Tripogon tirumalae Alok Chorghe, Rasingam, Prasanna & M. Sankara Rao, 2013

Chorghe, Alok, Rasingam, L., Prasanna, P. V. & Rao, M. Sankara, 2013, Tripogon tirumalae (Poaceae), a new species from the Seshachalam hills of Andhra Pradesh, India, Phytotaxa 131 (1), pp. 17-22 : 17-20

Tripogon tirumalae Alok Chorghe, Rasingam, Prasanna & M. Sankara Rao sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 , 2 )

Tripogon tirumalae is similar to Tripogon sivarajanii and Tripogon trifidus , but differs from the former in having ciliate membranous ligules (membranous in T. sivarajanii ), inflorescences 15–20 cm long (20–45 cm in T. sivarajanii ), florets 9–10 (5–8 in T. sivarajanii ), lemma base bearded (glabrous in T. sivarajanii ), and a median awn longer than the lemma (shorter than or as long as the lemma in T. sivarajanii ); and from latter species by having culms 60–75 cm high (20–50 cm in T. trifidus ), leaf sheath glabrous near summit (bearded in T. trifidus ), lemma lobes unawned (lemma lobes awned in T. trifidus ), and the median awn 1.5 times longer than the lemma (2 times longer than the lemma in T. trifidus ).

Type:— INDIA, Andhra Pradesh, Tirumala Hills, near Kumaradara Pusupudara Dam , 13° 43.509´N, 79° 19.345´E, 900 m elevation, 4 September 2012, L . Rasingam, M. S. Rao & Alok Chorghe 2914 (holotype CAL!, isotypes BSID!) .

Tufted perennials. Culms 60–75 cm tall, erect; nodes glabrous, 1 mm long. Leaf blades 20–30 × 0.1–0.2 cm, linear-lanceolate, filiform, glabrous; ligules 1 mm long, truncate, membranous, ciliate at apex; leaf sheaths 6– 8 cm long, glabrous. Inflorescences 15–20 cm long, 0.5–0.7 mm wide, spiciform; rachis flat, glabrous; peduncle 15–20 cm long. Spikelets 7–7.5 × 1.8–2 mm, linear-lanceolate, laterally compressed, 9−10-flowered with reduced florets near apex; lower glumes 2.5–3 × 1 mm, linear-lanceolate, shallowly lobed on one side; upper glumes 3.5–4 × 1 mm, linear-lanceolate; lemmas 2.8–3.1 × 1.2 mm, oblanceolate, bearded at base, 3– nerved, 1–keeled, 2–lobed, 1–awned, the awn 4–4.2 mm long, longer than the lemma, arising from sinus; paleas 2 × 0.5 mm, shorter than the lemma, oblanceolate, 2–keeled, the keels ciliate, hyaline; stamens 3, anthers 1 mm long; styles 2, stigma feathery; ovary 0.1 mm long; caryopsis not seen.

Etymology:— The new species is named after the type locality the Tirumala hill, a part of the Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve.

Phenology:— Flowering and fruiting in September.

Distribution and Ecology:— Tripogon tirumalae is currently known from two localities, Tirumala hills in Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve and Penchalakona of Veligonda hill ranges in Andhra Pradesh. It grows on rocks at elevations between 800 and 900 m, in association with Eragrostiella bifaria (Vahl 1791: 19) Bor (1940: 270) , Digitaria longiflora ( Retzius 1786: 15) Persoon (1805: 85) , Heteropogon contortus ( Linnaeus 1753: 1045) Roemer & Schultes (1871: 836) .

Conservation Status:— The two collection locations are not thoroughly explored, and therefore we assess the new species as data deficient (DD) using the criteria of IUCN (2001).

Additional specimen examined (Paratype):— INDIA, Andhra Pradesh, Penchalakona Hills , 14° 19.360´N, 79° 23.749´E, 815 m elevation, 6 September 2012, L . Rasingam, M.S. Rao & Alok Chorghe 2938 ( BSID!) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Tripogon tirumalae habit, from L. Rasingam, M.S. Rao & Alok Chorghe 2914.

FIGURE 2. Tripogon tirumalae. A. Spikelet. B. & C. Lower glume. D. Upper glume. E. &F. Lemma. G. Palea. H. Anther. I. Gynoecium. Photos and plate by Alok Chorghe, from L. Rasingam, M.S. Rao & Alok Chorghe 2914.