Ophiorrhiza barnesii C.E.C.Fisch., Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1939: 248

Ophiorrhiza barnesii C.E.C.Fisch., Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1939: 248 View in CoL . 1939; Deb & Mondal, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 39: 28. 1997. Type: INDIA, Kerala, Travancore High Range, Kalaar valley [‘Kallar Valley’], September 1937, Barnes 1754 (holo K [ K000031231 digital image!]). Fig. 1 View Fig

Herbs, 20–50 cm tall. Stem erect, somewhat woody at base, terete, glabrous below, slightly puberulous above. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, 8.5–14.6 × 2.8– 3.9 cm, acuminate at apex, acute at base, entire at margins, glabrous; lateral nerves 8–12 pairs with eucamptodromous venation; petioles 0.7–2.5 cm long, glabrous; stipules 1–1.5 × c. 0.2 mm, triangular with pointed tip, entire, glabrous. Cymes terminal or axillary, corymbose, 1–2 cm across; branches short, glabrous; peduncles 2.4–2.8 cm long, slender, glabrous. Flowers heterostylous, 8–9 mm long; bracts linear, without a distinct midrib, 4.1–4.2 × 0.6–0.8 mm, glabrous, persistent; bracteoles linear, without a distinct midrib, 2.9–3.2 × 0.4–0.43 mm, glabrous, persistent; pedicels 1.6–1.7 mm long, glabrous. Hypanthium obovoid, 1.1–1.3 × 0.9–1 mm, glabrous. Calyx lobes ovate-lanceolate, 0.5–0.7 × 0.5–0.6 mm, acute, glabrous. Corolla infundibuliform; tube 3.8–4.2 mm long, glabrous outside with a villous ring of hairs at the middle of corolla tube within; lobes ovate, 1.6–2.3 × 1.1–1.4 mm, acute, glabrous. Stamens attached slightly below the middle of corolla tube in long-styled flower and to base of corolla tube and exerted in short-styled flower; filaments 0.1–0.2 mm long in long-styled flower and 3.6–4 mm long in short-styled flower, glabrous; anthers 0.9–1.3 × 0.1–0.4 mm, oblong or narrowly oblong in long-styled flower and 1.2–1.35 × 0.15–0.2 mm and narrowly oblong in short-styled flower. Pollen grains oblate spheroidal, small, isopolar, monad, angular in polar outline, polar axis (P) × equatorial axis (E) = c. 22.25 × 22.87 µm, tricolporate; colpi c. 17.66 × 2.60 µm, elongated colpi with acute end; ora circular, c. 2.59 µm in diam.; microreticulate; surface lumen c. 0.29 µm diam. Ovary obovoid, 0.7–0.75 × 0.55–0.6 mm; styles 3.9–4.1 mm long in long-styled flower and 1.7–1.8 mm long in short-styled flower, glabrous; stigma bilobed, 0.65–0.75 × 0.45–0.5 mm and ovate in long-styled flower, 0.4–0.5 × 0.15–0.25 mm and lanceolate in short-styled flower, glabrous. Capsules obcordate, 2.6–3 × 5.10–5.15 mm, glabrous, bilocular. Seeds 0.40–0.55 × 0.40–0.50 mm, irregularly angled, glabrous, brown.

Flowering & fruiting: Flowering from August to October and fruiting from September to December.

Specimen examined: INDIA, Kerala, Idukki district, Kallar Valley , 700–800 m, N 10°03’39.5”, E 76°57’27.3”, 12.01.2021, Akhilesh S GoogleMaps . V GoogleMaps . Nair 10234 ( KUBH) .

Distribution: Endemic to Western Ghats of Kerala.

Habitat: Grows in moist, shady places of evergreen forests and also along the banks of streams or rivulets, at an altitude of 700– 800 m. The associated species are Ophiorrhiza barberi Gamble , O. caudata , Argostemma courtallense Arn. (all Rubiaceae ) and Sonerila wallichii Benn. ( Melastomataceae ).

Conservation status: Ophiorrhiza barnesii is only reported from Kallar Valley in Idukki district of Kerala. During our field trip in 2021, we could observe only a single population of O. barnesii with less than 20 mature individuals along the roadsides rock cuttings. The species grows in moist and cool shady environment along the rock cuttings near streams. Since the locality is outside a protected area, it is facing serious threat due to anthropogenic activities and roadside cleaning acitivities, etc. With a view to the location and small size of the population, a further decline is likely. According to the IUCN Red List Criteria ( IUCN, 2012, 2022), it is assessed here as Critically Endangered (CR), B2a,b(iii,v), D.