Taxonomy and distribution of little known species of the genus Xylocarpus (Meliaceae) in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Abstract

Abstract A recent floristic survey revealed the occurrence of three species of Xylocarpus in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Of these, Xylocarpus granatum and X. moluccensis are true mangrove species, whereas X. rumphii is a non-mangrove species. All three Xylocarpus species were recorded from the Andaman Islands, but none of them have been recorded from the Nicobar Islands. The key distinguishing characters of X. granatum, X. moluccensis and X. rumphii are described to resolve the nomenclatural ambiguity of Xylocarpus spp. in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.