Vol. 29(1): 01–115 (2019) ISSN: 0971-2313 (Print edition) Rheedea RESEARCH ARTICLE Journal of the Indian Association for Angiosperm Taxonomy https://dx.doi.org/10.22244/rheedea.2019.29.1.01 Taxonomic revision of Ceropegia (Apocynaceae: Ceropegieae) in India Kambale S.S.1,2 & S.R. Yadav2 1Department of Botany, Maratha Vidya Prasarak Samaj’s Arts, Commerce & Science College, Tryambakeshwar, Maharashtra – 422 212, India. 2Angiosperm Taxonomy Laboratory, Department of Botany, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra – 416 004, India. * E-mail: [email protected] The genus Ceropegia can be easily distinguished Abstract: The genus Ceropegia (Apocynaceae: from other genera of Ceropegieae viz. Brachystelma Ceropegieae) is revised for India based on field R.Br. and Caralluma R.Br. by its cage-like observation, literature survey and extensive herbarium structure of flowers formed by corolla lobes, which studies. Sixty one taxa are recognized under seven are apically connate to various degrees (Hooker, sections. Nomenclatural anomalies are resolved. 1883; Huber, 1957; Ansari, 1984; Li 1995; Distribution status is given for each species. A lectotype is et al., Meve, 2009; Kullayiswamy 2013; Kidyoo & designated for and second step lectotypes et al., C. schumanniana Paliyavuth, 2017). are designated for C. hookeri and C. lucida; C. karulensis is reduced here as a variety of C. sahyadrica; C. mizoramensis Subsequent to the revision of Ceropegia in India and C. murlensis are reduced to the synonymy of C. (Ansari, 1984), a number of new species have been longifolia subsp. sinensis. Detailed descriptions, notes, described from different parts of the country by colour photoplates and taxonomic keys for sections, various authors (Swarupanandan & Mangaly, 1992; species and infra-specific taxa are presented. Sreekumar et al., 1998; Daniel & Umamaheshwari, Keywords: Apocynaceae, Ceropegia, Distribution, 2001; Yadav et al., 2004; Malpure et al., 2006; Endemism, Lectotypification, Taxonomy, Western Punekar et al., 2006; Yadav et al., 2006; Yadav Ghats. & Shendange, 2010; Diwakar & Singh, 2011; Kambale & Yadav, 2012; Kullayiswamy et al., 2013; Rahangdale & Rahangdale, 2012; Sujanapal Introduction et al., 2013; Manudev et al., 2016). The genus Ceropegia L. comprises 244 species The present study is a comprehensive treatment distributed in Africa and Madagascar, extending of Ceropegia, based on extensive field surveys in the east to Arabia, India and China, northern throughout its distributional range in India. The part of Australia as far as Canary Islands (Bruyns, descriptions of majority of the species are based on 2014). Highest diversity of the genus occurs in live collections. South Africa, followed by Kenya, Madagascar and Materials and Methods India (Sri Rama Murthy et al., 2012). In India, the genus is represented by 53 species, 2 subspecies and The specimens were collected from different 6 varieties of which 37 are endemic to Peninsular regions of India. Live plants were grown in India (Ahmedullah & Nayar, 1987). Majority of earthen pots in the Botanic Garden of Shivaji species in India occurs along steep hill Ceropegia University, Kolhapur. Herbarium specimens were slopes amidst Nees, several Strobilanthes callosa prepared following Vogel (1987) and Forman others in rock crevices at low to high elevation and Bridson (1992). Plants were photographed lateritic plateaus, along with bushes, forest margins, grasslands of dry deciduous forests, shola forest with Nikon D80/D90 DSLR cameras and margins and still others prefer to grow at drier photomicrographs using Zeiss Stemi SV11 Stereo habitats (Figs. 1 & 2). microscope attached with a Nikon Coolpix 4500 camera. All voucher specimens were deposited Received: 12.11.2018; Revised & Accepted: 15.03.2019 in the herbarium of Shivaji University, Kolhapur Published Online: 31.03.2019 (SUK). Digital images of the type specimens at 2 Taxonomic revision of Ceropegia in India Fig. 1. Habitat of Ceropegia species: a. High elevation lateritic plateaus; b. Dry-deciduous scrub forest; c. Scrub open rocky areas dominated by succulent Euphorbias; d. Steep mountain slopes (inset shows typical representative species of the habitats: a. C. jainii Ansari & B.G. Kulk.; b. C. juncea Roxb.; c. C. spiralis Wight; d. C. sahyadrica Ansari & B.G. Kulk. var. sahyadrica). Kambale & Yadav 3 Fig. 2. Habitat of Ceropegia species: a. Shola forests associated with grasslands; b. Grasslands at high elevations with less rainfall; c. Bushes of Strobi- lanthes callosa (inset shows typical species of the habitat: a. C. gardneri Thwaites; b. C. ravikumariana Kambale & Gnanasek.; c. C. fantastica Sedgw.). 4 Taxonomic revision of Ceropegia in India BM, E, G, GH, PDA and K were examined. The of 5 erect to erecto-divergent, linear-clavate to specimens from the following herbaria: ARUN, spathulate lobes, alternate or opposite with outer ASSAM, BLAT, BAMU, BSI, BSID, CAL, CALI, corona, glabrous or stiffed hairy. Pollinarium FRLH, MH, PBL, KFRI, RHT, SUK, SKU, erect; pollinia yellow to reddish, with pellucid TBGT and Goa University herbarium were also margin, attached to red brown corpusculum by consulted. short caudicles. Follicles usually in pairs, rarely Taxonomic treatment single, erect or horizontal, tapering to a fine point, glabrous. Seeds ovate-oblong, marginate, comose; Ceropegia L., Sp. Pl. 1: 211. 1753; Roxb., Pl. coma white silky (Figs. 3 & 4). Coromandel 1: 11, t. 7. 1795; Wight, Contr. Bot. India 30. 1834; B. Heyne ex Decne, Prodr. 8: 641. Flowering & fruiting: Throughout the year. 1844; Wight, Icon. Pl. Ind. Orient. 4(1): 14. 1848; Distribution: 244 species in the world, distributed Benth. & Hook.f., Gen. Pl. 2: 779. 1876; Hook.f., in Africa (except Mediterranean region), Canary Fl. Brit. India 4: 66. 1883; K. Schum. in Engl. Islands, India, Madagascar, New Guinea, northern & Prantl, Pflanzenr. 4(2): 270. 1895; H. Huber, Australia, southeast Asia and tropical Arabia Mem. Soc. Brot. 12: 20. 1957; Ansari, Fasc. Fl. (Good, 1952; Bruyns, 2003). Ceropegias are found India 16: 1. 1984; F. Albers & Meve, Ill. Handb. at an elevation ranging from 16–2500 m. In India, Succ. Pl. Asclepiadaceae 63. 2002. Type: Ceropegia majority of the species are distributed in peninsular candelabrum L. part. Out of 61 Indian taxa, 44 (72 %) are endemic. Vernacular names: Kandilpushp, Kharpudi (Marathi). All northeast Indian species (9), extend their distribution to neighboring countries. Highest Perennial geophytic herbs. Rootstock tuberous or diversity is found in Maharashtra with 25 species, not; tubers depressed globose, globose-discoid; of which 17 are endemic. roots fibrous or fleshy. Stem prostrate, erect, twining or climbing, one or rarely 2–3 from a Notes: Majority of the Indian species are threatened single tuber, 0.1–1 m tall in erect species, 4–6 m due to the habitat modification and exploitation of tall in twining, terete or quadrangular, succulent tubers for food. A few species are even not collected or non-succulent, glabrous to sparingly hairy. after type collections. Leaves simple, opposite-decussate, rarely whorled, Key to the sections of Ceropegia in India sub-sessile to petiolate; lamina ovate, elliptic, ovate-lanceolate or broadly ovate, sometimes 1. Plants with well developed tubers .....................2 reduced to scales, succulent or non-succulent, 1. Plants without well developed tubers ...............4 glabrous or scabrous. Flowers solitary or few to many in umbellate cymes. Calyx 5-partite; sepals 2. Tubers with fibrous roots ..................................3 linear-subulate or triangular. Corolla tubular; 2. Tubers with fleshy roots ............. sect. Ceropegia tube abruptly, gradually or much dilated at the base, straight or curved, glabrous or hairy within 3. Herbs geophytes, short, erect (except C. at middle, with or without a ring of hairs at the arnottiana) .......................................... sect. Tiloris mouth of dilated part, cylindrical or funnel-shaped 3. Herbs climbing (except C. lawii, C. maccannii, C. at throat, equal or longer than corolla lobes; lobes panchganiensis, C. rollae, C. sahyadrica) ................ linear, cordate, obovate or oblong, connate at ..................................................... sect. Indopegia tip, forming long conical, globose, ampuliform, ellipsoid cage, coiled, beaked or spirally twisted, 4. Leaves reduced to scales ................sect. Phalaena rarely free, glabrous, finely pubescent or with 4. Leaves well developed, not reduced to scales ...5 glandular clavate, hollow clavate, conical uni- seriate trichomes, usually multi-coloured, blotched 5. Leaves succulent ......................... sect. Esculentae or striped, reflexed along their back. Corona uni or 5. Leaves not succulent ..........................................6 bi-seriate, sessile or stipitate; outer of entire to bifid 6. Roots fibrous .................................. sect. lobes, cupular, bowl or saucer-shaped, glabrous or Janthina ciliate along margins and within; inner if present 6. Roots fleshy/swollen ............... sect. Chionopegia Kambale & Yadav 5 Fig. 3. Diversity of rootstock in Ceropegia species: a & b. Globose tubers with fleshy roots in C. ravikumariana Kambale & Gnanasek.; c. Globose tuber with fibrous roots in C. sahyadrica Ansari & B.G. Kulk. var. sahyadrica; d & e. Stolon like tubers in C. juncea Roxb. (d) & C. intermedia Wight (e); f. Elongated tuber (probably the younger tuber) in C. odorata Nimmo ex J. Graham. (Photos a & b. Navendu Page; d. H.C. Lingaraj). 6 Taxonomic revision