RECENT REPORTS ON THE DISTRIBUTION AND MORPHOLOGY OF AN INDIAN ENDEMIC SPECIES, GYMNEMA MOHANRAMII Karthik. & Moorthy (APOCYANACEAE: ASCLEPIADOIDEA) IN SOUTHERN WESTERN GHATS OF KERALA

To study the present distributional status, biotic association and variation on morphology of Gymnema mohanramii in southern Western Ghats of Kerala, several exploration trips were conducted and live plants successfully conserved at the Herb Garden of Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal for further studies and observations during 2006-2012. From the present study 11 new distributional records for Kerala have been reported. During the studies, an unusual red coloured flower variant of Gymnema mohanramii is collected from Wayanadu districts of Kerala. The recent nomenclature changes of G. mohanramii (syn: G. hirsutum) has also been discussed.