Abstract
The taxonomy and distribution of the Podostemaceae of Kerala are described with figures and maps. Nine genera and 13 species are included. Kerala is the southwestern state of India. Most rivers of Kerala originate in the Western Ghats. Two genera that occur in the state (Dalzellia, Indotristicha) represent subfamily Tristichoideae, whereas the remaining seven represent subfamily Podostemoideae. Four species (Dalzellia zeylanica (Gardn.) Wight, Farmeria metzgerioides (Trimen) Willis, Podostemum subulatum Gardn. and Zeylanidium olivaceum (Gardn.) Engl.) are restricted to southern India and Sri Lanka. A new combination, namely, Podostemum munnarense (Nagendran & Arekal) Mathew & Satheesh is made herein. Two species (Podostemum munnarense, Zeylanidium maheshwarii Mathew & Satheesh) are endemic to one locality each in Kerala. Six species are restricted to western or southern India (Indotristicha ramosissima (Wight) Van Royen, Farmeria indica Willis, Griffithella hookeriana (Tul.) Warm., Hydrobryopsis sessilis (Willis) Engl., Polypleurum stylosum (Wight) J.B. Hall and Willisia selaginoides (Bedd.) Warm. ex Willis). Zeylanidium lichenoides (Kurz.) Engl. has a broad distribution. The extensive morphological variability of Polypleurum stylosum is discussed.
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