Amorphophallus shyamsalilianum J.V. Gadpayale, S.R. Somkuwar & A.A. Chaturvedi, 2017

Gadpayale, Jagannath V., Somkuwar, Subhash R. & Chaturvedi, Alka A., 2017, Amorphophallus shyamsalilianum, a New Species (Araceae) from Bhandara District, Maharashtra State, India, Phytotaxa 312 (1), pp. 118-122 : 119-121

Amorphophallus shyamsalilianum J.V. Gadpayale, S.R. Somkuwar & A.A. Chaturvedi , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 )

Amorphophallus shyamsalilianum morphologically resembles A. konkanensis and A. bhandarensis but differs in having tuber with long rhizomatous offsets,; loosely arrange neuter staminodal flowers, protruding dark purplish to brownish appendix with irregular longitudinal shallow furrows at the base and ellipsoid seed.

Type:— INDIA., - Maharashtra: Bhandara Dist., Paladi (Koka), 25.06.2012 J. V. Gadpayale s. n. (holotype — BSI!).

Tubers normally depressed subglobose, 4.5–12 cm diam. and 4–8 cm thick in vegetative phase; 6.5–8.0 cm diam. and 10–16 cm thick in reproductive phase with stolon like offsets produced from the tubers. Petiole smooth, 42.5–77.8 cm long, 0.9–2.4 cm in diam. at base, slightly tapering to the tip; pale greenish with white patches and light pinkish with dark brownish spotted molting, paler towards the tip; extreme base pale pink in color. Leaflets sessile, linearlanceolate, large leaflets 14.0– 18.8 cm long and 2–3 cm wide, small leaflets 2.2–7.8 cm long and 1.7 cm in diam. base unequal and decurrent on rachis and acuminate at apex, dark green above and paler below; lateral nerves 7–16 pairs. Peduncle slender, smooth, 120 cm long, 1.5–2.5 cm diam. at base identical with petiole in color and pattern of molting. Spathe convoluted; broadly ovate to broadly triangular, 10–17.5 cm long, 5.0– 6.5 cm diam., tip acute, not differentiated into basal tube and upper limb, brownish to pale greenish with prominent dark purple veins outside, dark pinkish within with a dark blackish purple at base. Spadix longer than the spathe, 15–21 cm long with a stipe c. 0.5 cm long and c. 1.2 cm diam.; female zone 2–3 cm long and 1.2–1.4 cm diam.; staminodal zone 1.7–2.0 cm long and 1.2–1.4 cm diam.; male zone 4.1–5.5 cm long and 0.8–1.2 cm diam.; appendix 9.5–12.3 cm long, 9 mm diam. at base, tapering to the tip; light purplish to dark brownish with irregular longitudinal shallow furrows at the base, smooth above. Female flowers: ovary subglobose, 2 mm high, 2.5 mm diam., yellowish—white, 2–3 - locular; style very short, c. 1 mm long; stigma, 2–3 - lobed, 1.2 mm diam., yellow. Staminodal zone with very loosely arranged rhomboid or spherical fleshy sterile flowers (just like a bread buns shaped), each 0.5–07 mm long, c. 2–4 mm diam. slightly convex purplish in color arranged in 3–4 spiral rows (18–21 neuter flowers). Male flowers:- in circular or oval groups, each group with 5 flowers at base, loosely arranged on whitish—yellow cushion like structure,; golden-yellow, 0.7–1 mm high, 1.4–1.7 mm broad,; thecae yellowish, the connective pinkish- purple; densely arranged towards the appendix. Fruits ovoid—ellipsoid,; 8– 1.5 mm high, 6–8 mm diam., immature fruits; bright green, mature fruits bright red. Seeds 2–3; ellipsoid, 6–8 mm long, 4–5 mm diam.

Phenology: —Flowering: June–July; fruiting: July–August.

Distribution: Known only from three localities (Paladi, Nimgaon and Khapa) of Bhandara district (MS), India.

Eponymy:— The species epithet shyamsalilianum is derived from the name of two legendary teachers of first author i.e. Dr. Shyam W. Dafare & Dr. Salil D. Borkar of J. M. Patel College & Research Center, Bhandara (MS) India.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Photograph of Amorphophallus shyamsalilianum J. V. Gadpayale, S. R. Somkuwar & A.A. Chaturvedi. A. Habitat. B. Tuber. C. Petiole. D. Inflorescence with peduncle. E. Spathe with spadix. F. Open spathae with spadix. G. Spadix with female, staminodal & male flowers. H. Female flowers zone. I. Staminodal flowers. J. Male flowers zone. K. Spadix appendix. L. Infructescence. M. Berries. N. Single Berry. O. Seeds. Photographs by Jagannath V. Gadpayale (India).