Hedyotis recurvata Jiji, Jeomol, Manudev & Sunojk. A. A 2023, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Sunojkumar, P.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Gentianales
Rubiaceae
Hedyotis
Hedyotis recurvata

description: Hedyotis recurvata Jiji, Jeomol, Manudev & Sunojk. sp. nov. (Figs. 1 & 2)
Hedyotis recurvata is similar to H. beddomei but can be distinguished by its stem trichotomously branched (vs. dichotomously branched), hairy to glabrescent (vs. glabrous); stipules recurved (vs. adpressed), pectinate with 2–4 distant subulate segments (vs. triangular), fully tomentose (vs. pubescent); petioles pubescent (vs. glabrous); lamina glabrous above and pubescent on nerves below (vs. both sides glabrous), margins ciliate (vs. not ciliate); calyx glabrous with ciliate margins (vs. fully pubescent); corolla glabrous outside (vs. pubescent outside) and capsules glabrous, ellipsoid (vs. hispid, oblanceolate).
Type:— INDIA. Tamil Nadu, Avalanche, on the way to Cauliflower Shola, ± 2197 m, 11°17’31.5”N 76°34’46.3”E, 02 November 2021, P. Jiji, K. K. Jeomol & K. M. Manudev 153887 (holotype CALI!; isotype MH!, DEV!).
Perennial, shrubs, up to 60 cm tall. Stems erect, trichotomously branched, woody at base; internodes 2–4 cm long, 4-angular, winged, hairy to glabrescent, whitish when dry. Stipules recurved, pectinate with 2–4 distant subulate segments, 4–10 × 1.5–3.5 mm, tomentose, yellowish green with segments black at apex. Leaves compactly arranged to the apex, opposite; petioles 1–4 mm long, canaliculate, pubescent, green; lamina elliptic-ovate, 2.5–5.5 × 1–2 cm, base cuneate or round, margins entire, ciliate, apex acuminate, glabrous above, pubescent on nerves below, green with black margins, nerves 3–6 in pairs, prominent below, convergent. Cymes umbellate, terminal and axillary, 5–30- flowered; peduncles 4-angular, 1–3 cm long, pubescent, green; bracts leafy, elliptic-ovate, 5–10 × 3–6 mm, base cuneate, margins entire, apex acuminate, nerves 3–4 in pairs, hairy as lamina, green with margins black; bracteoles ovate to lanceolate, 4–5 × 0.5–1.0 mm, ciliate, green. Flowers compactly arranged, 8–9 mm long; pedicels terete, 1–2 mm, glabrous, pale green. Calyx 4-lobed, infundibular, 3–4 mm, purple with lobes green; lobes triangular, 2–3 mm long, valvate, apex acute, margins ciliate. Corolla 4-lobed, rotate; tubes 6–8 mm long, glabrous outside, woolly inside, denser at the throat; lobes ovate with beaked apex, 2.0–2.5, recurved, margins ciliate, glabrous towards apex, purple. Stamens 4, epipetalous, exserted; filaments terete, 4–5 mm long, glabrous, white to pale blue; anthers ellipsoid, 1.0–1.5 × 0.3–0.5 mm, dorsifixed, dark purple. Ovary 2.0–2.5 × 1.5–2.0 mm, glabrous, pale purple or green; style terete, 4–5 mm long, glabrous; stigma bilobed; lobes 1.5–2.0 mm long, pappillose, pink. Capsules ovoid to ellipsoid, 2.0– 2.5 mm, glabrous. Seeds narrowly winged with a raised hilar ridge 0.5–1.0× 0.4– 0.6 mm, glabrous, black.
Flowering & fruiting:—September to February.
Habitat:—Occurring at an elevations of ± 2197 m above sea level, growing among grasses along the margins of evergreen shola forests.
Distribution:— INDIA, hitherto known only from the type locality, Avalanche in Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu (Fig. 3).
Etymology:—The specific epithet “ recurvata ” refers to its strongly recurved stipules.
Conservation status:— Until now, H. recurvata is known only from the type locality, Avalanche in Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu. The population size at the type locality is very low. However, thorough exploration in adjoining regions of Nilgiris is needed to assess the distribution status of this species in South India. According to IUCN criteria, the species falls under the category Data Deficient (DD) (IUCN SPS, 2022).
description: Published as part of Sunojkumar, P., 2023, Hedyotis recurvata (Rubiaceae): a new species from southern Western Ghats of India, pp. 285-291 in Phytotaxa 583 (3) on pages 287-289, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.583.3.7, http://zenodo.org/record/7621526