SCIENTIFIC CORRESPONDENCE

Sicyos angulatus L. (): a new adventive species for the flora of India

During the course of field work in 2013– acuminate with denticulate margin (Fig- at one end, indehiscent (Figure 1 i). Pol- 2015, specimens of a cucurbit were col- ure 1 b). Tendrils axillary, 3 or rarely 4 linated by wasps and bees (Figure 1 f ). lected from the forest area of Shimla branched (Figure 1 c). Flowers unisexual, Flowering and Fruiting: September to (Himachal Pradesh). On the basis of born on pubescent peduncles, both types November. study of these specimens and consulta- occurring on the same (mono- Distribution: India: Himachal Pradesh tion of taxonomic literature1,2 and online ecious). Staminate flowers 10–12 mm in (Shimla), earlier reported from6 Austria, herbaria, it was identified as dia., in 3–10 flowered racemes, pedun- Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech angulatus, a native of eastern North cles longer than the pedicels (Figure 1 d). Republic, France, Germany, Greece, America. Literature survey3–5, searches Pistillate flowers 3–5 mm across, smaller Italy, Japan, Korea Republic, Mexico, in e-Flora of India (Botanical Survey of than staminate flowers, bell-shaped, 3– Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Turkey, India, BSI) and Herbarium of BSI, 10 in compact globose cymes, peduncles Ukraine, United Kingdom and United Northern Regional Centre, Dehradun and pedicels equal in length (Figure 1 e). States of America. revealed that this species is new and ad- Calyx green, 5-toothed, pubescent. Co- Herbarium specimen: Plant specimens ventive in India. A detailed description rolla white with green striations, petals 5, (AT-1) were collected near Khalini, along with photographs is provided to connate at base, broadly campanulate. Shimla (31518.58N, 771024.89E, facilitate its identification. Stamens united to form a central column altitude 1998 m) Himachal Pradesh on 20 in staminate flowers (Figure 1 d). Ovary September 2015 and submitted in BSD L., Sp. Pl. 2: 1013., 1753. in pistillate flower unilocular, style slen- (Acc. No. 116042). Common names: Bur-cucumber, one- der, stigmas 3 (Figure 1 e). Fruits pro- seeded bur-cucumber, star-cucumber duced in star-shaped clusters, 1.5–3 cm 1. Schaefer, H. and Renner, S. S., In The (English). in diameter, radiating from a central Families and Genera of Vascular : Flowering Plants, , Vol. 10 Sapin- Annual , reaching 4–8 m in length point (Figure 1 g). Each fruit ovoid, dales, , Myrtaceae (ed. (Figure 1 a). Stem herbaceous, angular, 1-seeded , 10–15 mm, armed with Kubitzki, K.), Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pubescent. Leaves simple, alternate, slender spines, initially green, turning 2011, pp. 112–174. shallowly 5-lobed, 5–15  7–15 cm, pu- brown, indehiscent (Figure 1 h). Seeds 8– 2. USDA, Natural Resources Conservation bescent, palmately veined, lobes acute or 10  6–8 mm, dark brown, flat, tapered Services – Cucurbitaceae, 2015; http://plants. usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source= display&classid=Cucurbitaceae (accessed on 10 November 2015). 3. Hooker, J. D., The Flora of British India, Vol. II – Sabiaceae to Cornaceae. L. Reeve & Co, London, 1879, pp. 604-635. 4. Jeffrey, C., Kew Bull., 1980, 34, 789–809. 5. Renner, S. S. and Pandey, A. K., Phy- toKeys, 2013, 20, 53–118. 6. EPPO, Bull. OEPP/EPPO Bull., 2010, 40(3), 401–406.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. I thank Prof. Susane S. Renner (Systematic and Mycology, University of Munich, Menzing- erstr, Germany) for validating the identifica- tion, Dr Gurcharan Singh (Retd Associate Professor, Khalsa College, University of Delhi) for discussions and help during the preparation of this manuscript and the anonymous reviewer for helpful comments/ suggestions for improving the manuscript.

Received 11 November 2015; revised ac- cepted 10 May 2016

ANIL KUMAR THAKUR Department of Botany, Centre of Excellence, Government College, Sanjauli,

Figure 1. Sicyos angulatus; a, Habit; b, Leaf; c, Tendrils; d, Male flowers; e, Female flowers; Shimla 171 006, India f, Pollination; g, Fruit cluster; h, Fruit; i, Seed. e-mail: [email protected]

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