968, Karl Vore 116484 ( BSI!) .

Conservation status: Nayar and Sastry (1987) assessed it as Rare while Mishra and Singh (2001) as Vulnerable.Plants of the species are locally abundant in its area of occurrence. However, modification of habitats for mango cultivation, construction of resorts and consumption of Ceropegia tubers by local inhabitants are the major threats. In the present study it is assessed as Vulnerable [ VN: B2 b (iii, iv, v), c (i, iii, v)].

Notes: Allied to C. spiralis Wight but differs from it in having linear corolla lobes, gradually dilated corolla tube and in habitat preferences (low elevation lateritic plateaus). This taxon is also close to C. fimbriifera but the latter can be distinguished by its shorter (than tube) and fimbriate corolla lobes. This species is exceptionally variable in the length of the flower, shape and colour of corolla lobe cage.