New Taxa of Murdannia (Commelinaceae) from Sri Lanka

Abstract

Three new species and three infraspe- cific taxa of Murdannia are described from Sri Lan- ka. Murdannia dimorphoides Faden, with subsp. di- morphoides and subsp. perennis Faden, and Murdannia audreyae Faden are endemic to Sri Lanka. Murdannia striatipetala Faden also occurs in southern India. The new variety, Murdannia spir- ata var. parviflora Faden, is recognized as indige- nous in Sri Lanka and naturalized in the southern nials with repent shoots from the lower nodes, and stipitate, fusiform tubers from the base. Leaves strongly decrescent distally on the flowering shoot, sheaths 0.3-1 cm long, ciliate at the apex, lamina linear to lanceolate-oblong, 1.5-8(-11.5) cm long, elliptic, (0.8-)1.1-1.35 x 0.5-0.75 mm, pollen white; staminodes 3, filaments 1.3-2 mm long, sparsely to densely bearded basally, antherodes 3- lobed, 0.5-1.1 X 0.5-0.95 mm, medial lobe white, lateral lobes creamy yellow; ovary oblong-elliptic, 1-1.3 X 0.5-0.65 mm, green, style 1.6-2.2 mm long, lilac to violet basally, stigma capitate, white. Capsules oblong-ellipsoid, 3.5-4.5(-5) X1.5-2 mm, brown, glabrous. Seeds uniseriate, 3 to 4 per locule, ovate to rectangular or trapezoidal in out- line, (0.5-)0.6-1.2(-1.45) X 0.6-0.9 mm, testa light brown to gray or orange-brown, lightly rugose or striate, occasionally smooth, with a large mid- ventral pit with a central, transverse ridge, hilum punctiform to oblong, on one side of the midventral pit, embryotega semilateral or lateral.