Fimbristylis jaleeliana, a new species of Cyperaceae from Kerala, India Author Narayanan, Matalayi Kokaramath Ratheesh 0000-0002-5668-6377 Department of Botany, Payyanur College, Edat P. O., Kannur, 670 327, Kerala, India. & drratheeshpoduval 73 @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 5668 - 6377 drratheeshpoduval73@gmail.com Author Sunil, Chandrasseril Narayanan 0000-0003-3124-617X DST-FIST Research Department of Botany, S. N. M. College, Maliankara, Ernakulam, 683 516, Kerala, India. & drcnsunilsnmc @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0003 - 3124 - 617 X drcnsunilsnmc@gmail.com Author Thankappan, Shaju 0000-0002-4526-2042 Jawaharlal Nehru, Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Palode, Karimankode P. O., Thiruvananthapuram, 695 562, Kerala, India. & shaju 04 @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 4526 - 2042 shaju04@gmail.com Author Sanilkumar, Malayil Gopalan 0000-0002-3943-4266 DST-FIST Research Department of Botany, S. N. M. College, Maliankara, Ernakulam, 683 516, Kerala, India. & sanilmgs @ yahoo. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 3943 - 4266 sanilmgs@yahoo.com Author Rijuraj, Manoharakumar Prasannakumari 0000-0001-5047-6937 Jawaharlal Nehru, Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Palode, Karimankode P. O., Thiruvananthapuram, 695 562, Kerala, India. & rijurajmp @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0001 - 5047 - 6937 rijurajmp@gmail.com Author Simi, Mattappilly Sugathan 0000-0003-0271-6611 DST-FIST Research Department of Botany, S. N. M. College, Maliankara, Ernakulam, 683 516, Kerala, India. & ms. simi 0 @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0003 - 0271 - 6611 ms.simi0@gmail.com text Phytotaxa 2023 2023-11-23 626 3 208 212 https://phytotaxa.mapress.com/pt/article/download/phytotaxa.626.3.7/51312 journal article 10.11646/phytotaxa.626.3.7 1179-3163 10200196 Fimbristylis jaleeliana Sunil, Ratheesh & Shaju sp. nov . ( Fig. 1 ). Diagnosis:— This species is superficially similar to F. dichotoma (L.) Vahl, by the presence of ligulate leaves, two stigmas and biconvex trabeculate nut but differs from it in having horizontally creeping rhizome with solitary culms (vs. short non-creeping rhizome with tufted culms), narrow leaves (vs. broad leaves), simple to compound inflorescence with 1–10 spikelets (vs. simple to decompound with 2 to many spikelets), small and setaceous involucral bracts (vs. long and leafy), long spikelets (vs. short spikelets), non winged rachilla (vs. prominently winged rachilla), long glumes (vs. short glumes), three stamens with long anthers (vs. one or two stamens with short anthers), long stigmatic lobes which is longer than style (vs. short stigmatic lobes which is shorter than style) and long brown to black coloured nuts (vs. short cream- coloured nuts). FIGURE 1. Fimbristylis jaleeliana . A. Habit; B. Base of plant showing rhizome; C. Rhizome with culm base; D. Inflorescence; E. A portion of rhizome showing scales; F. C.S of culm; G. Leaf lamina, sheath and culm; H. A portion of leaf sheath and lamina showing ligule; I. Centre of corymb showing single spikelet and involucral bract; J. Single spikelet; K. Rachilla; L. Glume abaxial view; M. Glume side view; N. Mature spikelet with stamens; O. Stamens; P. Pistil; Q. Nut. FIGURE 2. Fimbristylis dichotoma . A. Habit; B. Base of plant; C. A portion of leaf sheath and blade showing ligule; D. Inflorescence; E. A portion of inflorescence showing spikelets; F. Rachilla; G. Glume side view; H. Achene with style; I. Pistil; J. Nut. Type:— India , Kerala , Kannur district, Chooral , Payyanur , ( 12°12'27.35"N Lat & 75°16'3.29"E Long.), elevation 60 MSL, 23 August 2017 , M.K. Ratheesh Narayanan & C. N. Sunil 4841 ( Holotype : MH ! ; Isotype CALI !, SNMH !) . Erect perennial rhizomatous herb; rhizome horizontal, creeping, up to 7 cm long, 1.5– 4 mm across, light brown to dark brown, covered with brown scales. Culms 25–90 cm tall, 1–2.5 mm across, terete, ribbed, glabrous. Leaves 6–35 cm long, 0.7–2 mm wide, linear, semi-terete, sometimes canaliculate, acute at apex, pubescent more towards on lower half; ligule a row of hairs; sheaths 2–6 cm long, cylindrical with rounded back, densely pilose. Corymbs usually simple rarely compound, bearing 2–10 spikelets, lax, sometimes culm bearing single spikelet; rays 1–3 or absent; bract 1–3, the longest up to 12 mm long and 1 mm wide, setaceous, acute at apex, hirsute. Spikelets solitary, 6–20 mm long and 1–2 mm wide, ovate-lanceolate, linear- lanceolate or linear, acute at apex, terete, pale brown, densely many flowered; rachilla not winged. Glumes 3–4 x 1.7–2 mm , ovate-oblong, obtuse or rounded and mucronate at apex, pale brown, chartaceous, glabrous, 3-nerved. Stamens 3; filaments 2.5–4 mm long; anthers 1.8–2.2 mm long, oblong, apiculate, yellow. Ovary ca. 0.5 mm long, subglobose; style 2–3 mm long, flattened, fimbriate; stigmas 2, 2.5–3.5 mm long, pubescent. Nuts 1.2–1.5 x 0.8–1 mm , obovate, biconvex, cuneate at base, rounded-truncate at apex, brown to black coloured, trabeculate, each side cancellated with 7–10 rows of transversely oblong cells, vertically 5–8 ridged; gynophores 0.1–0.2 mm long. TABLE 1. Distinguishing characters of Fimbristylis jaleeliana with F. dichotoma .
Characters Fimbristylis jaleeliana Fimbristylis dichotoma
Rhizome Horizontally creeping, up to 7 cm long None or short (condensed)
Culms Solitary on creeping rhizome Tufted
Leaves 0.7–2 mm wide 2–5 mm wide
Inflorescence Simple to compound bearing 1–10 spikelets Simple to decompound bearing 2 to many spikelets
Involucral bracts 1–3, setaceous, up to 1.2 cm long and 1 mm wide Leaf like, 1–15 cm long 1.2–3 mm wide
Spikelets 6–20 x 1–2 mm 3–10 x 2.5–3.5 mm
Rachilla Not winged Prominently winged
Glumes 3–4 mm long 1.5–3 mm long
Stamens 3; anthers 1.8–2.2 mm long 2; anthers 0.5–1.2 mm long
Stigmas 2.5–3.5 mm long, longer than style 0.5–1.5 mm long, shorter than style
Nuts 1.2–1.5 mm long, brown to black coloured 0.7–1.2 mm long, cream-coloured
Additional specimen examined ( Paratype ) :— INDIA , Kerala , Kannur district , Thaliparamba , Nadukani , October 2021 , C. N. Sunil & M.K. Ratheesh Narayanan 4580 ( SNMH !) . Phenology: —Flowering and fruiting from July through October. Etymology :⸺The species epithet is named after renowned plant taxonomist from India , Late Dr. Abdul Jaleel, former Professor and Research Guide of Botany, at Sir Syed College, Thaliparamba, Kerala . Conservation status :⸺This plant has been provisionally assessed here as Data Deficient (DD) according to IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (IUCN, 2017). The available information is inadequate to assess the risk factor, though the plant was found in two localities in Kannur district. It is currently known only from the type localities. Investigations are needed in adjacent similar habitats to evaluate its overall distribution, number of populations and subpopulations and mature individuals. Habitat , distribution and biotic association:̅ The new species grows in the lateritic grasslands at an elevation of 60 MSL in association with Utricularia reticulata Smith (1805: 119) , Eriocaulon madayiparense Swapna et al. , (2012: 19) , Chrysopogon narayanii Sunil et al. , (2017: 307) Fimbristylis pokudaniana Sunil et al ., (2016: 164) , etc. It is possibly surviving in very fragmented populations of a narrow range of distribution on the lateritic plateau. The species is being subjected to the pressure of habitat destructions due to mining activities.