Stictocardia sivarajanii, a New Species of Convolvulaceae from Kerala, India

Stictocardia sivarajanii, a new species of Convolvulaceae from Kerala, India, is described and illustrated. A tabular comparison with its related species Stictocardia tiliifolia is given. Stictocardia is comprised of about 12 species, of which some are pantropical and others appear to be native to Africa (Verdcourt, 1963). Perhaps the genus originated in Asia or Africa (Austin, 1980). In India, the genus is represented by two species, Stictocardia tiliifolia (Desrousseaux) Hallier f. and the new species described here. Plant exploration trips conducted in 1983 and 1996 in Rajamala and Kallar on the high ranges of Western Ghats in the Idukki District of Kerala State, India, yielded a taxon quite different from the species of Stictocardia hitherto described (see Table 1). This is presented here as a new species, and is named after the late V. V. Sivarajan in appreciation of his great contribution to Indian taxonomy; S. D. B. and P. M. also gratefully acknowledge his valuable guidance in their research. Stictocardia sivarajanii Biju, Pushpangadan & P. Mathew, sp. nov. TYPE: India. Kerala: Rajamala shola edge, 28 Sep. 1996, Biqu 40182 (holotype, K; isotypes, CALI, MH, TBGT, US). Figure 1. Stictocardia sivarajanii sp. nov. affinis S. tiliifoliae (Desrousseaux) Hallier f. sed capsula depresse globosa laevi, calycis lobis fructiferis capsulam haud involventibus, pedicellis longioribus, foliis subtus purpureo-violaceis facile distinguenda. Perennial; stem woody at base, trailing or twining, terete, herbaceous toward tip, pubescent; latex colorless, gummy. Leaves simple, ovate to ovatedeltoid, 4-20 x 3-17 cm, apically acuminate and shortly mucronulate, basally cordate, sparsely pubescent above, young leaf with dorsal side purplish violet, pubescent or tomentose below, covered with minute black glands; midrib and lateral veins raised beneath, lateral veins 8-13 pairs; petiole up to 10 cm long, pubescent, younger ones tomentose. Flowers axillary, solitary or in 2-3-flowered cymes; peduncle up to 15 cm long, terete to angular, puTable 1. Distinction between Stictocardia tiliifolia and S. sivarajanii. Stictocardia tiliifolia Stictocardia sivarajanii Leaf dorsal side pale green, apically acute to short-acuminate and not mucronulate Peduncle short, up to 7 cm long Sepals suborbicular to orbicular and scarious to shortly ciliate along the margins Capsule globose, 4-lobed, 2.4-3.2 cm long Fruiting sepals engulfing the capsule, 2.5 x 4.2 cm, smooth Seed obscurely angled, obovoid, prominently hairy at hilum, grayish brown Usually found along sea shores Leaf d rsal side purplish violet, apically acuminate and mucronulate Peduncle long, up to 15 cm long Sepals widely ovate to orbicular with nonciliate margins Capsule depressed globose, entire, 1-1.8 cm long Fruiting sepals not engulfing the capsule, 1.3-1.6 x 1.4-2 cm, striate Seed globose, sparsely pubescent at hilum, black Usually found along stream banks in semi-evergreen forest and Ghat roadsides NovoN 9: 147-149. 1999. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.154 on Thu, 08 Dec 2016 05:13:28 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms