Argyreia sharadchandrajii Lawand & Shimpale, Rheedea

30. Argyreia sharadchandrajii Lawand & Shimpale, Rheedea View in CoL 31(1): 19. 2021. Type: INDIA, Maharashtra, Kolhapur District, Alate, Alamprabhu Sacred grove, 788 m, 17.09.2016 P.R.

Lawand 077 (holo CAL!; iso SUK!, BSI!). Fig. 12a–c View Fig

Prostrate shrubs; stems trailing along ground, white to brown hispid, older semi-woody, c. 1 cm in diameter, grooved, herbaceous towards apex, green, terete. Lamina widely ovate to orbicular, 15–24 × 12–25 cm, apex acute, base cordate, lobes rounded, leaf indumentum hirsute on adaxial surface, densely white sericeous on abaxial surface, secondary veins 8–9 pairs, conspicuous on abaxial surface; petiole 1.1–2.5 cm long, terete, densely white hirsute, longer than the peduncle. Inflorescence axillary sub-capitate cyme, 3–12 flowered; peduncle 2–5 cm long, white hirsute, shorter than the petiole. Flowers sub-sessile, bracteate. Bracts 2–3, one large foliaceous, ovate, c. 3 × 1 cm, small bracts lance-ovate, 1–2.5 × 0.3– 0.6 cm, 3 nerved, hirsute on both surfaces, more densely on abaxial surface. Sepals 5, unequal, outer 3 longer, 1.2–1.3 cm long, inner two c. 1 cm long, acute at apex, lance-ovate, hairy outer, glabrous inside, persistent, enlarges in fruiting. Corolla infundibuliform, rose pink coloured, 5–7 cm long, 5–6 cm across, throat c. 1 cm wide, purple, hairy on mid-petaline bands, corolla lobes twisted in bud, lobes shallowly emarginate. Stamens 5, epipetalous, attached at base of corolla tube, included within corolla tube, unequal, 2 long- 2–3 cm long, 3 short, 1.5–2 cm long, anthers pink, 0.3–0.4 cm, sagittate, filaments dilated and glandular hairy at base. Ovary 4-celled, glabrous; style single, 1.5–2 cm long; stigma biglobular, papillate, white. Berries yellow, 2–2.5 mm across, 1–4-seeded, glabrous; seeds trigonal, white, with visible hilum.

Flowering & Fruiting: Flowering from July to early September and Fruiting from September to October.

Habitat: This species grows in open sunlight and trails amidst grassland while rooted among the shrubs.

Distribution: India ( Maharashtra, Kolhapur); Endemic to peninsular India.

Etymology: The species is named after Shri. Sharadchandra Pawar, former Minister of Agriculture, Government of India, New Delhi for his valuable contribution for Indian agriculture.

Specimens examined: INDIA, Maharashtra, Kolhapur District, Hatkanangale, Ramling hills,

13.08.2017, P. R. Lawand 078 ( NCK!); Kolhapur

District, Hatkanangale, Ramling hills, 850 m,

28.09.2018, P. R. Lawand 079 ( NCK!); Kolhapur

District, Hatkanangale, Ramling, 03.10.2019, P. R .

Lawand 089 (NCK!).

Conservation status: Known from a single locality in the subranges of the Western Ghats. At the type locality we could locate c. 100 mature individuals of species occupying an area of 1.25 km 2. In the presence of little data on distribution range an IUCN category Data Deficient can be assigned to a taxon ( IUCN, 2024) .

Notes: Argyreia sharadchandrajii is similar to A. pilosa but can be distinguished by its prostrate habit, widely ovate to orbicular leaves with white sericeous indumentum on lower, sub-capitate inflorescence, lance-ovate bracts, unequal sepals, larger berries ( 20–25 mm across).