zyxwvutsrq Nord. J. Bot. - Section of tropical taxonomy zyxwvut zyxw zyx Two new taxa of Pogostemon (Lamiaceae) from India V. Sampath Kumar and B. D. Sharma Kumar, V. S. & Sharma, B. D. 1995. Two new taxa of Pogostemon (Lamiaceae) from India. - Nord. J. Bot. 15: 163-166. Copenhagen. ISSN 0107-055X. zyxwv A new species Pogostemon hedgei and a new variety P. speciosus var. filiformis, are described from South India. Both belong to sect. Pogostemon. V. S . Kumar, Botanical Survey of India, P.O. Botanic Garden, Howrah-711 1039India. B . D . Sharma, Kothi No. 455, Sector 164,Faridabad-I21 002, India. - During the course of revision of the family Lamiaceae under ‘Flora of India Project’, the authors came across some interesting specimens collected from Western Ghats, which subsequently proved to represent a hitherto unrecognised species of the genus Pogostemon and a new variety of P. speciosus Benth. The genus is represented in India by about 45 species, out of which 15 are endemic and is found almost throughout India. Pogostemon hedgei V. S. Kumar & B. D. Sharma sp. nov. Type: Tamil Nadu, Kanniyakumari Dist.: Muthukuzhivayal way, 1 Feb. 1978, A. N. Henry 53351A (MH, holotype), 53351B (CAL, isotype), 53351C (MH, isotype). P. travancorico Bedd. et P. reflexo Benth. affinis, sed differt fauce calycis hirsuta, apicibus ovarii nucularumque cum glandibus stipitipus; a P. travancorico foliis basi cordatis et calyce extus hirtellis; ab P. reflexo caule glabro, et calycis dentibus triangulari, ad apice caudatis. Fig. 1. Scandent shrub; stem branched, obtusely quadrangular, slightly grooved, rigid, woody below, glabrous, hirtellous below the penduncle; nodes annulate with scars from fallen petioles; internodes (1-) 2-7 cm long. Leaves opposite decussate; lamina broadly ovate to suborbicular, 3-6 by 2-4.5 cm, cordate at base, acute at apex, doubly or irregularly crenate-serrate, submembranous to chartaceAccepted 25-7-1994 0 ous, upper surface drying black, scattered hirtellous on both surfaces and densely on nerves beneath; midrib raised below, sunken above; lateral nerves 5-6 per side, opposite to alternate, raised below, slightly sunken above; petiole 2-4 cm long, slender, slightly grooved, scattered hirtellous. Inflorescence (3-) 6-8 cm long, ca 3 cm in diameter, racemiform, terminal; verticillasters moderately close to confluent, usually few-flowered; bracts linear to oblanceolate, 4-7 mm long, acute, hirtellous; bracteoles linear, up to 1.5 mm long, hirtellous. Flowers reflexed; pedicel 1-1.5 mm long, slender, scattered hirtellous. Calyx tubular-campanulate, 6-8 mm long, narrowed towards base, 10-nerved, 5-central nerves thicker, penicillate harsh hairy at throat, brownish to greyish hirtellous outside; teeth subequal-unequal, triangular-caudate with linear cauda up to 2 mm long, 2.5-3.0 mm long, hirtellous. Corolla light greenish, funnelshaped, 8-9 mm long, tube exserted; upper lip 3-lobed, lobes subequal, rounded, hirtellous outside; lower lip equal to upper lip, lanceolate-elliptic, subacute. Stamens subequal, exserted; filaments 8-12 mm long, villous at base; anthers unilocular. Disc subentire, equal. Ovary 4-partite, with stalked glands at apex. Style 10-12 mm long, slender, bifid at apex; lobes subequal, ca 1 mm long. Nutlets 4, subequal, ca 1 mm long, suborbicular, blackish, angled at one side, rounded at the other, with stalked glands. Flowering and fruiting: January to February. zyxwvutsr Distribution. The species is known only from the type locality, recorded at about 1400 m. NORDIC JOURNAL OF BOTANY Nord. J. Bot. 15 (2) (1995) 163 zyxwv zyxwv zyxwvutsrqponmlk zy zyxwvutsrqpo B O A Fig. 1 . Pogostemon hedgei. A, Habit; B, Bract; C, Bracteole; D, Flower; E, Calyx; F. Corolla and Stamens;G . Disc, Ovary and Style; H, Ovary; I-J, Nutlets innerface and profile. - ( A X , holotype; D-J, isotype, CAL). 164 Nod. J. Bot. 15 (2) (1995) F 3mn zyxw 1 zyxwvutsrqpon zyxwvu zyxwvutsrqpon 0 . . c zy Fig. 2 . Pogosfemonspeciosus var.filiformis. A , Habit; B, Bract; C, Flower; D, Calyx; E, Corolla and Stamens; F, Disc, Ovary and Style; G , Ovary. - (All from holotype). Nord. J. Bot. 15 (2) (1995) 165 zyxwvutsr zyxwvu z zyxwvutsrq The reflexed flowers in the racemiform inflorescence indicate P. hedgei is related to P. travancoricus and P. reflexus, but differs in the penicillate hairs at calyx throat and in that ovary and nutlets with stalked glands at apex. It differs also from the former by its cordate leaf base and in being calyx hirtellous outside and from the latter by its glabrous stem and triangular calyx teeth with caudate apex. The species is named in honour of Ian C. Hedge, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh for his contribution to Labiatae of our region. diameter, spiciform, terminal; verticillasters many-flowered, confluent; bracts up to 2 mm long, linear, hairy. Calyx tubular-campanulate, slightly narrowed towards base, 5 4 mm long, 10-nerved, some nerves often inconspicuous, scattered brownish hirsute outside; teeth unequal, up to 3 mm long, triangular, filiform at apex, ciliate. Corolla reddish white and white at top, tubular, 6-7 mm long, tube barely exserted. Stamens subequal, exserted; filaments 9 rnm long, villous at base; anthers unilocular, cream in colour. Style white, 12-13 mm long, slender, bifid at apex; lobes subequal with pink tinge. Nutlets not seen. Flowering: January. zyxwvuts Pogostemon speciosus Benth. var. filiformis V. S. Kumar & B. D. Sharma var. nov. Type: Tamil Nadu, Nilagiri Dist.: Thia shola, 31 Jan. 1913,C. E. C. Fischer 3540 (CAL, holotype). A varietate typica, differt calyx extus sparsim hirsuto, dentibusque ad apicem filiformibus. - Fig. 2. Shrub, up to 2 m high; stems branched, erect, evanescently hirsute. Leaves opposite decussate; lamina suborbicular, 5-10 by 4-7 cm, cordate at base, acuminate at apex, double crenate to irregularly crenate, hispidous on both surfaces. Inflorescence up to 13 cm long, ca 3 cm in 166 Specimens examined. Tamil Nadu, Nilagiri Dist.: Carnington, 5 Jan. 1971, B. V. Shetty 37715 (MH-2 sheets). Distribution. The variety occurs in sholas, recorded between 1900-2000 m. Although the vegetative and reproductive features of this variety reflect very strong resemblances to var. speciosus, it is easily distinguishable by scattered hirsute hairs on the outer surface of the calyx rather than minutely pubescent and by the triangular teeth with filiform apex (basis for the epithet) rather than the acuminate ones of var. speciosus. zyx Nord. J. Bot. 15 (2) (1995)