Nelumbo Vol 59(1), (58-60) 2017 ISSN (Print) : 0976-5069 DOI : 10.20324/nelumbo/v59/2017/115989 ISSN (Online) : 2455-376X Rubus ghanakantae, a less known blackberry from Eastern Himalaya, India Chandani Gupta1 and Sudhansu Sekhar Dash2 1Central National Herbarium, Botanical Survey of India, Howrah 2Botanical Survey of India, CGO Complex, Salt Lake City, Kolkata Corresponding author : [email protected] Hkkjr ds iwohZ fgeky; ls ,d vYiKkr CySdcsjh% :cl ?kukdkrkabZ pk¡nuh xqIrk ,oa lq/kka’kq 'ks[kj nk'k lkjka’k izLrqr ‘kks/k i= esa :cl ?kukdkarkbZ vkj- ,l- jko ,oa ts- tkslsQ dk la’kksf/kr ofxZdh fu:i.k blds ijkx d.kksa dh lw{ekdkfjdh ds lkFk fn;k x;k gSA lsD’ku lkst-ksLVkbyh mioa’k ekykdkscsVl oa’k :cl dks çFke ckj Hkkjr ls vfHkysf[kr fd;k x;k gSA ABSTRACT Rubus ghanakantae Sozostyli Malachobatus, Rubus The amended description along with the micromorphology of pollen of R. S. Rao & J. Joseph is presented. Section of subgenus of genus is reported for first time from India. Keywords: Rubus Sozostyli Malachobatus , , , new record, India INTRODUCTION the sections were reported from India. The section Moluc- cani has maximum number of species among all the sec- Focke (1910, 1911 and 1914) classified genus Rubus into tions of subgenus Malachobatus. During our revisionary 12 subgenera which were again divided into different sec- study, we came across a specimen allied to Rubus preptan- tion and series. Of the 12 subgenera, in India 8 subgen- thus Focke housed in herbarium of State Forest Research era have been recognized till date. Focke’s monograph on Institute, Itanagar. Subsequently it was described as Rubus Rubus (1910-11, 1914), has maximum number of spe- haridasanii Chand. Gupta & S. S. Dash. But critical study cies under the subgenus Idaeobatus. In India, the highest of literature revealed that, Rubus haridasanii Chand. numbers of species are from the subgenus Malachobatus, Gupta & S. S. Dash has already been described as Rubus which is classified further into 7 sections viz., Sozostyli, ghanakantae R. S. Roa & J. Joseph from Bomdila region Lineati, Cochinchinenses, Elongati, Pirifolii, Acuminati of Arunachal Pradesh. Therefore, the species Rubus hari- and Moluccani; except Sozostyli and Cochinchinensis, all dasanii is reduced here to the synonym under Rubus Received: 22.02.2017 Accepted: 14.05.2017 Date of Publication: 31.07.2017 Chandani Gupta and Sudhansu Sekhar Dash ghanakantae R. S. Rao & J. Joseph. However, it is interest- (> 70), unequal, uni- to multi-seriate, shorter than pet- ing to note that, the species belongs to section Sozostyli als; filaments 5 – 6 mm long; anthers dorsifixed, dis- of subgenus Malachobatus of genus Rubus, which has not tinctly 2-lobed, c. 1 mm long, dehiscence longitudinally been reported from India earlier. So the occurrence of the latrorse, sparsely villous. Carpels many, apocarpous; species Rubus ghanakantae R. S. Rao & J. Joseph forms a ovary c. 1 mm long, glabrous, superior; style 1, sub ter- new sectional distributional record for India. A detailed minal, 6 – 8 mm long, glabrous; stigma laterally diverg- amended description of Rubus ghanakantae R. S. Rao & J. ing, thickened or warted; ovules solitary; torus slightly Joseph is provided here along with a micromorphological convex with long erect hairs. characters of pollen examined using Scanning Electron Due to its shrubby habit, prickly stem, simple leaves, Microscope (SEM, model- FEI Quanta 400) at HV 20.0 free and caducous stipules, it is proposed here that, the EV and under the oil (100X) objective of the Light Micro- species is to be placed under Section Sozostyli subgenus scope (LM, model- Olympus CX41). Malachobatus of genus Rubus. Pollen morphology:—The pollen grains are 3–colpo- TAXONOMIC TREATMENT rate, small, prolate spheroidal, 3-lobed in polar outline Rubus ghanakantae R. S. Rao & J. Joseph, Bull. Bot. (P/E ratio 1.03) with size 28–30 μm towards the pole with Surv. India 12: 261, pl. 1 & figs. 1-10. 1972 (1970). Rubus an obtuse angled ends which often undifferentiated, colpus haridasanii Chand. Gupta & S. S. Dash, Phytotaxa 289(2): widely constricted at equator, distinctly undulated along 176. 2016, syn. nov. the edges; the equatorial bridge is distinct. Colpus mem- Straggling prickly shrub, up to 4 m high. Stem terete, brane is covered with granulation particularly along the woody, usually with small sharp recurved prickles, edges. Endoaperature smooth, indistinct, usually hidden tomentose, gradually glabrous at maturity. Leaves alter- under the rugged exine or equatorial bridge. The exine nate, simple, ovate, lanceolate or oblong-elliptic, 3.2 – layer is thick, finely ornamented. Surface ornamentation 12 × 1.2 – 4.5 cm, apex long acuminate-caudate, margin is finely striate, rarely verrucose-perforate. The muri are irregularly incised with coarse to double serration, base meridional, narrow and predominantly anastomose by sub truncate to truncate; lateral veins 7 – 9 pairs, gla- interconnection of their distant ends, more often creating brous above, grey tomentose beneath, abaxially prickly a perforated tectum. The range of anastomose is 2–3 along on mid-vein; petioles slender, 1 – 1.5 cm long, prickly, tomentose and slightly villous when young, glabrous at the 10 µm length. The perforations are dense and uniform. maturity; stipules entire, lanceolate, c. 14 × 3 mm, acute, Distribution:—India, Arunachal Pradesh; Talley valley, glabrous adaxially and abaxially finely villous, decidu- Bomdila. ous. Inflorescences in terminal corymbose racemes, 5 Habitat and ecology:—Rubus ghanakantae grows in – 6-flowered. Flowers complete, bisexual, perigynous, open moist hill slopes in temperate forests in between c. 2.3 cm across, creamy white; pedicels slender, 1 – 1800–2700 m of elevation. 1.4 cm long, densely tomentose-villous, stipitate glan- Flowering and fruiting:—May – August. dular with prickles; bracts stipule-like, c. 12 × 5 mm, Specimens examined:—INDIA. Arunachal Pradesh: oblong to lanceolate, sub-equally bifid at tip, glabrous Kameng district, Rahung-Bomdila, 92°30’W 27°20’N, c. adaxially, densely villous abaxially; bracteoles setaceous, 2160 m, 5 June 1957, J. Joseph & Rolla S. Rao 8086A(holo), 5 – 7 × 1 mm, densely villous abaxially. Calyx gamo- 8086B-E(iso) (all in ASSAM!); Lower Subansiri district, Tal- petalous; united part c. 2 mm long; lobes 5, narrowly ley Valley, 1875 m, 10 June 1984, K. Haridasan 1097 (CAL!) ovate, 12 – 13 × 3 – 5 mm, apex caudate-acuminate, reflexed, stipitate glandular, usually with straight but weak needle-like prickles, both adaxially and abaxially ACKNOWLEDGEMENT densely grey tomentose, more densely villous abaxially. Corolla polypetalous; petals creamy white, 5, obovate, 7 The authors are thankful to Dr. P. Singh, Director, Botani- – 8 × 4 – 5 mm, apex obtuse or rounded, margin entire, cal Survey of India for encouragement and providing minutely hairy, base narrowed, truncate. Stamens many facilities. 59 www.nelumbo-bsi.org Nelumbo Rubus Ghanakantae, A Less Known Blackberry From Eastern Himalaya, India Plate -1: Holotype of the Rubus ghanakantae R.S. Rao & J. Joseph REFERENCES FOCKE, W.O. 1911. Species Ruborum, Monographiae generis Rubi Prodromus, part II. Bibliotheca Botanica 17: 121– 223. DASH, S. S., CHANDANI GUPTA & L.R. BHUYAN 2016. A FOCKE, W.O. 1914. Species Ruborum, Monographiae generis new species of Rubus L. (Rosaceae) from Arunachal Pradesh, Rubi Prodromus, part III. Bibliotheca Botanica 19: 224– 498. India. Phytotaxa. 289(2): 175– 180. RAO, R.S. AND J. JOSEPH 1972 (1970). Rubus ghanakantae FOCKE, W.O. 1910. Species Ruborum, Monographiae generis Rolla Rao et Joseph. A new species from Arunachal Pradesh. Rubi Prodromus part I. Bibliotheca Botanica 17: 1– 120. Bull. Bot. Surv. India 12: 261– 263. 60 www.nelumbo-bsi.org Nelumbo