Capillipedium yashwantraoi Tarbej & Potdar, 2021

Shaikh, Tarbej & Potdar, Girish, 2021, Capillipedium yashwantraoi, a new species of Poaceae from Madhya Pradesh, India, Phytotaxa 502 (2), pp. 179-184 : 179-183

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/phytotaxa.502.2.6
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/7F2587D3-FFE7-FFA8-4BC6-F902FB72FC68
treatment provided by	Marcus
scientific name	Capillipedium yashwantraoi Tarbej & Potdar
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Capillipedium yashwantraoi Tarbej & Potdar View in CoL , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 & 2 View FIGURE 2 )

A species is very similar to Capillipedium assimile (Steud.) A.Camus and Capillipedium nagense Bor , but mainly differs in its 4–6 cm panicle (vs. 6–8 cm of C. assimile ; 8–12 cm of C. nagense ), 2–2.5 cm racemes with 11–13 pairs of sessile and pedicelled spikelets (vs. 0.5 cm with 3–4 pairs of sessile and pedicelled spikelets of C. assimile ; 1–1.5 cm with 4–6 pairs of sessile and pedicelled spikelets of C. nagense ), joints and pedicels without translucent groove (vs. joints and pedicels with translucent groove in C. assimile and C. nagense ) and 2–2.5 mm sessile spikelets (vs. 2.5–3 mm of C. assimile ; 3-4 mm of C. nagense ) and 3–3.2 mm pedicelled spikelets (vs. 3.5–4 mm of C. assimile ; 4-5 mm of C. nagense ).

Type:— INDIA. Madhya Pradesh: Anuppur district, Amarkantak , 22°45′15.7″N 81°44′50.6″E, 1082 m., 03 November 2019, Shaikh Tarbej YCCSK 2076 (holotype: CAL!, isotypes: BSI!, K!, SUK!) GoogleMaps .

Perennial, Culm erect; 60–120 (-140) cm high, branching extravaginally at the base with glabrous cataphylls; partially woody, rooting from basal nodes, geniculate, channelled, glabrous; nodes hairy (lower glabrous). Leaf sheath keeled, 4–7 cm, glabrous, with marginal hairs when green; ligule ca. 1 mm, erose membrane, truncate. Leaf blade flat, 6–24 × 0.5–1.2 cm, keeled below, linear to lanceolate, glabrous or with few tubercle-based hairs on veins, adaxial base pilose with tubercle-based hairs; midrib widened, margin minutely serrate, acuminate at apex. Inflorescence a branched panicle terminating by racemes. Panicle open, 4–6 × 4–6 cm, with 4–6 capillary branches, branches and branchlets tipped by raceme, uneven; racemes green, 2–2.5 cm, shortly pedunculate, peduncle 2–5 mm, glabrous or scabrid; racemes comprise 11–13 pairs of sessile and pedicelled spikelets below terminal triad, joint 1–1.2 mm, terete, not grooved, ciliate. Sessile Spikelet 2–2.5 × 0.8–1 mm, oblong-lanceolate, dorsally compressed, awned; callus bearded with 0.8–1 mm creamy white hairs. Lower glume 2–2.5 × 0.8–1 mm, oblong-lanceolate, boat shaped, coriaceous, 7–9 (-11)-nerved, hairy, margins entire, keeled at apex, keel spinulose, obtuse to acute at apex. Upper glume 2–2.5 × 0.6–0.8 mm, linear-lanceolate, boat shaped, subcoriaceous, 3-nerved, glabrous, margins entire, dorsally keeled, acute at apex. Florets 2, epaleate, lower empty, upper bisexual. Lower lemma 1.6–1.8 × 0.6–0.8 mm, linear-oblong, hyaline, nerveless, margin entire, acute at apex. Upper lemma 1.5–2 × 0.2 mm, linear, hyaline to base of awn, 1-nerved, awned, awn 12–14 mm, geniculate. Lodicules 2, 0.3 × 0.2 mm, obovate. Stamens 3, anthers ca. 1 mm, linear-oblong, pale brown. Ovary 0.3 × 0.4 mm, subglobose, style 0.5–1.5 mm, stigma 1–1.5 mm, plumose, creamy yellow, Caryopsis 1–1.5 × 0.4–0.6 mm, elliptic. Pedicel 1–1.2 mm, hairy along margin, inconspicuously grooved, groove not translucent. Pedicelled spikelets 3–3.2 × 0.8–1 mm (excluding pedicel), oblong-lanceolate, dorsally compressed, unawned, acute at apex, pale brown; callus sparsely bearded with 0.5–1 mm creamy white hairs. Lower glume 3–3.2 × 0.8–1 mm, lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, coriaceous, ca. 9-nerved, puberulent to hairy, margins infolded, keeled at apex, keel spinulose, acute at apex. Upper glume 2.6–2.8 × 0.8–1 mm, lanceolate, boat shaped, subcoriaceous, 3-nerved, glabrous, margins entire, dorsally keeled, acute at apex. Florets 2, both epaleate, lower empty, upper staminate or barren. Lower lemma 2.5–3 × 0.8–1 mm, oblong-lanceolate, hyaline, nerveless, margins entire, acute at apex. Upper lemma 1–1.5 × 0.5–0.6 mm, oblong or linear-oblong, hyaline, margins entire, acute at apex. Lodicules 2, 0.3 × 0.2 mm, obovate. Stamens 3; anthers ca. 1.5 mm, linear-oblong, bright yellow.

Phenology:— Flowering from October to December; fruiting from November to January.

Ecology, Distribution and Population:— The Capillipedium yashwantraoi is collected from Amarkantak hills, Madhya Pradesh. Authors has collected the new species from about 12 km north to Amarkantak , about 1 km from Podki village and Bhundakona Reservoir ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ). The type locality of species has typical monsoon climate, the annual rainfall is 1900+ mm which is mainly from south-western monsoon and an average annual temperature is about 23–26° C .

Capillipedium yashwantraoi was occasionally distributed along ghat road and edges of hill slopes. Authors were observed 10 individuals in ca. 100 square meters in area and associated with Bothriochloa pertusa (L.) A.Camus, B. bladhii (Retz.) S.T.Blake , Capillipedium assimile (Steud.) A.Camus , Causonis trifolia (L.) Mabb. & J.Wen., Heteropogon contortus (L.) P.Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult., Phanera vahlii (Wight & Arn.) Benth. , Reinwardtia indica Dumort , Rungia pectinata (L.) Nees etc.

Etymology:— The specific epithet ‘ yashwantraoi’ honors Hon. Late Yashwantrao Chavan for his significant contribution as first Chief Minister of Maharashtra and ex-Deputy Prime Minister of India.