Solanum americanum Mill. var. odishensis Kalidass & P. Murugan, 2016

Plant Taxon, Bangladesh J., Murugan, P., Kalidass, C. & Panda, P. C., 2016, A New Variety Of Solanum Americanum Mill. (Solanaceae), From Eastern Ghats, India, Bangladesh Journal of Plant Taxononomy 23 (1), pp. 83-85 : 83-85

Solanum americanum Mill. var. odishensis Kalidass & P. Murugan , var. nov. ( Fig. 1 ).

Diagnosis: Solanum americanum var. odishensis is closely allied to Solanum americanum Mill. , but differs from it in having prickly angular stem, inflorescence 5-8 flowered, style erect, densely villous in middle and curved at apex.

Type: INDIA, Odisha : Kandhamal District , G. Udayagiri Forest range , 14 July 2015, 20˚07'204''N, 084˚22'187''E, ± 658m, Kalidass & Murugan 18021 (Holotype: CAL !, Isotypes: MH!, RPRC!).

Erect annual herbs, 100-130 cm high. Stem 4-angular with prickles, branched, pubescentglabrescent; branches ascending. Leaves simple, alternate or sub-opposite, ovate or ovatelanceolate, 4-9×3-5 cm, cuneate or obtuse at base, margin entire to sinuate or sinuate-dentate, acute or acuminate at apex, pale beneath, glabrous or pubescent on both surfaces; lateral nerves 4- 6 pairs; petioles 2-3 cm long, flat or terete. Inflorescence axillary or extra-axillary, umbellate or sub-umbellate cymes, 5-8 flowered. Flowers 3-5 mm long, creamy white; peduncle 2-3 cm long, slender, glabrous or pubescent; pedicels 8-10 mm long, slender, glabrous. Calyx 5-lobed, valvate,1.5 mm in diameter, base united; calyx-lobes deltoid, each lobe less than 1 mm long, green, pubescent, margin ciliate, reflexed away from mature berries, persistent. Corolla valvate, 5- lobed, 2-3 mm in diameter, star-like, base united; lobes ovate or lanceolate 2.5 mm long, reflexed, margin ciliate. Stamens 5, epipetalous; anthers lanceolate, 1 mm long, yellow, dithecus, basifixed and dehisces apically; filament c. 0.5 mm long, glabrous. Ovary globose, c. 0.8 mm long, glabrous; style less than 1.5 mm long, filiform, densely villous in the middle, curved at apex; stigma capitate, green. Berries globose, 5-8 mm in diameter black or dull black when ripe, glossy. Seeds 10-30, ovate or orbicular, 1.0-1.5 mm long, brownish-white, compressed.

Flowering and fruiting: May - September.

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Etymology: Solanum americanum var. odishensis is named after the state Odisha, one of plant diversity zones in Eastern Ghats, India.

Distribution: The new variety in distributed in the Odisha state of India as an Eastern Ghats element.

Habitat: Solanum americanum var. odishensis is found to grow in open scrub forest, usually near water courses and shady localities. It grows along with Lantana camara L., Sida acuta Burm. f., Sesamum indicum L., Solanum torvum Sw. , Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth., Neolamarckia cadamba (Roxb.) Bosser.

Paratypes: INDIA, Odisha state, Kandhamal District, Paburia, 20˚09'308''N, 084˚15'339''E and Alt. ±681 MSL; 14.07.2015, Kalidass & Murugan 18024 (RPRC) Kalinga Ghat, 20˚09'867''N, 084˚24'870''E and Alt. ±737 MSL; 15.07.2015, Kalidass & Murugan 18027 (RPRC) Ganjam District, Sikulipadara, 19˚24'086''N, 084˚20'372''E and Alt. ±594 MSL; 19.08.2015, Kalidass & Murugan 18045 (RPRC) Gajapati District, Parlakhemundi, Jajpur, 18˚47'630''N 084˚07'230''E and Alt. ±71 MSL; 21.08.2015, Kalidass & Murugan 18067 (RPRC) Ganjam District, Taptapani, 19˚29'126''N, 084˚23'660''E and Alt. ±439 MSL; 22.08.2015, Kalidass & Murugan 18087 (RPRC).

Figures

Fig. 1. Solanum americanum Mill. var. odishensis, var. nov. A. Habit; B. Leaf; C. Stem; E. Inflorescence; F. Pistil; H. L.S. of flower bud; J. Fruiting twig; K. Fruit; L. Seeds; Solanum americanum Mill. D. Stem; G. Pistil; I. L.S. of flower bud.