Received: 21st Sept-2012 Revised: 27th Sept-2012 Accepted: 29th Mar-2013 Research article ERIOCAULON KANNURENSE (ERIOCAULACEAE), A NEW SPECIES FROM KERALA, INDIA C. N. Sunil2, M. K. Ratheesh Narayanan1*, M. K. Nandakumar1, Sujana K. A.3, Jayesh P. Joseph1 and N. Anil Kumar1 1 M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Puthoorvayal P. O., Kalpetta, Wayanad, Kerala, India – 673121, Ph. +91 (0)4936 204477, Tele fax: +91 (0)4936 207019. 2 SNM College, Moothakunnam, Maliankrara P.O., Ernakulam, Kerala, India– 683 516. Ph. +91 (0)4842482386, Tele fax: +91 (0)484 2483600. 3 Botanical Survey of India, Central Botanical Laboratory, AJCB Indian Botanical Garden, Botanical garden P. O., Howrah, West Bengal, India – 711103, Ph. +91 (0)33 2668 5771, Tele fax: +91 (0)33 2668 3163. 1 *Present address: Department of Botany, Payyanur College, Edat P.O., Payyanur, Kannur Dist. – 670 327, Kerala, India. Email. ratheeshpoduval@yahoo.co.in. ABSTRACT: Eriocaulon kannurense Sunil, Ratheesh & Nandakumar (Eriocaulaceae), a new species from the Kannur District, Kerala, India, is described and illustrated. The species is allied to Eriocaulon setaceum and E. capillus-naiadis in its submerged aquatic habit and elongated stem bearing filiform leaves, but differs mainly in having split sheath limb, white coloured heads and anther and isodiametric cells of seed coat without appendages. Key words: Eriocaulon, Eriocaulaceae, India, Kannur, Kerala, Laterite hill INTRODUCTION The genus Eriocaulon L. (Eriocaulaceae) with about 400 species [7] is distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Linnaeus [5] , while establishing this genus described four species of which three were from India. Ma et al. (2000) made a treatment for Eriocaulaceae in China and provided a detailed account of 35 species including a submerged aquatic herb. Ansari & Balakrishnan (1994) in their revision of Eriocaulaceae recognised 65 species for India. However, novelties are being added in recent years [2, 4, 9, 10, 11, 1 revised their earlier work and provided a detailed account of 80 species in India. Subsequently a few more species have been described from Peninsular India such as E. baramaticum [13], E. epedunculatum, E. pykarense [8], and E. wayanadense [15]. During a recent floristic exploration in the laterite hillock in the midland of Kannur District, Kerala, specimens of Eriocaulon L. were collected that belongs to the section IV proposed by [1]. The plants of this section are submerged aquatic herbs with an elongated stem bearing filiform leaves throughout. E. capillus-naiadis, Eriocaulon melanocephalum and E. setaceum are the only three submerged aquatic species found in the World. The present one is an addition to this section, from the foot hills of the Western Ghats of India, described and illustrated here. TAXONOMIC TREATMENTS Eriocaulon kannurense Sunil, Ratheesh & Nandakumar sp. nov. Fig. 01, Plates 01 & 02. Caules ad 25 cm longi. Limbus vaginalis apicaliter lobis 2 vel 3 acutis fissus. Capitula alba. Petala apicaliter incana glandula lutea. Antherae albae. Florum femineorum sepala apicaliter et secus margines sparse pubescentia. Semina testa cellulis isodiametricis non seriatis sine appendicibus. Type: India. Kerala. Kannur District: Kanayi Kanam, alt. 200m, 17 Sept. 2011, C. N. Sunil, M. K. Ratheesh Narayanan & M. K. Nandakumar MSSH 3671 (holotype CALI; isotypes: MH, MSSH). International Journal of Plant, Animal and Environmental Sciences Available online at www.ijpaes.com Page: 116 Narayanan et al Copyrights@2013 IJPAES ISSN 2231-4490 Submerged aquatic caulescent herbs; stems up to 25 cm long. Leaves cauline, 6–11 x 0.05–0.075 cm, filiform, semiterete, sheathing and hyaline at base, acuminate at apex, glabrous, 1-nerved. Peduncles many from the apex of the stem, 6–6 cm long, virgate, glabrous. Sheaths 2.5–6 cm long, glabrous; limb apex split into 2 or 3 acute lobes. Heads 4–6 mm across, spherical or ovoid, white. Receptacles 2.5–3 x ca. 2 mm, ovoid, sparsely pilose. Involucral bracts spreading, 2–2.5 x 1–1.5 mm, oblong-obovate, obtuse, entire or incised along margins, glabrous, chartaceous, straw-coloured. Floral bracts 2–2.75 x 0.75–1.25 mm, oblanceolate, acute to acuminate, chartaceous, white, hoary dorsally towards apex . Male flowers: Pedicels ca. 0.25 mm long. Sepals 3, obovate-cuneate, connate into a spathe of ca. 2 x 2 mm, 3-lobed with obtuse lobes, hoary towards apex, white. Stipe of corolla 1–1.5 mm long. Petals 3, unequal, oblong, obtuse, white, hoary at apex with a yellow gland; lateral petals ca. 0.5 mm long; odd one 0.75–1 mm long. Anthers 6, globose, white; filaments straight, unequal, 0.5–1 mm long, white. Female flowers: Pedicels 0.3–0.5 mm long. Sepals 3 or 2, similar or dissimilar; the two lateral ones linear- falcate, conduplicate, acute, 1.5–2 x 0.25–0.5 mm, sparsely hairy along margins and apex, hyaline; the middle one flat, linear, acuminate, 0.3–1.5 x ca. 0.25 mm, with few hairs at apex, hyaline or rarely absent. Petals 3, free, spathulate- linear or oblanceolate, obtuse, 1.75–2 x 0.25–0.4 mm, white, hoary at apex with a black gland in each, sparsely pubescent along margins. Shortly stipitate between sepals and petals. Ovary sessile, ovoid or globose, trigonous, 0.25–0.4 mm long; style 3-fid, 1.5– 1.75 mm long. Seeds oblong–ellipsoid, obtuse, 0.2–0.3 x ca. 0.2 mm, purple, cells of seed coat isodiametric, not in any specific rows; appendages absent. Note: Eriocaulon kannurense Sunil, Ratheesh & Nandakumar belongs to the submerged aquatic group of Eriocaulon species. This species resembles Eriocaulon setaceum and E. capillus-naiadis in having submerged aquatic habit and elongated stem bearing filiform leaves throughout, but differs by its sheath limb split into 2 or 3 acute lobes, white heads and anthers, petals with a yellow gland at apex, sepals of female flowers sparsely hairy on apex and along margins, and seed coat with isodiametric cells without appendages. E. capillus-naiadis is having a black gland on the petals and transversely elongated appendaged seed coat in contrast to the yellow gland and isodiametric smooth seed coat in Eriocaulon kannurense. A comparison of salient characters of Eriocaulon kannurense and related species is shown in Table 1. Additional specimens examined: India. Kerala. Kannur District: Kanayi Kanam, alt. 200m, 24 Nov. 2011, M. K. Ratheesh Narayanan & M. K. Nandakumar MSSH 4012 (paratype: MSSH). Phenology: Flowering September to February. Etymology: The specific epithet is derived from the type locality, Kannur District in Kerala State, India. Habitat & Distribution: Eriocaulon kannurense grows in large colonies at an altitude of c. 200 m, in perennial streams of laterite hillocks. It known only from the Kanayi Kanam of Kannur District in Kerala, and hence endemic. The laterite hillocks in this area facing high degree of danger of habitat degradation due to ignorance by the public and administrators. The areas are being heavily converted to building sites, mining grounds, dumping sites, etc. The uncontrolled tourist activities are also damaging this fragile ecosystem. Table 1. Diagnostic morphological characters of Eriocaulon kannurense sp. nov. and related species Eriocaulon kannurense Stem up to 25 cm long Sheath limb split into 2 or 3 acute lobes Heads white Petals hoary at apex with a yellow gland Anthers white Sepals of female flowers sparsely hairy on apex and along margins Cells of seed coat isodiametric, not in any specific rows, appendages absent E. setaceum Stem up to 40 cm long Sheath limb entire E. capillus-naiadis Stem up to 40 cm long Sheath limb entire Heads pale black or grey Petals glabrous without any glands Anthers black Sepals of female flowers glabrous Cells of seed coat transversely elongated, appendages present Heads black or straw coloured Petals sparsely pubescent with a black gland Anthers black Sepals of female flowers sparsely hoary along margins Cells of seed coat transversely elongated, appendages present International Journal of Plant, Animal and Environmental Sciences Available online at www.ijpaes.com Page: 117 Narayanan et al Copyrights@2013 IJPAES ISSN 2231-4490 Fig. 01. Eriocaulon kannurense Sunil, Ratheesh & Nandakumar. A. Habit, B, C & D. Involucral bracts, E & F. Floral bracts, G. Sheath, H. Male flower, I &J Female flowers, K. Receptacle, L. Seed International Journal of Plant, Animal and Environmental Sciences Available online at www.ijpaes.com Page: 118 Narayanan et al Copyrights@2013 IJPAES ISSN 2231-4490 Plate 02: Eriocaulon kannurense Sunil, Ratheesh & Nandakumar. Scanning electron micrographs of seed. A. seed, B. Enlarged view of seed coat. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors are grateful to the Chairman, Prof. M.S. Swaminathan and the Executive Director of the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai (Tamil Nadu), India, the Director, Botanical Survey of India and the Manager and Head of the Department of Botany, Sree Narayana Mangalam College and Payyanur College for providing facilities and support. Sincere thanks are expressed towards Dr. J.F. Veldkamp (L) for critical remarks and the Latin translation of the diagnosis. 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