Ceropegia andamanica Sreek., Veenak. & Prashanth, Blumea

Ceropegia andamanica Sreek., Veenak. & Prashanth, Blumea View in CoL 43(1): 215. 1998; Karthik. et al., Fl. Pl. India 1: 160. 2009. Type: INDIA, Andaman Islands , South Andaman, Mt. Harriet National Park, 14.12.1995, Sreekumar & Veenakumari 15493 (holo CAL!; iso PBL, L). Fig. 38 View Fig

Perennial twining herbs with watery latex. Rootstock with fleshy roots. Lamina 5–15 × 1–5 cm, lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, chartaceous, rounded or shallowly cordate at base, acute-acuminate at apex, glaucous beneath, glabrous, deep-green above; petioles 0.5–2 cm long, slender. Cymes 3–8-flowered, extra-axillary. Flowers purplish-mottled; peduncles 1–2.5 cm long, glabrous; bracts 3–4 mm long, subulate, glabrous; pedicels 0.5–2 cm long, terete, glabrous. Sepals 0.5–1 cm long, subulate, glabrous. Corolla 5–12 cm long; tube 1.5–2 cm long, dilated at base, sub-cylindrical, funnel-shaped at throat; lobes 3–7 cm long, connate at tip, twisted, whip like, hairy, purplish. Corona bi-seriate; outer of 5 ovate-retuse bifid lobes, c. 3 × 2 mm, ciliate along margins and within; inner of 5 erect club shaped lobes, 1.8–2 × c. 1 mm, glabrous. Fruits and seeds not seen.

Flowering: November–December. Habitat: Occurs along road sides at forest edges and rocky loam in primary evergreen forests. It grows in association with Mallotus resinosus (Blanco) Merr. and Phaulopsis imbricata Sweet.

Distribution: Endemic to Andaman Islands, India.

Specimens examined: INDIA, Andaman Islands, Near Herbertabad , 29.11.1975, N. G . Nair 3169 ( PBL!); South Andaman, Mount Harriet , 07.12.1989, S. P. K . Mathew 20416 ( PBL!); Ibid., 11.12.1997, N . Balachandran 0804 ( FRLH!) .

Conservation status: Ceropegia andamanica is restricted to the type locality. After type collection it has been collected only once by Mr. N. Balachandran from the same locality. Area of occupancy is less than 50 sq. km. Therefore, it is assessed here as Critically Endangered [ CR: B2 a, b (iii, v)] .

Notes: Ceropegia andamanica is similar to C. metziana Miq. but differs by its glabrous leaves and peduncles, longer corolla (c. 12 cm long), club shaped inner corona and absence of ring of hairs at the throat of dilated portion of corolla tube.

Ceropegia decaisneana Wight, Ic. Pl. Ind. Or. View in CoL 4: t. 1259. 1848; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 4: 73. 1883; Trimen, Handb. Ceylon Pl. 3:166. 1895; Gamble, Fl. Madras 4: 859. 1921; H. Huber, Mem. Soc. Brot. 12: 62. 1957; B.D. Sharma et al., Fl. Karnataka, Analysis 166. 1984; Ansari, Fasc. Fl. India. 16: 13. 1984; S.R. Sriniv. in Henry et al., Fl. Tamil Nadu Ind., Ser I, Analysis 2: 83. 1987; M.P. Nayar & Sastry, Red Data Book Indian Pl. 2: 41. 1988; Bruyns, Rheedea 7(2): 109. 1997; A.P. Jagtap & N.P. Singh, Fasc. Fl. India 24: 220. 1999; F. Albers & Meve, Ill. Handb. Succ. Pl. Asclepiadaceae 74. 2002; T.S. Nayar et al., Fl. Pl. Kerala 85. 2006; Karthik. et al., Fl. Pl. India 1: 161. 2009; Kambale & S.R. Yadav, Asklepios 115: 31. 2013. Lectotype (Step I designated by Huber, 1957; Step II designated by Kambale & Yadav, 2015): INDIA, Tamil Nadu, Sisparah ghats (Nilgiris), s.d., R. Wight s.n. (BM001051239 image!).

C. brevicollis Hook.f., Fl. Brit. View in CoL India 4: 74. 1883; Gamble, Fl. Madras 2: 604. 1957; B. D. Sharma et al., Fl. Karnataka, Analysis 165. 1984. C. decaisneana var. brevicollis (Hook.f.) H. Huber, Mem. Soc. Broter. View in CoL 12: 62. 1957. Lectotype (designated by Kambale & Yadav, 2015): INDIA, Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram district , Annamalay hills, s.d., s.coll. s.n. ( K000857806 image!). Fig. 39 View Fig

Perennial twining herbs. Rootstock with fascicledfleshy roots. Stem 3–4.5 m long, branched, quite woody at base, soft upwards, 3 mm in diam., glabrous. Lamina 4.6–20.5 × 1.7–6.0 cm, ovate-lanceolate to elliptic-oblong, acuminate at apex, rounded at base, pubescent above, along margins and beneath, deep green above, pale below; petioles 1.2–4.5 cm long, channeled above, sparsely pilose. Cymes umbellate, 4–8-flowered, extra-axillary; peduncles usually longer than pedicels, 2.4–10.5 cm long, terete, both hairy, hairy in one row; pedicels 1–7 cm long, glabroushairy. Corolla 4.5–7.5 cm long, outside minutely hairy in buds; tube 3.3–4.3 cm long, dilated at base, cylindrical at middle, funnel-shaped at throat, c. 2 cm across at throat, glabrous except for ring of hairs at the throat of dilated part, greenish-yellow, blotched with purple at middle and throat outside, deep purple within, greyish-white vertical light windows present at dilated part within; lobes 2–4 cm long, deltoid in lower half, spathulate above, completely reflexed along margins. Corona bi-seriate; outer of 5-bifid lobes, hairy along margins and within; inner erect, connivent, linear-spathulate, glabrous. Follicles c. 23 cm long, blunt at tips.

Flowering & fruiting: September–January.

Habitat: Grows along edges of evergreen forests.

Distribution: South India (Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu) and Sri Lanka.

Specimens examined: INDIA, Kerala, Kollam district, Pandimotta , 11.01.1994, E. S . Santhosh 19180 ( TBGT!); Palakkad district, Silent Valley National Park , s.d., N. C . Nair 64328 ( MH); Sispara Ghat , 1921, J. S . Gamble s.n. ( MH!); Thiruvananthapuram district, Othaikkal , 07.11.1904, C. A . Barber 6194; Ponmudi, Mr. Valentine’ s estate, 02.12.1905, C. A . Barber 7336( MH!) . Tamil Nadu, Kariabolamallai , 1925, C. E. C . Fischer 3654 ( CAL!) .

Conservation status: It is assessed as Data Deficient (DD).

Notes: Ceropegia decaisneana is close to C. metziana in having longer corolla lobes but, can be distinguished by its bifid outer corona.

Ceropegia elegans Wall., Bot. Mag. View in CoL 57: t. 3015. 1830; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 4: 68. 1883; Gamble, Fl. Madras 4: 857. 1921; K.M. Matthew, Fl. Tamil Nadu Carnatic 2: 936. 1983; B.D. Sharma et al., Fl. Karnataka, Analysis 166. 1984; Ansari, Fasc. Fl. India 16: 14. 1984; S.R. Sriniv. in Henry et al., Fl. Tamil Nadu Ind. Ser I, Analysis 2: 83. 1987; A.P. Jagtap & N.P. Singh, Fasc. Fl. India 24: 220. 1999; K.M. Matthew, Fl. Palni Hills, S. India 2: 802. 1999; T.S. Nayar et al., Fl. Pl. Kerala 85. 2006; Karthik. et al., Fl. Pl. India 1: 161. 2009; Kambale & S.R. Yadav, Asklepios 115: 31. 2013. Ceropegia elegans var. elegans View in CoL auct. H. Huber, Mem. Soc. Brot. 12: 63. 1957; Bruyns in Rheedea 7(2): 111. 1997, non Wallich, 1830. Lectotype (designated by Ansari, 1984): Bot. Mag. t. 3015. 1830.

C. walkerae Wight, Icon. Pl. Ind. Orient. View in CoL 4: 15. t. 1266. 1850. C. elegans var. walkerae (Wight) Trimen, Handb. Fl. View in CoL Ceylon 3: 165.1895. Lectotype (designated by Singh, 2015): Wight, Icon. Pl. Ind. Orient. t. 1266. 1848.

C. similis N.E. Br., Gard. Chron. View in CoL 40: 383. 1906. Type: not located or apparently none preserved.

C. ledgeri N.E. Br., Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew View in CoL 3: 121. 1913. Type: not located or apparently none preserved.

C. sphenanantha Wight & Arn. View in CoL in Wight, Contr. Bot. India 31. 1834; Decne. in DC., Prodr. 8: 643. 1844. Lectotype (designated by Singh, 2015): INDIA, Tamil Nadu, Neelgherry (Nilgiri), s.d., N. Wallich Asclep. no. 6 ( E00179556 image!).

C. mysorensis Wight, Icon. Pl. Ind. Orient. t. 846. 1843–1845. Lectotype (designated by Singh, 2015): INDIA, Karnataka, Mysore , 12.1834, R. Wight 2203 ( K000894256 image!; isolectotype E00179762

image!, K000894255 image!, NY00318546 image!).

Fig. 40 View Fig

Perennial extensive twining herbs. Rootstock fibrous-fascicled. Stem reaches a considerable height, profusely branched, glabrous. Lamina 5.3–7.4 × 4–6 cm, ovate-oblong, acute-acuminate at apex, rounded-sub-cordate at base with few glands, glabrous with hairy along margins and on prominent nerves beneath, dark green above, pale below; petioles 2.2–3.5 cm long, channeled above, puberulous. Cymes sub-umbellate, 2–5-flowered, extra-axillary or lateral; peduncles 1–2.4 cm, terete, dotted, glabrous; bracts 4–4.5 mm long, linear (subulate), dotted, glabrous; pedicels 1.3–1.5 cm long, slender, dotted, glabrous. Sepals 5, 5–6 mm long, acute-lanceolate, tinged with purple along mid nerve. Corolla c. 4 cm long; tube c. 3.2 cm long, abruptly dilated at base, cylindrical at middle, funnel-shaped at throat, glabrous, ring of downwardly pointed hairs at the throat of dilated part, blotched with reddish-brown spots at the throat outside, greyish-green otherwise, deep purple within, yellow light windows at dilated part; lobes 1–1.2 cm long, connate at tip forming sub-globose cage, hairy along margins and throat within, trichomes 6–8 mm long, ovate-oblong, completely reflexed on their back, colour variable, green to white with variously blotched with purple spots. Corona bi-seriate; outer of 5 deeply bifid or 10 equal lobes, c. 3 × 3 mm across, equal to the inner corona, ciliate within in two rows, yellow-cream coloured, upper and basal part blotched with purple; inner 3 mm long, erect, linear, upper and basal part purple, connivent at apex. Pollinarium erect; pollinia yellow-red with pellucid margins, attached to brown-red corpusculum by short caudicle. Follicles 15–20 cm long, glabrous. Seeds comose, 7–10 mm, brownish, marginate; coma silky white.

Flowering & fruiting: Throughout the year.

Chromosome number: 2 n = 22 ( Gosavi et al., 2012); 2 n = 66 ( Navaneetham & Sampathkumar, 1984).

Habitat: Grows along roadsides in wet evergreen forests.

Distribution: South India and Sri Lanka.

Specimens examined: INDIA, Karnataka, Mysore, Dimba, Male Mahadeshwara hills, 22.07.1978, T. M . Ramakrishna TMR 1211 ( MH!) . Kerala,

Idukki district, Panthanthode, 11.10.1979, s.d., s.coll. s.n. ( KFRI!), Kannur district, Chandanathode , 13.07.1978, V. S . Ramachandran 57596 ( MH!); Palakkad district, Arurampara slopes, 06.12.1980, N. C . 69151 ( MH!); Wayanad district , s.loc., 1921, J. S . Gamble s.n. ( MH32741 !). Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore district, Anaimalai hills, 25.04.1963, C. P . Sreemadavan CP 571 ( MH); Kovai Kutralam , 11.1884, J. S . Gamble s.n. ( BSI); Ibid., 08.03.2010, S. S . Kambale , A. R . Kulavmode & R. V . Gurav SUK 2549 View Materials ( SUK!); Madurai district , Karanthamalai, 15.02.1958, K . Subramanyam 5322; Kotagiri, Shola near Kodanad view point, 06.05.1971, E . Vajravelu 38286; Kothagiri, Aravenu , 21.11.2012, S. S . Kambale & S. R . Yadav SSK 27 ( SUK!); Marappalam, Burliar , 04.12.1971, N. C . Rathakrishnan 39148; above Pykara falls , 12.09.1930, V . Narayanswami 4293 ( SUK); Nilgiri district , s.loc., 09.1885, J. S . Gamble 16933; Bikkalli , 5. 1889, J. S Gamble 20710 ( BSI!); Tirunelveli district; Courtallum, Palaruvi , 19.03.1958, K . Subramanyam 5586 ( MH!); Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, way to Vistarmottai peak, 12.09.2014, S. S . Kambale SSK 306 ( SUK!); Kannikatty Reserve Forest , 18.09.1988, R . Gopalan 88669; Naterikal , 10.03.1963, J . Joseph 15892 ( MH!) .

Conservation status: Plants of this species are locally abundant. Due to inadequate data it is evaluated as Data Deficient (DD).

Notes: Ceropegia elegans was discovered by Venerable Archdeacon Hawtayne, in Nilgiri ranges, who sent it to East India Company’ s Botanic Garden, Kolkata in 1824. Later, Nathaniel Wallich took the living plants to Kew and the plant flowered there was illustrated by Hooker in Curtis’ s Botanical Magazine (Hooker, 1830). However, he ascribed the name to Wallich by citing ‘Wall. MSS’ after the diagnosis, who actually provided the original name and a description.

It is a highly variable species showing considerable variations in its leaf shape, colouration, shape of corolla and distribution of trichomes on the lobes. The colour of the corolla lobes and tube may vary from white, yellow, green to red and blotched with brown spots ( Fig. 41 View Fig ).This taxon closely resembles C. gardneri Thwaites , C. decaisneana Wight, C. thwaitesii Hook. and C. maculata Bedd. in having ring of hairs at the throat of corolla tube. However, it differs from these species in having equal outer and inner corona lobes and corolla.