Updated distribution of seven Trichosanthes L. (Cucurbitales: Cucurbitaceae) taxa in India, along with taxonomic notes

S. P. Ahlawat ,Soyimchiten Soyimchiten,G. Harish ,K Pradheep ,M. Abdul Nizar ,K. C. Bhatt ,Anjula Pandey Anjula Pandey

doi:10.11609/jott.6313.13.14.20143-20152

Abstract

In India, lack of revisionary work in the genus Trichosanthes L. (Cucurbitales: Cucurbitaceae) over the past 38 years had resulted in several taxonomic and nomenclatural issues, which had implications in determining actual distribution status of taxa. Based on field observations, collected specimens, data from various specimens in herbaria and critical study of all the resources available, here we confirm the extended distribution of T. anaimalaiensis Bedd. in the states of Manipur and Nagaland; T. cordata Roxb. in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar; T. cucumerina L. subsp. sublobata (Kundu) K. Pradheep, D.R. Pani & K.C. Bhatt in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha; T. dicaelosperma C.B. Clarke in Nagaland; T. kerrii Craib in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur; T. majuscula (C.B. Clarke) Kundu in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Assam; and T. truncata C.B. Clarke in Nagaland. Two taxa, namely, Trichosanthes dicaelosperma and T. majuscula, earlier subsumed with T. ovigera Blume or T. cucumeroides (Ser.) Maxim., and T. dunniana H. Lév., respectively, have been resurrected at the rank of species. Lectotypes were designated for the names of above two species. For the first time, female plants of T. majuscula have been described. This communication provides an updated distribution status of seven taxa of Trichosanthes in India along with field and taxonomic notes, and additional taxonomic characters.

Highlights

Known as the largest genus in the family Cucurbitaceae, Trichosanthes L. consists of about 100 species with some having vegetable and medicinal importance, occurring from the Indian subcontinent in the west, to China and Japan in the north and the east, to Australia in the south (de Wilde & Duyfjes 2010, 2012). Chakravarty (1982) and Renner & Pandey (2013) had reported the occurrence of 22 species in India, with more than three-fourths occurring exclusively in the northeastern region of India
Incomplete herbarium collections in species-rich areas, dioecy, nocturnal flowering, heterophylly, and different juvenile morphology, together with the lack of recent revisionary works had resulted to taxonomic misidentifications and nomenclatural instability in the Indian taxa, which in turn led to non-detection of species in a given area, present
Senior author had personally visited various Indian herbaria - ASSAM, BSD, BSHC, BSIS, BSJO, CAL, CUH, DD, KASH, LWG, Meena. Odisha: 5852 (MH), NEHU, NHCP, PBL, PCM, and RHT [herbaria codes according to Thiers (2020, continuously updated)]

Summary

Introduction

Known as the largest genus in the family Cucurbitaceae, Trichosanthes L. consists of about 100 species with some having vegetable and medicinal importance, occurring from the Indian subcontinent in the west, to China and Japan in the north and the east, to Australia in the south (de Wilde & Duyfjes 2010, 2012). Chakravarty (1982) and Renner & Pandey (2013) had reported the occurrence of 22 species in India, with more than three-fourths occurring exclusively in the northeastern region of India. This species is well distinguished from T. bracteata (Lam.) Voigt through tomentose nature of leaves (at lower surface), prominent probracts, pinkishred flowers, highly laciniate bracts and male sepals, and oblong seeds. Tomentosa (= T. anaimalaiensis); ovoid-oblong fruit shape as mentioned in former’s protologue indicates the possibility of erroneous choice of female specimens by Kundu in his herbarium-based study.

Results

Conclusion