Impatiens kulamavuensis, a New Species of Balsaminaceae from India

Abstract

Impatiens kulamavuensis, a distinct new species from India allied to I. parasitica Beddome, is described. Impatiens kulamavuensis A. G. Pandurangan & V. J. Nair, sp. nov. TYPE: India. Kerala: Idukki Dist., Meenmutty-Kulamavu, + 700 m, 6 Oct. 1983, A. G. Pandurangan 82037 (holotype, CAL; isotype, MH). Figure 1. Ab Impatiente parasitica Beddome caulibus stoloniferis, foliis glandulosis, nervis lateralibus non manifestis; sepalis lateralibus et petalis pilosis; stigmatibus curvatis, sericeo-pubescentibus et seminibus pyriformibus differt. Epiphytic stoloniferous herbs; stems short, stout, fleshy, less than 1 cm long. Leaves alternate; petioles gland-dotted, 2-7 mm long, with 2 prominent stipitate glands near the base of the blade; lamina ovatelanceolate, 2-5.5 x 1.5-2.5 cm, membranous, gland-dotted above, glabrous below, deep green, the base cuneate, the apex acuminate, margins entire to obscurely crenulate-serrate, crenules 2-4 mm apart; lateral veins 4-6 pairs, indistinct. Inflorescence a 1-3-flowered raceme; peduncles 2.5-5 cm long; pedicels 3.5-5 cm long. Flowers greenish yellow. Lateral sepals linear, 8-10 x 2-3 mm, hairy outside, glabrous inside. Lower sepal saccate, compressed, 12-15 x 5-7 mm, glabrous; spurs strongly curved, 7-8 x 3-5 mm, tip obtuse. Dorsal petal erect, orbicular to ovate, 6-7 x 8-9 mm, hairy at base. Lateral petals united close to the base, 3-lobed, upper lobes smaller in size, 7-8 x 9-10 mm. Androecium 3-3.5 mm long. Ovary ellipsoid, glabrous, 5-6 x 3-3.5 mm; ovules many, 1-seriate; style short; stigma curved, with an obtuse tip, silky pubescent. Capsules ellipsoid, 10-12 x 4-5 mm, glabrous. Seeds pear-shaped, smooth. Flowering and fruiting October-December. Distribution. Endemic to Meenmutty-Kulamavu, Idukki Dist., Kerala, India. TABLE 1. Comparison of major differences between Impatiens parasitica Beddome and Impatiens kulamavuensis A. G. Pandurangan & V. J. Nair. I. parasitica I. kulamavuensis Stems 10-12 cm long, not stoloniferous, moniliform Leaves glabrous on both surfaces or glabrescent above; lateral nerves prominent Lateral sepals glabrous outside, glandular inside at base Petals glanduliferous inside at base Stigmas straight; stigmatic lobes 5-toothed, not pubescent Seeds rounded to ellipsoid Stems less than 1 cm long, stoloniferous, not moniliform Leaves glanduliferous above, glabrous beneath; lateral nerves indistinct Lateral sepals hairy outside, glabrous inside Petals hairy inside at base Stigmas curved; lobes not 5-toothed, obtuse, silky pubescent Seeds pear-shaped Habitat and ecology. Epiphytic herbs, growing on moss-clad tree trunks at an altitude of 600-700 m. The host trees are Elaeocarpus tuberculatus Roxburgh and Pygium wightiana Blume. Impatiens kulamavuensis was collected in the Idukki hydroelectric project area, Kerala. It is allied to I. parasitica Beddome, but differs in the characters listed in Table 1. Paratype. INDIA. Kerala: Idukki dist., Meenmutty, ? 600 m, 30 Dec. 1983, A. G. Pandurangan 62585 (MH). Acknowledgments. We thank N. P. Balakrishnan, Joint Director, and N. C. Nair, former Joint Director, Botanical Survey of India, for help and encouragement. NovoN 5: 57-58. 1995. This content downloaded from 207.46.13.146 on Tue, 23 Aug 2016 04:00:34 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms