A new species of Peucedanum (Apiaceae: Apioideae) from south India Author Prabhukumar, Konickal Mambetta 0000-0003-3341-27175 Centre for Medicinal Plants Research (CMPR), Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal, Malappuram- 676 503, Kerala, India (# Present address: PDSH Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow, PIN 226001, Uttar Pradesh) prabhumkrishna@gmail.com Author Rampradeep, Rajamani Centre for Medicinal Plants Research (CMPR), Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal, Malappuram- 676 503, Kerala, India (# Present address: PDSH Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow, PIN 226001, Uttar Pradesh) & Post Graduate and Research Department of Botany, Govt. Victoria College, University of Calicut, Palakkad, Kerala, PIN 678001, India Author Hareesh, Vadakkoot Sankaran 0000-0001-5474-277X KSCSTE-Malabar Botanical Garden & Institute for Plant Sciences, Kozhikode, Kerala, India, PIN 673 014 hareeshhariz@gmail.com Author Jabeena, Manjakulam Khadhersha 0000-0003-1687-8785 Post Graduate and Research Department of Botany, Govt. Victoria College, University of Calicut, Palakkad, Kerala, PIN 678001, India jabeena1993@gmail.com Author Maya, Chandrasekharan Nair Post Graduate and Research Department of Botany, Govt. Victoria College, University of Calicut, Palakkad, Kerala, PIN 678001, India & Govt. Arts and Science College, University of Calicut, Tholanur, Palakkad, Kerala, India PIN 678722 Author Balachandran, Indira 0000-0002-1799-2603 Centre for Medicinal Plants Research (CMPR), Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal, Malappuram- 676 503, Kerala, India (# Present address: PDSH Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow, PIN 226001, Uttar Pradesh) indirapa@hotmail.com text Phytotaxa 2024 2024-04-09 644 1 74 78 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.644.1.11 journal article 300705 10.11646/phytotaxa.644.1.11 94c66c16-3d44-4f92-9fc5-e1841bf8d83b 1179-3163 13214441 Peucedanum vasudevanii K.M.P.Kumar, Rampradeep, Hareesh, Jabeena & Maya sp. nov. ( Figures 1 & 2 ) Diagnosis:— Peucedanum vasudevanii described here is similar to P. pradeepianum by having angular stem, decompound leaves, inflexed petals, pink, broadly conical stylopodium, deflexed style, ellipsoid mericarp and 3–4 lateral vittae but differs from the latter in having hirtellous stem (vs. glabrous), basal lanceolate leaflets (vs. obovate), oblong, purple involucre bracts (vs. broadly ovate, pale brown), subequal rays (vs. distinctly equal), hirtellous hairs on rays (vs. glabrous), purple anthers (vs. yellow), mericarp of 10–12 × 8–9 mm (vs. 4–6 × 3.5–4.5 mm ) and six commissural vittae (vs. four). The detailed distinguishable characters are tabulated in Table 1 . FIGURE 1. Peucedanum vasudevanii sp. nov. A. & B. Habit; C.- F. Inflorescence; G. Single flower; H. Sepal; I. Corolla lobes; J. Corolla split-opens; K. Stamen; L. Gynoecium; M. L.S. of flower; N. Young fruit; O. Mericarp; P. C.S. of Mericarp. FIGURE 2. A. Habit; B. & C. Inflorescence; D. Single flower; E. Sepal; F. Petal; G. Stamen; H. Gynoecium; I. C.S. of ovary; J. Young fruit; K. Mericarp; L. C.S. of a mericarp. (Drawn by M.K. Jabeena from M.K. Jabeena and Maya C. Nair 2133 ). Type : — INDIA . Kerala : Palakkad district, Nelliyampathy forest, Mattumala hills, ± 1450 m , 17 July 2014 , K . M . Prabhukumar 7842 ( holotype , LWG , isotypes , MH , CMPR , GVCH ). Slender, erect, hirtellous, one-stemmed perennial, 30–40 cm tall herb. Root-stock rigid, 2.5–3.5 cm in diameter. Stems 1.7–2.2 cm diam. at base, solid, angular, green with purple ridges. Leaves 3.6–8.8 cm long, opposite, (with) venation faint brochidodromous, decompound; leaf sheath 5–7.5 mm long, grooved with purple striations; petiole 1.4–2.3 cm long, angled, hirtellous; leaflets of two types , basal leaflets lanceolate, deeply serrate and mucronate sometimes apex incised; upper leaflets elliptic, serrate, mucronate; rachis sheathing at base. Inflorescence compound umbel; umbels 3–4 rayed; rays subequal, 3.9–4 cm long; involucre bracts 1–3, 1.3–1.7 × 1–1.3 mm , oblong, purple; involucel (secondary involucre) 4, 1.1–2.8 mm , ovate, unequal, entire, acute-acuminate, persistent, purple, pubescent on both sides; flowers inconspicuous, 2.2–2.4 mm in diam., all perfect, pedicel 1.6–1.7 mm long, terete, subequal; sepals 0.5–0.6 mm , oblong-elliptic, fused, lobes prominent, margin entire, lilac; petals 1.2–2 mm long, obovate, acute, strongly inflexed, white to creamy white; stamens spreading, filaments white, 0.8–1 mm long; anthers 0.3× 0.4 mm , oblong or sub-globular, purple, dorsifixed; stylopodium c.0.75× 1 mm , broadly conical, pinkish; styles c. 0.5 mm long, slender, deflexed. Mericarp 10–12× 8–9 mm , ellipsoid, ridge 1–1.5 mm wide; vittae prominent, 6 on commissural and 3–4 on lateral surfaces. Phenology:— June to October Habitat:— Peucedanum vasudevanii grows in open grasslands associated with Chlorophytum malabaricum Baker (1876:331) , Eriocaulon pectinatum Ruhland (1903:85) , Henckelia incana ( Vahl 1804: 88 ) Spreng. ( Sprengel 1824:38 ) and Impatiens viscosa Beddome (1859: 68) in Mattumala hills, Nelliyampathy ranges of the Anamalai, southern Western Ghats of Kerala . Distribution:— Currently, the taxon is known only from Nelliyampathy hills in Kerala . Etymology:— The new species is named after the Late Professor R. Vasudevan Nair (Department of Botany, Govt. Victoria College, Palakkad), an eminent taxonomist, plant illustrator, and an inspiring teacher for his outstanding contribution to the field of Angiosperm taxonomy. Additional specimens examined: — INDIA : Kerala . Palakkad district, Nelliyampathy hills, Chakkaliyampara, 10˚31′38.5″ N, 76˚40′19.4″ E, 1033 m , 06 July 2019 , Jabeena M.K. & Maya C. Nair 2133 (CALI, GVCH).