Litsea anamalayana Robi & Udayan, 2021

A. J., Robi & P. S., Udayan, 2021, LITSEA ANAMALAYANA (LAURACEAE) A NEW SPECIES FROM NELLIYAMPATHY HILLS, INDIA., Edinburgh Journal of Botany 78 (373), pp. 1-5 : 1-4

Litsea anamalayana Robi & Udayan , sp. nov.

The new species is similar to Litsea glabrata (Wall. ex Nees) Hook.f. , from which it is differs by its pubescent branchlets and petioles (versus glabrous); linear-oblong leaves

1 Department of Botany, Bishop Abraham Memorial College, Thuruthicad, Pathanamthitta, Kerala – 689 597, India. E-mail: [e-mail].

2 Department of Botany and Research Centre, Sree Krishna College, Ariyannur P.O., Guruvayur, Thrissur, Kerala – 680 102, India.

(versus elliptic-oblong); narrowly attenuate base (versus acute to cuneate); acuminate apex (versus acute to attenuate); revolute margin (versus flat); 11–14 pairs of lateral veins (versus 9–12 pairs); 3–7 cm long, pubescent brachyblasts (reduced branchlets) (versus 5–12 cm long, glabrescent); 7 flowers in an umbel (versus 6); peduncle of umbels 8 mm long (versus 5 mm long); involucral bracts 6 (versus 4); c. 1.5 mm long, ellipsoid ovary (versus c. 1 mm long, subglobose); c. 3.5 mm long style (versus c. 2 mm long);

lobed stigma (versus discoid); ellipsoid fruits (versus ovoid); puberulous perianth (versus glabrous); and 7 mm long, pubescent, angular fruiting pedicels (versus 10 mm long, terete, glabrous). – Type: India, Kerala, Palakkad district, Nelliyampathy hills, ± 1000 m elevation, 26 xii 2019 (flowers), A. J. Robi BAM01001 (holotype MH!; isotypes BAM!, KFRI!). Figure .

Small trees, 5–10 m tall; bark brown, lenticellate, inner bark pale yellow; branchlets pubescent, subterete, thick, lenticellate. Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate; petiole

1.5–2 cm long, thick, pubescent, convex below, flat above; lamina 11–21 × 3–4 cm, linear-oblong, lanceolate, base narrowly attenuate, apex acuminate (acumen 1.5 cm long), margin revolute, glabrous adaxially and puberulous abaxially, smooth above, pale-glaucous below, coriaceous; midrib flat above, prominent beneath, pubescent on both sides; lateral veins 11–14 pairs, pinnate, arcuate, prominent abaxially, inconspicuous adaxially, looped towards the margin; intercostae scalariform-reticulate, prominent below. Inflorescences umbel-bearing reduced branchlets (brachyblasts) giving the appearance of a raceme of umbels, in axils of leaves or lateral, brachyblast 3–7 cm long, pubescent bearing 4–8 umbels; peduncle of umbels c. 8 mm long, slender, straight, puberulous; involucral bracts

6, 7 × 5 mm, suborbicular, or broadly ovate, concave, densely adpressed hairy outside, glabrous and glossy inside, coriaceous and caducous. Flowers 7 in each umbel, creamy white, c. 6 mm long; pedicels c. 3 mm long, silky-pubescent, subterete; tepals 6, 3 × 2 mm, ovate or elliptic, acute or obtuse at apex, equal, membranaceous, gland-dotted, glabrous on both sides, creamy white. Male flowers: not seen. Female flowers: staminodes 12, those of the outer rows linear, falcate, 2–3 mm long glabrous, apex obtuse; inner rows subulate, 1–1.5 mm long, glabrous, 2-glandular; elliptic, c. 0.7 mm long glands. Ovary c. 1.5 mm long, ellipsoid, glabrous; style c. 3.5 mm long, straight and bend at apex, creamy white, glabrous; stigma lobed, papillose, creamy white. Fruit a berry, ellipsoid, c. 1.5 cm long, obtuse at apex, glabrous, greenish, white specked, seated on the enlarged cup-shaped perianth tube, 1 cm deep, thin, puberulous, margin entire; fruiting pedicels 7 mm long, angular, stout, pubescent.

Distribution and habitat. So far known only from Nelliyampathy hills, Palakkad district of Kerala, India, growing on a hill top in evergreen forests about 1000 m in altitude in association with Antidesma montanum Blume , Cryptocarya anamalayana Gamble , Phoebe lanceolata (Nees) Nees and Syzygium laetum (Buch.-Ham.) Gandhi.

Phenology. Flowering and fruiting, September to May.

Etymology. The specific epithet of the new taxon is after the type locality that includes the Anamalai hills phytogeographical zone.

Proposed IUCN conservation category. So far this species is known from a single locality. Nelliyampathy hills were once covered by continuous dense evergreen forests and were home to several Western Ghats endemic species. Today, evergreen forest in Nelliyampathy hills is now restricted to pockets of vegetation and under severe threat owing to tourism and plantation-related activities. The extent of occurrence of the species is estimated to be less than 100 km 2, and the area of occupancy less than 10 km 2. A single population consisting of 10 individuals was observed in the area. According to IUCN criteria ( IUCN, 2012; IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee, 2019), Litsea anamalayana is assessed as Critically Endangered (CR).

Additional specimens examined. INDIA. Kerala: Palakkad district, Nelliyampathy hills, ± 1000 m elevation, 30 xii 2017 (flowers), Anoop P. B. & A. J. Robi 15528 ( MBGH!) ; ibid., 17 ix 2015 (flower bud), A. J. Robi 25702 ( KFRI!) ; ibid., 16 iv 2019 (fruits), A. J. Robi BAM00950 ( BAM!) .

The Table summarises the character differences between between Litsea anamalayana and L. glabrata .