Litsea manilaliana Robi & Udayan, 2021

Robi, Aloor Jose & Udayan, Punnakkal Sreedharan, 2021, Litsea manilaliana (Lauraceae): a new species from southern Western Ghats, Kerala, India, Phytotaxa 490 (2), pp. 197-202 : 197-201

Litsea manilaliana Robi & Udayan sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 & 2 )

The new species is similar to L. gorayana , from which it differs by its densely lenticellate branchlets, its elliptic leaves with cuneate base, obtuse apex and pale-glaucous undersurface, its adaxially flat midrib, its 5–7 pairs of lateral veins with abaxially prominent, scalariform-reticulate intercostae, its brachyblasts with 4–8 umbels, its umbels with 4 fragrant flowers, its ovate-oblong or oblong, gland-dotted, glabrous tepals, its slightly curved style, its globose ovary, its obovoid fruits with beaked apex and its glabrous fruiting pedicel ( Table 1).

Type:— INDIA, Kerala, Kottayam dist.: Wagamon hills, ± 1000 m, 08 January 2019 (fl.), A . J . Robi 14010 (holotype, CATH!, isotypes, MH!, KFRI!) .

Small trees, to 5 m tall; bark brown, smooth, lenticellate, inner bark pale-yellow; branchlets glabrous, thick, densely lenticellate. Leaves alternate; petiole 5–10 mm long, 2 mm thick, glabrous, slightly grooved above; lamina 4–7× 2–3 cm, elliptic, glabrous on both sides, smooth and glossy above, pale-glaucous below, coriaceous, base cuneate, apex obtuse to rounded or acute; venation pinnate, midrib flat above, prominent beneath, glabrous on both sides; secondary veins 5–7 pairs, slender, arcuate, prominent abaxially, obscure adaxially, looped towards the margin; intercostae scalariform-reticulate, prominent below. Inflorescences on reduced branchlets (brachyblasts) with the appearance of a raceme of umbels, in axils of leaves, brachyblast ca. 1 cm long, bearing 3–8 umbels; peduncle of umbels ca. 4 mm long, slender, glabrous; involucral bracts 4, 2.8–3.3× 2.5–2.8 mm, sub-orbicular or broadly ovate, concave, glabrous on both sides, glossy inside, coriaceous, caducous. Flowers 4 in each umbel, white, fragrant, ca. 2.5 mm long; pedicels ca. 1.6 mm long, silky-pubescent; tepals 6, 2–2.3× 0.8–1.3 mm, ovate-oblong or oblong, acute or obtuse at apex, subequal, membranaceous, gland-dotted, glabrous on both sides, white. Male flowers: not seen. Female flowers: staminodes 12, those of the outer rows linear, falcate, 1–1.5 mm long glabrous, apex obtuse; inner rows subulate, 0.8–1.2 mm long, glabrous, those of the third androecial whorl 2-glandular; glands elliptic, ca. 0.5 mm long. Ovary ca. 1 mm long, globose, glabrous; style ca. 1 mm long, slightly curved, stout, white, glabrous; stigma capitate, papillose, white. Fruit a berry, obovoid, 1.5–2.5 cm long, beaked at apex, glabrous, greenish, white specked, reddish and black on maturity, seated on the turbinate receptacle; cupule cup-shaped, thin, glabrous, margin entire or wavy; fruiting pedicels 6 mm long, terete, stout, glabrous.

Flowering & Fruiting:—October–June.

Distribution & Habitat:—So far, only known from Wagamon hills, Kottayam, Kerala, India. It is growing in evergreen forests of the hill top at about 1000 m.

Etymology:—The specific epithet of the new taxon is named after Dr. K. S. Manilal, Emeritus Professor, Department of Botany, University of Calicut, who translated the monumental book of Indian plants, Hortus Malabaricus, authored by the Dutchman Hendrik Van Rheede into English and Malayalam, to honor his outstanding contribution to Indian plant taxonomy.

Conservation Status:—So far, Litsea manilaliana is known from a single locality only. Wagamon hills once have been covered by continuous dense evergreen forests and were home to several Western Ghats endemic species. Extensive forest clearance, especially for the cultivation of Cardamom, has caused serious declines in populations of several threatened plants. Presently, the evergreen forests in Wagamon Hills are restricted to certain pockets and are under severe threat due to tourism related activities (construction of resorts, off road driving) since Wagamon is one of the major tourist destinations in Kerala state. The population of L. manilaliana is also facing serious threat from human intervention and natural calamities like landslides and soil erosion. Wagamon hills experienced heavy precipitation and large-scale landslides during 2018–2019, and a massive landslide occurred near to the population of L. manilaliana . In the absence of any detailed data on populations, the species is categorized as ‘Data Deficient’ ( DD) ( IUCN 2016).

Additional specimens examined (Paratypes):— INDIA, Kerala, Kottayam dist.: Wagamon hills, ± 1000 m, 18 October 2019 (fl. bud), A. J . Robi 14401 ( CATH!); ibid., 05 June 2019 (fruits), A. J . Robi 14450 ( CATH!) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Litsea manilaliana Robi & Udayan sp. nov. A. Flowering twig with abaxial view of leaves; B. Twig with adaxial view of leaves; C. Twig with unopened umbels; D. Twig with open flowers.

FIGURE 2. Litsea manilaliana Robi & Udayan sp. nov. A. Female umbel; B. Involucral bracts; C. Female flowers; D. Tepals; E. Outer staminodes; F. Inner staminodes with glands; G. Gynoecium; H. Twig with infructescence; I. & J. Maturing and fully mature fruits.