Habenaria sahyadrica K.M.P.Kumar, T.K.Nirmesh, V.B.Sreek. & Kumar, 2016

Kumar, Pankaj, Prabhukumar, Konickal Mambetta, Nirmesh, Thankappan Kureekadu, Sreekumar, Vadakkethil Balakrishnan, Hareesh, Vadakkoot Sankaran & Balachandran, Indira, 2016, Habenaria sahyadrica (Orchidaceae, Orchideae) a new species from the Western Ghats (India) with critical notes on allied taxa, Phytotaxa 244 (2), pp. 196-200 : 196-198

Habenaria sahyadrica K.M.P.Kumar, T.K.Nirmesh, V.B.Sreek. & Kumar , sp. nov. ( Fig.1 )

Type:— INDIA . Kerala: Palakkad district, Muthikulam , way to Elival hills, 1700m, 22 November 2013, Nirmesh & Prabhukumar 28501 (holotype: KFRI!; isotypes: CMPR!, CALI!)

Habenaria sahyadrica shows affinities with H. multicaudata Sedgewick (1919: 352) and H. panigrahiana Misra (1981: 213) in having similar filliform petals, labellum lobes and posterior sepals, but it can be easily distinguished from the allied taxa by its attenuate floral bract, spreading lateral sepals, truncate bifid or bipartite petals divided into an anterior and a posterior lobe and the trilobed or tripartite labellum, 6-nerved dorsal sepal, midlobe of lip and upward curve of the apices of the lateral lobes, clavate-obtuse apex of spur and ridged ovary with normal apex.

Terrestrial herbs, 35 cm tall, stem cylindric, leafy from base upwards mainly on the upper two thirds of stem. Stem closely embraced by leaf sheath. Tuber one, globose 20 mm diameter and placed directly underneath the stem. Leaves 5–8, alternate, sessile, elliptic-lanceolate, 10.0–12.0 × 2.5–3.5 cm, acute, base narrow, petiole like, glabrous on both sides; leaf margin undulate. Inflorescence terminal, racemose. Peduncle 12–14 cm long, glabrous, clothed with elliptic, acuminate, sterile greenish bracts completely covering the pedicel, 3.4–4.5 cm long, glabrous. Raceme 6–8 cm long, 6 cm broad, 8–15 flowered. Floral bracts elliptic-attenuate, trinerved, glabrous, 20.0–20.8 × 8.0–10.0 mm. Flowers pale greenish-white; dorsal sepal ovate, 6-nerved out of which 3 nerves continuing to the apex, 10–13 × 3–5 mm, densely hispid on upper part, lower part glabrous; lateral sepals ovate-elliptic, sub-falcate, acute, trinerved, 10–13 × 4–6 mm, densely hispid on upper part, lower part glabrous; petals bipartite, posterior lobe filiform, falcate, obtuse, connivent with dorsal sepal, 10–15 mm long, glabrous, anterior lobe slightly narrower, filiform, apex acute and curving upwards, 14–18 mm long; lip trilobed; midlobe filiform, dilated towards rachis, 20–24 mm long, glabrous; lateral lobes slightly narrower, filliform and curving upward, 15–18 mm long, glabrous; spur green, cylindrical, clavate at apex, decurved, 17–24 mm long, glabrous; column greenish-yellow, 1.5 mm long, glabrous; anther locules large, 3.0 × 1.5 mm, glabrous; canals erect 2 mm long, ovary fusiform, glabrous, 18–22 mm long; pollinia yellow, pyriform, 2.0 × 1.5 mm; caudicles transparent, longer than the pollinia, 5 mm; rostellum 3 mm long. ( Fig. 1 ).

Flowering and fruiting:— October–January.

Etymology:— The specific epithet refers to the type locality, Sahyadri, which is the Sanskrit name of Western Ghats.

Distribution and Ecology:— Habenaria sahyadrica grows under the shola forests on the way to Elival Hills in Muthikulam High Value Biodiversity Area at 1350–2300m, Palakkad District. The Muthikulam High Value Biodiversity Area (HVBA) is located in Mannarkad Forest Division, which borders the north-western portion of the Western Ghats on the northern side of Palakkad Gap in Mannarkad Taluk. Muthikulam forests fall under the Indo-malayan bio-geographic zone and Western Ghat Biotic province ( Champion & Seth 1968). Muthikulam Hills cover less than 350 sq. km.. Muthikulam HVBA consists of undulating hills and valleys well clothed with vegetation except for the large grassy area around Muthikulam to the southeast and the mass of high hills to the south viz., Elival Range. The area is characterised by a tropical climate and high degree of endemism. The new species appears to be endemic and grows in small pockets in shola forests near Muthikulam grasslands.

Conservation status:— This species has so far only been collected from the type locality. The area of occupancy is estimated to be less than 4 km 2 and the known populations contain a maximum of 15–30 plants. Until further studies and more surveys this species should be considered Data Deficient ( IUCN 2013). We have tried to grow the plants ex-situ for conservation at Herb Garden Kottakkal and KFRI, Thrissur, but they did not survived.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— INDIA . Kerala: Palakkad district, Muthikulam, way to Elival hills, 1700m 22November 2013, Nirmesh, Sreekumar & Hareesh 28525 ( KFRI) ; Palakkad district, Muthikulam, way to Elival hills, ± 1700m, 22 November 2013, Prabhukumar 7754 ( CMPR) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habenaria sahyadrica. A. & C. Habit. B. Tuber. D. Single flower (pressed specimen). E. Single flower (fresh specimen). F. Sepals with ovary. G. Column with lip and spur.H. Bract.I. Dorsal sepal. J. Lateral sepal. K. Ovary. L. Pollinia with caudicle.(Photographs by K.M. Prabhu.).