Lettsomia strigosa Roxb., Fl. Ind.

P. R., Lawand & Shimpale, V. B., 2024, Revision of the genus Argyreia (Convolvulaceae) from India, Rheedea 34 (5), pp. 337-396 : 351-352

Lettsomia strigosa Roxb., Fl. Ind. 2: 80. 1824. Ipomoea strigosa Roth, J.J. Roemer & J.A. Schultes, Syst. Veg. , ed. 15[bis]. 4: 242.1819. Argyreia strigosa (Roth) Roberty, Candollea 14: 44. 1952. Argyreia strigosa (Roth) Santapau & Patel, Trans. Bose Res. Inst. 22:41. 1958. nom. illeg. Fig. 4a–e

A perennial 5–10 ft. tall climber, laticiferous- all plant parts exude white milky latex; stem green when young covered densely brown hispid, older stem woody, glabrous, terete. Leaf lamina widely ovate, 14–17 × 6–13 cm, base shallowly cordate, apex shortly acuminate, secondary veins 15–17 pairs raised beneath, patently brown hispid on both the surfaces; petiole hispid as stem, green purplish, 6–12 cm long, longer or usually shorter than the peduncle. Inflorescence axillary 7–11-flowered capitate cyme; peduncle brown hispid, 6–13 cm long, usually longer than the petiole. Flowers sessile, bracteate; bracts–2, outer large, green, long brown hispid outer, glabrous inner, 2.5–3 cm, widely oblong, apex acute, inner 1.8– 0.5 cm narrowly oblong, apex acute. Sepals 5, lanceolate, hairy outside, glabrous inside, hairs bulbous based; outer two large, 1.2–1.5 cm long, inner three small, 0.8–1 cm long, glabrous to hyaline on overlapped parts. Corolla campanulate to infundibuliform, pale pink, throat purple, hairy on midpetalline bands, glabrous on enclosed parts by sepals, base of corolla tube hairy inside, lobes twisted in bud while shallowly lobed in open flower. Stamens 5, inserted, sub-equal 1.8–2 cm long; filaments white, dilated and glandular hairy at base; anthers 4 mm long, pale pink. Ovary glabrous; style single; stigma biglobose, papillate. Berries globose, 0.7–1 cm across, orange red, 2–4-seeded.

Flowering & Fruiting: Flowering from September to October and fruiting from November to February.

Habitat: This species grows in the evergreen forests and along forest roadsides in northeast India.

Distribution: India (Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, West Bengal), Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia.

Etymology: The specific epithet ‘ capitiformis ’ is because of capitate architecture of inflorescence.

Specimens examined: INDIA, Assam, Khasi and Jaintia Hills, Sonapur on the bank of Lubha river , 20.11.1969, N. P . Balakrishnan 46881 (ASSAM); Lakhimpur District, Sadiya , 23.11.1911, Burkill 310885 ( CAL); Tinsukia District , Tengapani , Oct. 1898, Dr. Prain’s collector 310875 ( CAL); Kamrup District , Guwahati , 500 m, 18.02.1885, C. B . Clarke 310882 ( CAL); Karbi Anglong District, Nambor Forest , Feb.1906, A . Meebold 5161 ( CAL); Lakhipur District, Kamranga Bond , November 1890, Dr. King’s Collector 310878 ( CAL); Tirap District , Jairampur , 11.10.1959, Rolla Sheshagiri Rao 19978 ( CAL); Guwahati , Umtyrnga , 09.11.2017, P. R . Lawand 032 ( NCK) . Manipur, Naga Hills, Lamburi , December 1907, A . Meebold 6753 ( CAL) ;

Barak, 3000 m, 29.11.1885, C. B. Clarke 310883 .

Meghalaya, West Garo Hills District, Nokrek Biosphere Reserve , 16.10.2007, V. K. Singh &

Bikram Singh 76120 (ASSAM); Khasi Hills, On the way to Shillong , 4.11.2017, P. R. Lawand 033

(NCK). Mizoram, Aizawl, Dampa Tiger Reserve , 10.12.2006, N. Odyuo 72969 (ASSAM) ; Aizawl,

Dampa Tiger Reserve , 10.12.2006, N. Odyuo

72970 (ASSAM); Aizawl, Dampa Tiger Reserve ,

10.12.2006, N. Odyuo 72971 (ASSAM); Aizawl ,

Pualreng WLS, 5.12.2010, S. K. Singh 84407

(ASSAM); Aizawal, Damparengpui, near Dampa

Tiger Reserve , 6.11.2017, P. R . Lawand 006 ( NCK) .

Sikkim, East Sikkim District, Rungpo , 2300 m, 21.11.1908, W. G. Craib 354 ( CAL) . Uttarakhand, Deharadun District, Flora of North Western

Himalaya, Aug. 1895, P. W. Mackinnon 310953

(CAL). West Bengal, Jalpaiguri, Chapramari WLS, 19.07.2002, Dr. J . Bhattacharya 33323 (CAL);

Cooch Behar, Nagrarhat, 6.11.1958, Dr. S . K .

Mukherjee 825 (CAL).

Vernacular name: Anuwey-khujeya (Bangali).

Uses: The yellow orange-colored fruits are eaten by birds.

Notes: The species shares some features common with Argyreia setosa , however it is very unique and readily recognizable by shaggy hispid hairy parts, capitate inflorescence, hispid, lanceolate bracts and sepals.

In India, the name Argyreia capitata has been erroneously used in regional floras and some published literature for this taxon. However, Argyreia capitata is based on Convolvulus capitatus Vahl , an illegitimate name. Consequently, the name A. capitata , as later assigned by Choisy (1834), is also rendered illegitimate. When Vahl (op. cit.) described C. capitatus , two prior instances of the name C. capitatus were already in use within the genus Convolvulus . This created a later homonym, which is subject to rejection under the rules of nomenclature.

Figures

Fig. 4. Argyreia CapitiFOrmiS (Poir.) Ooststr.(a-e): a. Flowering twig;b. Flower front view;c. Split open corolla hairy inside (in inset); d. Bracts, e. Sepals. Argyreia COOnOOrenSiS W.W. Sm.& Ramaswami (f-h): f. Flowering twig; g. Bracts;h. Sepals. Argyreia Cuneata Ker-Gawl.(i-l): i. Habit; j. Leaf; k. Open flower showing stamens;l. Fruiting twig.