Syzygium sahyadricum Sujanapal, Robi & Sasidharan, 2014

Sujanapal, P., Robi, A. J. & Sasidharan, N., 2014, Syzygium sahyadricum (Myrtaceae), a new tree species from India, and notes on the distribution of S. spathulatum Thwaites, Phytotaxa 174 (5), pp. 285-290 : 286-288

Syzygium sahyadricum Sujanapal, Robi & Sasidharan , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 )

Syzygium spathulatum sensu Chithra in N.C. Nair & Henry, Fl. Tamil Nadu, 1:158. 1983 non Thwaites 1859.

Syzygium sahyadricum shows similarities with Syzygium spathulatum Thwaites and S. malabaricum ( Beddome 1872: 199) Gamble (1919: 481) due to its obovate or elliptic-oblong leaves, but it is recognizably distinct from both species in its pale yellow coloured tender leaves with horizontal secondary nerves, white flowers in lateral or axillary inflorescence, purplish red calyx and oblate or obovoid fruits compared with the bright copper coloured tender leaves with ascending secondary nerves and pale pink flowers in terminal or subterminal axillary inflorescences of S. spathulatum and greenish tender leaves with ascending secondary nerves and greenish flowers in short lateral branches or axillary loose cymose inflorescence of S. malabaricum ( Table 1).

Type:— INDIA. Kerala: Idukki district, Silentvalley-Munnar , 2,100 m asl, 15 February 2013, A. J . Robi & P . Sujanapal 23373 (holotype MH!, isotypes KFRI!, CALI!)

Trees, to 12 m high; bark surface pale brown, smooth, inner blush pink; branchlets quadrangular. Leaves opposite, decussate, coriaceous, punctate beneath, obovate to elliptic-oblong, 4.5–6.5 × 2–3 cm, base acute or obtuse, apex obtusely acute, glossy, smooth, dark green adaxially, pale green abaxially; margin slightly revolute, midrib slightly impressed above, elevated beneath; lateral nerves 12 to 16 pairs, oblique, brochidodromus, prominent on both surfaces; intramarginal nerve one; petiole 7–10 mm long, thick, channeled above, rounded below, glabrous, pale pink to greenish yellow in color. Young leaves yellowish. Inflorescence lateral on leaf scars or axillary, a reduced metabotryoid, 4.5–5.7 cm long, flowers towards the apex of peduncle, sub-sessile; peduncle and branches 4-angled, flattened towards apex. Bracteoles 2 per branch of inflorescence, deltoid, ca. 0.5 mm long, purplish-red, acute at apex, caducous. Flowers 5× 4 mm, greenishwhite. Hypanthium 3× 3 mm, yellowish green. Calyx lobes 4, minute, 1× 1mm, deltoid, acute, persistent, tinged purplishred. Petals 4, creamy-white, free, 1.5× 1 mm, ovate to orbicular, cohering and shed as a calyptra, yellowish gland-dotted. Stamens many; filaments 0.5–2 mm long, triangular, thick, pointed at apex, basally dilated; anther lobes 0.2× 0.2 mm. Ovary 2-celled, ovules many, irregularly shaped, random; style yellow, ca. 1 mm long, pointed; stigma not differentiated, white. Fruits oblate or obovoid, ca. 4–8× 4 mm, fleshy, dark purple when ripe; seeds one.

Paratypes:— INDIA, Kerala, Anamallays, 7000 ft., 19 October, Coln. Beddome , s.n., ( K 001004259 !); Idukki dist. : Chinnar WLS, Pothumala , 8 May 1996, K. K . Sajeev , 17390 ( KFRI!); Mannavan Shola, Coupe road, 14 August 1995, K . Kishore Kumar 16580 ( KFRI!); Chengalar, 20 April 1996, K . Kishore Kumar 17671 ( KFRI!); Munnar, Yellapetty shola, 11 January 2013, 2300 m, A. J . Robi & K. J . Dantas 23365 ( KFRI!) . Tamil Nadu, Dindygul dist.: Kodaikanal , 16 March 1956, J . Pallithanam 1488 ( RHT!); Kodaikanal , s.die, s. coll., s.n. acc. no. 1685 ( RHT!); Kodaikanal, Bombay shola, 30 May 1984, 2100 m, K. M . Matthew 40003 ( RHT!); ibid., 2 March 1986, 2100 m, K. M . Matthew & N . Rajendran 44367 ( RHT!); ibid., 2 March 1986, 2100 m, K. M . Matthew & N . Rajendran 44373 ( RHT!); ibid., 23 May 1987, 2100 m, K. M . Matthew & M . Charles 49684 ( RHT!); Kodaikanal, Kukkal shola, 19 May 1986, 1900 m, K. M . Matthew & N . Rajendran 45255 ( RHT!); ibid., 7 April 1987, 1850 m, K. M . Matthew & M . Charles 49029 ( RHT!); Kodaikanal, Poombarai, 9 April 1987, 1900 m, K. M . Matthew & M . Charles 49145 ( RHT!); ibid., 20 May 1987, 2150 m, K. M . Matthew & M . Charles 49574 ( RHT!); Kodaikanal, Pambar falls , 3 March 1990, 1950 m, K. M . Matthew 54143 ( RHT!) .

Local name: —Pottinjaval, Pillanjaval.

Flowering and Fruiting:— In populations, flowering starts during December and fruiting appears during March and ends in May. Slight variation may occur in flowering and fruiting within this duration as the geographical location changes.

Distribution and associated species:—The new taxon is so far known from the shola forests of Anamalai and Palni Hills above 1,800 m elev. In Anamalai phytogeographical region, Eravikulam National Park, Anamudi Shola National Park and Yellappetty-Silentvalley track of Devikulam are the major localities. In Palni Hills Periya chola and surrounding Shola vegetation are the major localities. The altitude is between 1,800 – 2,400 m elev. Associated tree species are Beilschmiedia wightii Bentham & Hooker filius (1880:152), Cinnamomum wightii Meisn. in De Candolle (1864:11) , Neolitsea fischeri Gamble (1925:132) (Lauraceae) ; Vaccinium leschenaultii Wight (1848:1188) (Vacciniaceae) and Rhodomyrtus tomentosa ( Aiton 1789: 159) Hasskarl (1842:35) (Myrtaceae) with dense growth of lichens, moss, ferns, epiphytic orchids, balsams, etc.

Etymology:—The specific epithet is named after the broad type locality, Sahyadri hills (Western Ghats).

Conservation status:— Fairly good populations exist in the Shola forests of Anamalai and Palni Hills. In some part of Anamudi Shola National Park, indigenous people use the wood for house construction; however degradation of Shola forest is the main threat to the species. In some of its distribution range, plantation activities especially Eucalyptus and Wattle cause considerable damage to the population. The total extent of occurrence of this species is estimated to be less than 50 km ².

Figures

FIGURE 1. Syzygium sahyadricum Sujanapal, Robi & Sasidharan a. habit showing flowering canopy (inset-leaf enlarged), b. tender shoot and inflorescence, c. flower bud enlarged, d. flowering twig, e. flower enlarged, f. stamen, g. & h. fruiting twig showing variations, i. & j. mature fruits. (images a–f by A.J. Robi & g–j by P. Sujanapal).