Reinstatement and lectotypification of Gnidia sisparensis (Thymelaeaceae), a species endemic to India

Phytotaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 372 (2) ◽  
pp. 179
Author(s):  
KONICKAL MAMBETTA PRABHUKUMAR ◽  
ZACHARY S. ROGERS ◽  
VADAKKOOT SANKARAN HAREESH ◽  
INDIRA BALACHANDRAN
Keyword(s):  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Leaf Shape ◽  
Distinct Species ◽  
New Combination ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Indian States ◽  
Southwest India ◽  
Infraspecific Taxa ◽  
Voucher Specimens ◽  
Latin Description

Gnidia sisparensis Gardner (1847: 457–458) was first described based on (at least) two collections made from Sispara Pass in the Nilgiri Mountains in southwestern India. Wight (1852: 18, text explanation sub plate 1860) translated the original Latin description of G. sisparensis into English (almost verbatim), adding the following comment: “In its general aspect this plant is so like the other [i.e. G. eriocephala Wall. ex J. Graham (1839: 176)] that it might be passed as such, but on closer examination it proves a very distinct species”. In that publication, Wight also provided the first illustrations of G. sisparensis (plate 1860), and the plant closely matches the description included in Gardner’s protologue. Without personally examining any specimen, Meisner (1857) transferred the species to the very closely related genus Lasiosiphon Fresenius (1838: 602–603), creating L. sisparensis (Gardner) Meisner (1857: 598), on the basis of the protologue (Gardner 1847) and the plate published in Wight (1852). Hooker (1886: 197) synonymized L. sisparensis and several other names [e.g. Lasiosiphon hugelii Meisner (1857: 598), L. metzianus Miquel (1851: 15), G. insularis Gardner (1847: 456)] under a broadly circumscribed L. eriocephalus (Wall. ex J. Graham) Decaisne (1844: 148), noting that there were no distinguishing characters available to separate them. Later, Gamble (1925) cited Gardner’s Sispara material along with two other collections from Palghat Hills (=Palakkad) and Mysore (=Mysuru), made by Beddome and Lobb, respectively. Additionally, Gamble (1925) recognized the taxon at the varietal rank as L. eriocephalus var. sisparensis (Gardner) Gamble (1925: 1244), mentioning differences related to leaf shape and the color of the trichomes within the inflorescences. Townsend (1981) was the first to treat L. eriocephala, and its basionym, Gnidia eriocephala, as synonyms of the widespread African Gnidia glauca (Fresenius 1838: 603) Gilg (1894: 227) [≡ Lasiosiphon glaucus Fresenius(1838: 603)], writing on page 506 that the “Indian material is often more abruptly and less sharply pointed in the leaf than African, but this is by no means consistent”. Additionally, Townsend recognized two infraspecific taxa of G. glauca, the var. glauca, ranging from Southwest India to tropical Africa (Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, through Sudan and Ethiopia and west to Nigeria), and var. insularis (Gardner) Townsend (1981: 507), a more pubescent Sri Lankan variety (Gnidia sisparensis was not mentioned in the publication). Kumari (1987) recognized that Townsend’s treatment implied a transfer of L. eriocephalus var. sisparensis to Gnidia, and published the new combination G. glauca var. sisparensis (Gardner) Kumari (1987: 214). Kumari went on to indicate the Ramanathapuram District of Tamil Nadu as its native range, without citing any voucher specimens. Moreover, Naithani (1990) also recognized the variety and extended its distribution, reporting three adjacent Indian states (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala), but likewise without citing any supporting vouchers.         Gnidia sisparensis is reinstated here as a distinct species and a lectotype is designated for the name.

The study of online digitized specimens revalidates Andersonglossum boreale as a species different from A. virginianum (Boraginaceae)

Phytotaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 295 (1) ◽  
pp. 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
PEDRO JIMÉNEZ-MEJÍAS ◽  
JAMES I. COHEN ◽  
ROBERT F. C. NACZI
Keyword(s):  
Distinct Species ◽  
New Combination ◽  
Morphometric Study ◽  
Taxonomic Relationships ◽  
Infraspecific Taxa ◽  
Independent Species ◽  
Corolla Diameter

Cynoglossum virginianum L., now transferred to the genus Andersonglossum as A. virginianum (L.) J.I.Cohen, has been traditionally considered to be formed by two infraspecific taxa: var. virginianum, and var. boreale (Fernald) Cooperr. The var. boreale was originally described as an independent species, Cynoglossum boreale Fernald, and remained treated as such until its combination as a variety of C. virginianum. However, no analysis exists that objectively compares both taxa in order to properly assess their taxonomic relationships. We performed a morphometric study to help elucidate their taxonomy. We found that both species are distinguishable using a few characters, despite slight overlap in nutlet length, corolla diameter, and calyx length, all traditionally considered to identify both taxa. The relatively large amount of variation in calyx dimensions seems to be the reason for most recent authors treating the two taxa at varietal rank. We provide the new combination Andersonglossum boreale (Fernald) Jim.Mejías, J.I.Cohen & Naczi to allow treating Cynoglossum boreale as a distinct species under its new generic circumscription.

scholarly journals Interstate disparities in the performances in combatting COVID-19 in India: efficiency estimates across states

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shrabanti Maity ◽  
Nandini Ghosh ◽  
Ummey Rummana Barlaskar
Keyword(s):  
Disease Management ◽  
Recovery Rate ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Health Determinants ◽  
Stochastic Production Frontier ◽  
Exogenous Variables ◽  
Indian States ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Comparative Efficiency ◽  
Long Run

Abstract Background Currently, the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic poses the greatest global health threat worldwide, and India is no exception. As an overpopulated developing country, it is very difficult to maintain social distancing to restrict the spread of the disease in India. Under these circumstances, it is necessary to examine India’s interstate performances to combat COVID-19. This study aims to explore twin objectives: to investigate the comparative efficiency of Indian states to combat COVID-19 and to unfold the factors responsible for interstate disparities in the efficiency in combatting COVID-19. Methods The stochastic production frontier model was utilized for data analysis. The empirical analysis was facilitated by the inefficiency effects model, revealing the factors that influence interstate variability in disease management efficiency. Three types of variables, namely, output, inputs, and exogenous, were used to measure health system efficiency. The relevant variables were compiled from secondary sources. The recovery rate from COVID-19 was the output variable and health infrastructures were considered as the input variable. On the contrary, the non-health determinants considered to have a strong influence on the efficiency of states’ disease management, but could not be considered as input variables, were recognised as exogenous variables. These exogenous variables were specifically used for the inefficiency analysis. Results The empirical results demonstrated the existence of disparities across Indian states in the level of efficiency in combatting COVID-19. A non-trivial outcome of this study was that Tamil Nadu was the best performer and Manipur was the worst performer of the investigated states. Variables such as elderly people, sex ratio, literacy rate, population density, influenced the efficiency of states, and thus, affected the recovery rate. Conclusion This study argues for the efficient utilisation of the existing health infrastructures in India. Simultaneously, the study suggests improving the health infrastructure to achieve a long-run benefit.

A refined circumscription of Notobubon striatum and the resurrection of Dregea collina Ecklon & Zeyher (Apiaceae, Apioideae)

Phytotaxa ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 266 (1) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANTHONY R. MAGEE ◽  
ODETTE E. CURTIS ◽  
B-E. VAN WYK
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Status ◽  
Leaf Size ◽  
Type Specimen ◽  
Distinct Species ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Type Material ◽  
New Combination ◽  
Careful Examination ◽  
Field Surveys ◽  
Extensive Field

Extensive field surveys of the Critically Endangered Central and Eastern Rûens Shale Renosterveld have uncovered that Notobubon striatum, as currently circumscribed, comprises two distinct species. Upon careful examination of the type material it has become clear that names exist for both species. The type specimen of N. striatum clearly matches the lesser known species, a large shrub, ca. 1 m. tall, with a powerful anise-scent and which is restricted to the banks of seasonal rivers and watercourses in the Central and Eastern Rûens Shale Renosterveld. The second and better known entity, with a wider distribution, corresponds to the type material of Dregea collina Ecklon & Zeyher. As such, a new combination, Notobubon collinum (Ecklon & Zeyher) Magee, is here made to accommodate this taxon, restricted to dry quartz and silcrete patches or outcrops in Eastern Rûens Shale Renosterveld. In their revised circumscriptions N. striatum and N. collinum are readily distinguished by habit, scent, leaf size and division, as well as leaf lobe shape and sepal size. Comprehensive descriptions of both species are provided, together with notes on their ecology and conservation status, and the existing key to the species of Notobubon updated. This brings the number of recognised species in the genus to thirteen.

The genera Agathocles and Surenus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae): tribal reassessment, redescription, new synonyms, and description of two new species

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4958 (1) ◽  
pp. 510-559
Author(s):  
S. SALINI ◽  
PETR KMENT
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Andhra Pradesh ◽  
New Combination ◽  
Gender Agreement ◽  
New Synonyms ◽  
Two New Species ◽  
New Distribution ◽  
Unknown Male ◽  
Subjective Synonym

The genus Surenus Distant, 1901 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomoidea: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae: Halyini) is revisited and found to be a junior subjective synonym of the genus Agathocles Stål, 1876 (currently Pentatominae: Rolstoniellini). The genus Agathocles and its type species, Agathocles limbatus Stål, 1876, are redescribed. Lectotype of Surenus normalis Distant, 1901 (= Agathocles normalis (Distant, 1901) comb. nov.) is designated and the unknown male of the species is described. Agathocles yunnanensis Zhang & Lin, 1984, syn. nov., is considered junior subjective synonym of A. limbatus. Two new species are described: Agathocles flavipes sp. nov. from India (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu) and A. joceliae sp. nov. from Malaysia (Kelantan, Perak). The new species differ from their congeners mainly by the morphology of mandibular plates, length of antennomeres I, IIa and IIb, body length, and structure of male genitalia. Agathocles dubius Distant, 1921 is transferred to the genus Caystrus Stål, 1861 (Pentatominae: Caystrini) based on examination of its holotype with the resulting new combination: Caystrus dubius (Distant, 1921), comb. nov. One new combination is proposed, Paramecocoris ruficornis (Fieber, 1851), comb. nov. (from preoccupied Paramecus Fieber, 1851), and its type locality is clarified as Tenasserim (south Myanmar). Gender agreement and authorship of the name Riazocoris niger Ahmad & Afzal, 1977 in Ahmad et al. (1977: 161) are corrected and status of its name bearing type is clarified as lectotype. The following new distribution records are given: A. limbatus from Cambodia, China (Guangxi, Tibet), Laos and Thailand, A. normalis, Caystrus obscurus (Distant, 1901a) and Critheus lineatifrons Stål, 1869 from Laos, Amasenus corticalis Stål, 1863 from Cambodia, Indonesia (E Kalimantan), Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, and Rolstoniellus boutanicus (Dallas, 1849) from Vietnam. Based on characters of external morphology and genitalia, the genus Agathocles is compared with representatives of the genera Halys Fabricius, 1803 (Halyini), Caystrus (Caystrini), Laprius Stål, 1861 (Myrocheini), and Exithemus Distant, 1902 (currently in Rolstoniellini). As a result, the genus Agathocles is here transferred to the tribe Caystrini. The genus Kyrtalus Van Duzee, 1929 is tentatively placed in Myrocheini based on the presence of sulcate mesosternum and femora provided with teeth. 

scholarly journals Incidence of treatment for postabortion complications in India, 2015

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (7) ◽  
pp. e002372
Author(s):  
Susheela Singh ◽  
Rubina Hussain ◽  
Chander Shekhar ◽  
Rajib Acharya ◽  
Melissa Stillman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
National Level ◽  
Uttar Pradesh ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Legal Abortion ◽  
Indian States ◽  
Medication Abortion ◽  
Postabortion Care

Abortion has been legal under broad criteria in India since 1971. However, access to legal abortion services remains poor. In the past decade, medication abortion (MA) has become widely available in India and use of this method outside of health facilities accounts for over 70% of all abortions. Morbidity from unsafe abortion remains an important health issue. The informal providers who are the primary source of MA may have poor knowledge of the method and may offer inadequate or inaccurate advice on use of the method. Misuse of the method can result in women seeking treatment for true complications as well as during the normal processes of MA. An estimated 5% of all abortions are done using highly unsafe methods and performed by unskilled providers, also contributing to abortion morbidity. This paper provides new representative abortion-related morbidity measures at the national and subnational levels from a large-scale 2015 study of six Indian states—Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. The outcomes include the number and treatment rates of women with complications resulting from induced abortion and the type of complications. The total number of women treated for abortion complications at the national level is 5.2 million, and the rate is 15.7 per 1000 women of reproductive age per year. In all six study states, a high proportion of all women receiving postabortion care were admitted with incomplete abortion from use of MA—ranging from 33% in Tamil Nadu to 65% in Assam. The paper fills an important gap by providing new evidence that can inform policy-makers and health planners at all levels and lead to improvements in the provision of postabortion care and legal abortion services—improvements that would greatly reduce abortion-related morbidity and its costs to Indian women, their families and the healthcare system.

Generic affiliation of Phyllagathis phamhoangii (Melastomataceae) from Vietnam

Phytotaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 470 (3) ◽  
pp. 217-225
Author(s):  
JIN-HONG DAI ◽  
QI-YUAN ZHUANG ◽  
REN-CHAO ZHOU ◽  
JAREARNSAK SAE WAI ◽  
TRUONG VAN DO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Blade ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Leaf Shape ◽  
Crystal Form ◽  
New Combination ◽  
Acuminate Apex ◽  
Rhizome Morphology

Phyllagathis phamhoangii, a species from Vietnam, was originally described in Phyllagathis based on its resemblance to P. nanakorniana and P. subrotunda in habit, rhizome morphology and leaf shape. However, its overall morphology, mainly stamen and capsule morphology, corresponds better with Fordiophyton indicating questionable generic affiliation. We included molecular (nrITS) and anatomical (crystal form) evidences to resolve the generic affiliation of P. phamhoangii. Our phylogenetic analyses recovered P. phamhoangii inside Fordiophyton and P. nanakorniana and P. subrotunda inside the Kerriothyrsus clade. The Fordiophyton clade is characterized by the presence of raphides, while the Kerriothyrsus clade is characterized by druses. Based on these evidences, P. phamhoangii is herein transferred to Fordiophyton, resulting in a new combination F. phamhoangii. It is morphologically similar to F. peperomiifolium but differs from the latter in the leaf blade with shortly acuminate to acuminate apex (vs. broadly acute), hypanthium 4-ridged (vs. not ridged), and connectives of shorter stamens dorsally spurred (vs. not spurred).

A new species of Clidicus with asymmetrical parameres (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4399 (1) ◽  
pp. 141
Author(s):  
PAWEŁ JAŁOSZYŃSKI
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
A New Species

Clidicus Laporte, 1832 currently comprises 27 species distributed in India (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu), Sri Lanka, Indonesia (Java, Kalimantan, Sumatra), Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak), Laos, Vietnam, the Philippines (Mindanao), China (Hainan) and Australia (Queensland). Some species have conspicuously large adults reaching 8.5 mm, and they represent the largest known Scydmaeninae. Species of Clidicus were relatively poorly known until recently, when Orousset (2014) revised a large portion of this genus and described several new species. Other major studies include Besuchet (1971), who described Sri Lankan species, Jałoszyński et al. (2003) who recorded four new species from Vietnam and Laos, Jałoszyński (2009) with the first description of a Philippine species, and Zhou & Li (2015), who discovered the first species in China. Another new species, representing the second Clidicus occurring in the Philippines, is described below. 

Molecular phylogenetics provides new insights into the systematics of Pimelea and Thecanthes (Thymelaeaceae)

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles S. P. Foster ◽  
David J. Cantrill ◽  
Elizabeth A. James ◽  
Anna E. Syme ◽  
Rebecca Jordan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Phylogenetics ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Distinct Species ◽  
Flowering Plants ◽  
New Combination ◽  
Evolutionary Relationships ◽  
Toxic Compounds ◽  
Biogeographic History ◽  
Plastid Markers

Pimelea Banks & Sol. ex Gaertn. is a genus of flowering plants comprising an estimated 90 species in Australia and ~35 species in New Zealand. The genus is economically important, with the inflorescences of some species having floricultural applications, and the presence of toxic compounds in several species proving poisonous to livestock. Pimelea grows in a variety of habitats ranging from arid to alpine, suggesting a complicated biogeographic history. The relationships within Pimelea remain largely uncertain, despite previous attempts at clarification using molecular phylogenetics. However, it is clear that Pimelea is closely related to Thecanthes Wikstr., with the two genera comprising the subtribe Pimeleinae. We used Bayesian and maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analyses of four plastid markers (matK, rbcL, rps16, trnL–F) and one nuclear ribosomal marker (ITS) to examine the evolutionary relationships within Pimeleinae. We found strong support for the monophyly of Pimeleinae but, similar to previous studies, Pimelea was paraphyletic with respect to Thecanthes. Our results also indicated that P. longiflora R.Br. subsp. longiflora and P. longiflora subsp. eyrei (F.Muell.) Rye are best considered as distinct species. Therefore, we reduce Thecanthes to synonymy with Pimelea, making the necessary new combination Pimelea filifolia (Rye) C.S.P.Foster et M.J.Henwood (previously Thecanthes filifolia Rye), and also reinstate Pimelea eyrei F.Muell.

A new combination in Thelypteridaceae

Phytotaxa ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 132 (1) ◽  
pp. 64
Author(s):  
Jaideep Mazumdar
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Endemic Species ◽  
Distinct Species ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
New Combination ◽  
Generic Concept

Sledge (1981) described the fern Trigonospora obtusiloba Sledge (1981: 18) of Thelypteridaceae as a new endemic species from Sri Lanka. Fraser-Jenkins (2008: 595) suspected that this species was a probable synonym of Cyclosorus caudipinna (Ching) Panigrahi (1993: 66) but it differs from C. caudipinna in smaller size and lack of caudate pinnae apices (Sledge 1981). It can further be distinguished by its strongly dimorphic fronds, i.e., fertile fronds have narrower pinnae and longer stipes than sterile fronds. This is clearly evident in all specimens listed below and has not been reported from any other species of Cyclosorus subgenus Trigonospora (Holttum) Panigrahi (1991: 13). Since the opinion of Fraser-Jenkins (2008) is not supported, it is logical to maintain T. obtusiloba as a distinct species until further molecular data clarify its position. According to present generic concept of Thelypteridaceae (Christenhusz et al. 2011, Rothfels et al. 2012) T. obtusiloba should be transferred to Cyclosorus Link (1833: 128) and consequently a new combination under Cyclosorus is proposed here.

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