Parasopubia raghavendrae, a new species of Orobanchaceae is described from the southern Western Ghats of Kerala. It resembles P. delphinifolia and P. hofmannii var. hofmannii by its habit, shape, colour and hairiness of corolla lobes but differs by length of calyx tube, hairiness of staminal filaments and stomium, and shape and ornamentation of seeds. Parasopubia raghavendrae is hitherto known only from the type locality Mathikettan Shola National Park in Idukki district, Kerala. Detailed description of the new species along with colour photographs and comparison with its closely similar species are given. We also assessed provisionally the conservation status of the new species as Critically Endangered (CR) according to IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.
Peperomia ekakesara (Piperaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species from Mathikettan shola National Park in southern Western Ghats, Kerala, India. Information is given on the distribution, ecology, phenology, and conservation status of this new species. A key for the identification of south Indian species is provided.
Impatiens sahyadrica (Balsaminaceae), a new scapigerous balsam from Silent Valley National Park, southern Western Ghats is described and illustrated. The new species is phenotypically similar to I. lawsonii. However, it differs from the latter in its smaller flowers; oblong, free upwardly curved basal lobes of the lateral united petals; smaller dorsal auricle and curved spur. A detailed description, notes on distribution, biotic association and relevant taxonomic notes are provided along with colour photographs and illustrations.
A new species, Glycosmis nelliyampathiensis from Nelliyampathy hill ranges of southern Western Ghats, Palakkad, Kerala, India is described and illustrated here. The plant differs from its allied species G. angustifolia in terms of its unifoliolate leaves, elliptic leaflets, 1–4 flowered monochasial cymose inflorescence, hairiness of the corolla apex, sub-capitate stigma and ellipsoid-oblong fruit.
We reassess the taxonomy of the Indian endemic snake Xylophis captaini and describe a new species of Xylophis based on a type series of three specimens from the southernmost part of mainland India. Xylophis deepakisp. nov. is most similar phenotypically to X. captaini, with which it was previously confused. The new species differs from X. captaini by having a broader, more regular and ventrally extensive off-white collar, more ventral scales (117–125 versus 102–113), and by lack of flounces on the body and proximal lobes of the hemipenis. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial 16S DNA sequences strongly indicates that the new species is most closely related to X. captaini, differing from it by an uncorrected pairwise genetic distance of 4.2%. A revised key to the species of Xylophis is provided.
A new species of Cinnamomum (Lauraceae), C. nilagiricum is described and illustrated on the basis of distinct morphological characters known from Nilgiris, southern Western Ghats, India. It is allied to C. dubium but differs in the nature of trunk; shape, size and smell of leaves; 4-locellate anthers of whorl III stamens etc. A detailed description, distribution, phenology, illustration, colour plates and relevant notes are provided.
Here we describe and illustrate Syllophopsis peetersi sp. nov. from Silent Valley National Park, a biodiversity hotspot region of the Western Ghats of India. The discovery also marks a first native report of the genus from the Indian subcontinent. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis was carried out to elucidate the general morphology and sensilla of the new species. The new species is similar to congeners from Madagascar, but with larger differences from species that occur elsewhere.
A new species of Parasopubia (Orobanchaceae) from the southern Western Ghats, India
