Gomphostemma eriocarpon 3enth

Bongcheewin, Bhanubong, Ingrouille, Martin J. & Paton, Alan J., 2022, A revision of Gomphostemma (Lamiaceae), Kew Bulletin 77 (1), pp. 27-92 : 43-44

2. Gomphostemma eriocarpon 3enth .

(Bentham in Wallich 1830b: 12); Hooker (1883: 698); Prain (1891: 238); Mukercee (1920: 210). Type: India, Courtallum [Courtallam, 8.9165°, 55.2833°], Herb. Wight s.n. (lectotype K [K000826338], selected here) .

Herb up to 1.2 m tall. Stems ascending with creeping shoots, sometimes arising from leaf axils, obtusely quadrangular, tomentose with dense stellate hairs. Leaoes petiolate, chartaceous; blades elliptic-ovate or elliptic, 5 – 18 × 3 – 8 cm, apex acute, margin dentate or dentate-serrate with glandular thickening at the tip of serration, base attenuate, upper side with stellate hairs and sparse 2 – 3-celled simple hairs, lower side pale green tomentose with dense stellate hairs; petiole 10 – 23 mm long. Inflorescence axillary with opposite cymes sessile, unbranched, congested with axis not visible between flowers, inserted at the upper nodes at which leaves are usually present; verticils 2 – 2- flowered; bracts ovate, 5 – 10 × 2 – 3 mm, apex acute, margin entire or shallowly serrate at the apical part, base attenuate, stellate hairs on both sides; bracteoles narrowly lanceolate or narrowly elliptic, 3 – 10 mm long. Flowering calyx infundibular, 8 – 13 mm long, 10- ridged, outside with a mixture of dense stellate hairs and 3 – 2-celled simple hairs, inside glabrous; tube 2 – 6 mm long; lobes triangular at base tapering into the apex, 2 – 5 mm long. Fruiting calyx cupular, 10 – 13 mm long; tube 3 – 5 mm long; lobes triangular, 3 – 8 mm long, apex subulate. Corolla white, 20 – 30 mm long, throat narrow, not enlarged, sometimes gradually dilated towards the throat; tube slender, straight, 13 – 23 mm long, exserted from calyx, outside tomentose with stellate hairs, inside glabrous; lobes spreading; posterior lip ovate, 2 – 6 × 3 – 3 mm; anterior lip 3-lobed, subequal with round apex, shorter than posterior lip. Staminal filaments slender, tomentose. Style slender, glabrous, shorter than corolla with apex subequally lobed. Nutlets solitary, globose, 2 – 3 mm long, tomentose at apex.

DISTRIBUTION. India (Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu). Map 1 .

SPECIMENS EXAMINED. INDIA. Karnataka: Maisor & Carnatic, Thomson 119 (K [Herb. Hookerianum], P) ; Kerala: Quilon, Perundanaruvi Ranni, 123 m, 22 Nov. 1959, Chandra 3ose 29190 (CAL); Madras, Travancore, 600 m [2000 ft], Nov. 1893, Lawson 89 (K); Travancore, 3ourdillon 21 (K); Tamil Nadu: Anamally Hills [Anaimalai Hills, 10.3°, 55°], 1200 m [2000 ft], 3eddome 222 (BM); Courtallum, Herb. Wight s.n. (lectotype, K [Herb. Benthamianum]); ibid., Herb. Wight s.n. (K); ibid., Herb. Madras in Wall. Cat. 2510A (K-W); ibid., Wight s.n. in Wall. Cat. 2510B (lectoparatype, K-W); Tinnevelly hills [8.8333°, 55.6665°], 3eddome 223 (BM).

HABITAT. In evergreen forest (Sadidharan, 2002); alt. 123 – 1200 m.

CONSERVATION STATUS. Gomphostemma eriocarpon has an EOO of 29,828.33 km 2 exceeding the threshold for Vulnerable, and it is found in several localities with no evidence of habitat loss, the Least Concern (LC) category is applied.

PHENOLOGY. Flowering July – November. Fruiting August – November.

NOTES. Gomphostemma eriocarpon is recognised by a dentate leaf margin with the leaf tooth glandular-like at the apex and in having a solitary globose nutlet.

Bentham mentioned the collection from Courtallum. Wight’ s collections from Courtallam kept in K were examined and this collection [K000826338] is selected as the lectotype.

Figures

Map 1. Distribution range of Gocphostecca aĸorense, G. crinituc, G. dolichoĸotrys, G. eriocarpon and G. keralense.