Clinopodium kewensis (Lamiaceae): a new species from India Author Chandra, Rimjhim 0000-0001-7806-3560 rimjhimchandra6@gmail.com Author Güner, Özal Harran District Directorate of National Education, Şanlıurfa, Türkiye Author Çetin, Özlem Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Selçuk University, Konya, Türkiye text Phytotaxa 2025 2025-07-29 712 1 18 30 https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.712.1.2 journal article 311464 10.11646/phytotaxa.712.1.2 e5e59f9e-280d-4001-a564-d373cdb6ce0b 1179-3163 16716500 Clinopodium kewensis R.Chandra & Ö. Güner , sp. nov. ( Figs. 2–4 ) Type:— INDIA , Middle Himalaya, Himachal Pradesh , Kangra District, Dhauladhar Mountains, hill slopes, 2100–2200 m , 29 September 2024 , R .Chandra 104 ( holotype : Calicut university, isotypes CALI , Hb. R .Chandra). Diagnosis:— Clinopodium kewensis differs from C. gracile with its densely retrorse white pubescent stem, calyx teeth shape, corolla tube, fewer flowers in verticillasters, linear bract larger than pedicel, ellipsoid nutlet, leaf ovate, margin shallowly serrate, rootlet rhizome. Description:— Many-stemmed, perennial, rhizomes are woody and slender. Stem 17–25 cm long, ascending, brittle, slender, twisted, densely retrorse, white pubescent. Leaves ovate 6–20 × 2–13 mm , rounded at base, obtuse or acute at apex, margin shallowly serrate, sparsely pubescent at both surfaces; densely ciliate at leaf margins. veins 4–5 pairs, substantially visible on both surfaces, not reaching to margins, camptodromous; petiole generally 2–7 mm long. Inflorescence lax with 2–6 verticillaster; semi-globose, 1.2–1.8 cm in diameter; peduncle generally 3 mm ; floral leaves entire, sparsely pubescent on both surfaces; densely ciliate at leaf margins; apex bract-like. Bracts linear, about 5 mm , longer than pedicel, ribbed, white ciliate. Flower 2–6 per verticillaster. Pedicel up to 2–7 mm long. Calyx bilabiate, tubular, 11 veined, 7 mm long, glandular-pubescent, veins and teeth minutely hispid; upper teeth 3, subtriangular, short awned; lower teeth 2, subulate, awned. Corolla 1.2 cm long, tube straight, exceeding the calyx, slightly curved outward, to 3 mm wide at the throat. Stamen 4, didynamous, included in corolla; lower pair longer than upper, about 4 mm long. Carpel about 10 mm inside the corolla tube. Nutlets smooth, ellipsoid, brown, up to 3–5 mm long. FIGURE 2. The new species of Clinopodium kewensis : A. habitus, B. stem and densely retrorse white pubescent, C. verticillasters. (photograph by Rimjhim Chandra). Etymology:— The species epithet is derived from the name of the world’s largest botanical garden, The Royal Botanic Gardens, also known as Kew Gardens, in Kew, London. Phenology:— This new species flowers in August-September, and fruits in September-October. Distribution:— Clinopodium kewensis naturally grows in the Northwestern Himalayas in the Dhauladhar mountain range of Himachal Pradesh , India . ( Fig. 1 ). Habitat and ecology:— Clinopodium kewensis is distributed on the hillside at 2100–2200 m . The new species shares the taxa with Cedrus deodara (Roxburgh ex D.Don) G. Don (1830: 388) , Fragaria nubicola (Lindley ex Hook. f.) Lacaita (1916: 467) , Rhododendron arboreum Smith (1805: 9) , Stellaria palustris Ehrhart ex Hoffmann (1791: 152) , Persicaria capitata (Buchanan-Hamilton ex D.Don) H. Gross (1913: 277) , Oxalis corniculata Linnaeus (1753: 435) , Rostellularia diffusa (Willdenow Nees (1847: 371) , Hedychium coronarium J. Koenig (1783: 73) and Flemingia procumbens Roxb. (1832: 338) . FIGURE 3. Phylogenetic tree of nrITS sequences based on MP analysis and the BI method. MP bootstrap values are indicated above branches. Values at nodes indicate bootstrap support values that are ≥ 50%. Conservation status:— The new species is locally endemic to India and found in the hillside of the forests of C. deodara and R. arboreum . A trek to Triund Hills is a popular tourist destination in the Kangra district. This trek is not that much exposed to human pressure, but visitors are there between May to October, which poses a threat to the only known population of this species. Fewer than 50 mature individuals were observed in the area, which covers less than 5 km ². The new species is assessed as critically endangered—CR [B1ab(i, ii, iii)+2ab(i, ii, iii)] according to criterion of the IUCN Red List Criteria (IUCN 2017).